Whatever the image in your mind may be, furniture is so much more than that.
If you want to get to know the crafty pieces that make your house a home, here are some fascinating facts about furniture that you may not have known before:
- The word “furniture” comes from the French word “fournir”, which means “to furnish”.
- The very first pieces of furniture were made from animal hides, tree stumps and logs that were hollowed out or had branches removed.
- The oldest piece of furniture in the world was a wooden mausoleum furniture made 2,700 years ago. It can be found in the Midas cemetery at Gordion, which is now called Ankara in Turkey.
- The most expensive piece of furniture ever sold is a bejeweled Badminton cabinet worth $36.7 million. It is now displayed in the Liechtenstein Museum.
- Furniture has been used for centuries as a way to show off someone's wealth. In ancient Rome, furniture was often carved out of expensive materials like marble and ivory. Roman couches were considered a symbol of luxury and status so only the wealthy could afford them. In China, wealthy families would have entire rooms dedicated to storing their furniture.
- In the Middle Ages, the furniture is plain and simple. Houses contained only a few furniture pieces and people used benches and stools rather than chairs.
- In the 1950s, furniture designers began to experiment with new materials such as plastic and fiberglass. This led to the creation of iconic pieces such as the Eames Lounge Chair.
- The first mass-produced furniture was named Chair No.14 or more commonly known as the “Bistro chair”. Released in 1859, it was made using the bentwood technique and modeled after the design of furniture maker Michael Thonet.
- The first completely upholstered chair was created in 1705 and called a “sleeping chayre” because it had a design that allowed leaning the head on its backrest or on its sides.
- The average American house has over 300 pieces of furniture in it.
- Furniture wasn't always used for sitting or sleeping on. In ancient Egypt, furniture was often used to hold religious items or to display food.
- In Asia, people usually sleep on mats on the floor instead of beds. This tradition began because beds are very expensive and take up a lot of space.
- In many countries, furniture is used as a means of expression. For example, in India, people use finely carved wooden furniture to showcase their intricate cultural values.
- The average person spends over $5,000 on furniture during their lifetime. No wonder it’s the third most expensive purchase, coming next to buying a house and a car.
- In the early 1900s, up to 60% of all furniture in the United States was made by hand. Today, most furniture is mass-produced!
These facts are great to know so we gain insights into furniture-making and its history. We’ll also be able to appreciate our furniture more and the effort their designers and builders dedicated into creating them.
If you’re interested in learning more about furniture by purchasing your own, scroll through our Hunt Country Furniture store. You can definitely find lovely furniture that stands the test of time.