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From Home Furnishing Business
What Sells: In Motion Motion furnishings are moving into more homes.
July 24,
2024 by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry 
Once relegated to mancaves and home theater rooms, motion furnishings (sofas, chairs and sectionals) are now a mainstream design element of American living rooms. The motion furniture category continues to grow, representing more than one-third of all upholstery sales in the U.S. in 2023.
In today’s unpredictable retail climate, many retailers are reducing overall inventory levels and rebalancing their floor selections. The result is more pressure to identify the sweet spot of price, style, and features in every category—including motion furniture. Different by Design Design trends in recliners, reclining sofas and motion sectionals continue to reflect those in stationary upholstery. More colors and patterns are emerging in upholstery fabrics and leather after a decade of gray- and greige-dominated sales floors. Performance fabrics are moving from being a special-order option to becoming the norm.
“Value” remains a key buzzword on retail floors as sales associates market motion furnishings. While that definition varies depending on price point, communicating distinctive comfort, function and fashion features are essential to closing sales. Tailored details such as welts, contrasting stitching and nailhead options are being used to add fashion to motion furniture as well as differentiate manufacturer brands. In terms of scale, many consumers equate larger pieces with greater value, yet marketers are also finding success with smaller silhouettes aimed at apartment dwellers, new home buyers and downsizing boomers.
“Sectionals are currently on-trend, reflecting the latest in fashion décor, especially when paired with cool arctic color palettes,” says Anthony Teague, senior vice president at Jackson Catnapper. “These modular pieces are designed to fit any living space, large or small, offering ultimate relaxation and flexibility.” Consumers are increasingly drawn to styles inspired by stationary upholstery. Models that balance beauty and comfort are more likely to appeal to both partners in the home and help close the sale. At the same time, traditional overstuffed motion frames continue to hold their ground in the lower- and mid-priced markets. And as younger consumers come to market, transitional styling is seeing a resurgence.
Manual recliners still dominate entry-level price points, yet power motion innovations are in high demand. Fashionforward features like hidden mechanisms are valued, as are innovations such as electronic charging ports, fully lit tabletops and integrated storage and work surfaces. Growth Trends New growth is also evident in specialized upholstery segments such as lift chairs and zero-gravity models, as well as options and models dedicated to massage, heating, and other relaxation features. The increasing variety of upholstery styles overall is resonating well with consumers.
According to a FurnitureCore, Inc. survey developed by Impact Consulting Services (parent company of Home Furnishings Business), the combined upholstery category (stationary + motion), as a percent of total furniture sales came in at $52.84 billion for 2023, up slightly from $52.43 billion in 2021. Looking specifically at motion upholstery, 2023 closed with $19.52 billion in sales, up slightly over $19.36 billion in sales posted for 2022.
