What Sells: SUPPORTING CAST A look at the trends in Home Office, Entertainment and Occasional furnishings.

December 29, 2023  by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry   

Home office furniture sales continue to grow, despite many households purchasing the necessary pieces as working from home became mandatory in recent years. Whether they’re adding to existing setups or creating new workspaces in the home, consumers continue to search terms such as #desk and #bookcase on social media, Houzz and Pinterest. Manufacturers are responding by providing a constant stream of fresh designs—with a growing number of collections designed with modular pieces that work together to accommodate a variety of floorplans. AICO credits product design as the route to customer satisfaction in the home office arena, according to president David Koehler. Describing AICO’s fashionable Belmont Place desk, Kohler explains:

“The success of this desk lies in its exquisite pairing of the ethereal allure of white anigre veneer coupled with the deep richness of espresso, beautifully accentuated by gold touches. Consumer sentiment echoes our belief: this desk is a statement, ensuring the home office reflects the luxury of the rest of the home.”

In addition to dedicated home offices wellsuited for a desk, console, bookcase, and file storage pieces, desks are being used throughout the home as multifunctional solutions. Today’s open floorplans offer numerous spots to integrate a desk. Desks placed behind the sofa take the place of console tables and are perfect for finishing up work, paying bills or doing homework. Adding a desk to an open wall or nook creates a focal point and can be styled with a mirror and accessories to look decorative while providing a worksurface and smart storage to keep clutter out of sight.

Modular furniture designs are an essential element of Stickley’s home office strategy. “Our Origins By Stickley line represents tremendous value as the opening price point for Stickley; it brings customers functional furniture options that are fully customizable and well-constructed as well as affordable,” explains Edward Audi, president, L. & J.G. Stickley. “The Dwyer style has become especially popular among our home office products. Its modular storage components offer incredible versatility, and a choice of ten finishes and nine hardware styles means that Dwyer will work beautifully in any setting.”

As Americans spend more time working from home, the home office category has benefited. Industry research—from the FurnitureCore model developed by Impact Consulting Services, parent company to Home Furnishings Business magazine— estimates the home office furniture category grew a solid 8.1% from 2021 to 2022. While impressive, last year’s growth pales in comparison to the pandemic-fueled growth of 21.3% growth documented from 2020 to 2021. So far in 2023, the home office category is tracking 2.4% above last year through second quarter. In 2022, home office sales finished at $6.88 billion up from $6.36 billion the previous year. As of Q2 year to date, sales in the home office category are estimated at $3.38 billion.

Occasional Tables
As functional as they are fashionable, occasional tables are design essentials. Creating a seating area without them leaves a room looking and feeling empty—and without the ability to support a beverage or TV remote. Gone are the days where a well-designed room boasted a matching ensemble of two end tables, a cocktail table and a console table. Today’s interior design directions highlight tables (and ottomans, benches, etc.) that complement rather than match each other. Notable features in this category include eclectic mixes of wood, metal, glass and stone; durable, cleanable surfaces; and multifunctional design. “Our Anaheim cocktail ottoman is one of our best sellers because of its versatility and mixed media,” explains Jim Telleysh, president of Spectra Home. “It’s a great accent piece with a gunmetal-gray base made of aluminum. The upholstered top is stocked in our Data Cream performance fabric or a rich charcoal Nubuck leather and is available for 48-hour delivery. You can also choose from our extended selection of performance fabrics, bleach-cleanable acrylics and more leather options by ordering through our custom design program.”

Home Entertainment
While consumers continue to spend more time at home streaming their favorite shows, the need for home entertainment furnishings grows. From minimalist to modern farmhouse styles, there are looks available to meet every consumer’s style preference and budget. The most desirable features include open and closed storage, adjustable shelves, powerstrips, cord management, and open or glass-front component compartments.

FurnitureCore research estimates the entertainment furniture category grew 8.1% from 2021 to 2022; down from the 21% growth recorded the previous year. In 2022, the entertainment furniture group finished at $8.29 billion in sales, surpassing 2021’s stellar sales of $7.67 billion. At the close of the second quarter this year, home entertainment is tracking at $4.08 billion in sales, up slightly over last year where 2022 sales closed at $3.98 billion during the same period.