Tag: Facts about Furniture

Furniture can be found anywhere and everywhere. From the bedroom to kitchen to dining room. We are surrounded by furniture everywhere whether be it in our office or our home. Whenever we are feeling sleepy, we slip into our bed to take a wonderful sleep, when we watch television in our living rooms we make use of our comfortable sofas, when we want to read some books or magazines we sit on our relaxing rocking chairs. Just like every other aspect of life, furniture has a rich history, too. In short, all these furniture items were created to serve a purpose by those who felt a need. Here are the Top 10 Facts about Furniture.

1. Did You Know apart from a house and a car, furniture is the third most expensive thing people buy in their entire lives.
   
   
2. Sofas have been in use around the globe in one form or another. They date back to the ancient times of Egyptians and Arabs. The first Chesterfield sofa which is an icon of British gentleman’s clubs was designed in the 1700s. Nowadays, we have sofa beds, chaise sofas, loveseats and corner sofa beds. Did you know a sofa normally stays in a usable condition for about 8-9 years?
   
   
3. Beds were also found in ancient times. They were in use even before 3600 B.C. However, those beds were not like the beds of today as they were made of natural items. Those beds were made with the help of straws, leaves (of palms), or skins (of bears and tigers). It was the 12th century when the first wooden bed was made. Did you know we spend almost 33% of our lives in bed?
   
   
4. The today’s word ‘chair’ has been derived from the Latin word ‘cathedra’ meaning ‘sit’ and ‘down’. Conventionally, chairs were used by the superior members of society like kings and nobles. The oldest chairs were used by the Egyptians and that was almost 5000 years ago. Chairs were not common until the 16th century. While rich people sat on chairs, poor ones used benches and stools. The most expensive chair sold at $28 million, belonged to Yves Saint Laurent, a French Designer.
5. The word ‘table’ has been derived from a Latin word ‘tabula’ meaning ‘plank’ or ‘flat piece of wood’. The tables of ancient times were quite different in purpose than the tables of today. Egyptians used tables for playing games and putting stuff. Chinese used wooden tables for creating artwork and Greeks were the first people to use a table as a dining place.
   
   
6. One of the oldest bookshelves in the world is placed at the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. The university also has a claim of having one of the oldest libraries in the entire Europe.
   
   
7. We owe the invention of basic office chairs to the naturalist, biologist and geologist, Charles Darwin in the 1800. Nowadays, no offices are without the chairs that have no wheels. These chairs provide easier access to any nearby desk or cupboard.
   
   
8. In the 17th century, the first desks were introduced to the world, which was known as ‘bureaus’. They looked like a solid oak desk, only with an additional feature of the tabletop being opened. Due to this feature, these desks were also called sloping front desks. Once the UK was struck by the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, newer and modified forms of desks started emerging.
   
   
9. Office chairs and armchairs did not always have arms. In the office, it wasn’t recommended to have chairs with armrests. Why? Because it got in the way of getting closer to the desk. However, adjustable armrests are now being seen in the workplaces.
   
   
10. An interest in vintage furnishings, particularly in younger buyers over newly manufactured items. Likely contributors to people wanting vintage pieces are a desire to be eco-friendly by reusing products and a lack of disposable income.