furniture

Household equipment designed for a variety of purposes. It may be made of wood, metal, plastics, marble, glass, fabrics, and related materials. It ranges from the simple pine chest or country chair to the elaborate marquetry-work cabinet or gilded console table. It is usually movable, though it can be built-in, as are kitchen cabinets and bookcases. It can either reveal or hide how it was constructed, and it can be highly stylized. The design and building of furniture is related to both architecture and interior design. Throughout history the functional and decorative aspects of furniture have been influenced by economics and fashion. See bentwood furniture; Early American furniture; Shaker furniture. See also particular categories of furniture: e.g., bed; chair; table.

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