Community Chat

[bonnielu]

Walked through a furniture store to enter a local mall.  Everything was oversized.... really big,long, bulky.  My house would never fit any of it.  Really curious, I have not bought furniture in years.  If I needed something it seems EVERYTHING is beyond my space.

Thinking if I ever have to sell my house would it be an issue that my rooms would never accomodate what I saw in this store. I did ask a sales person and they seemed to think big size was the new normal.  

[Goldengate8361]

I suspect furniture is bigger now because people are bigger (i.e. fatter) now.

[Desert Lily]

 @bonnielu  Some furniture stores and department stores have sections devoted to "smaller spaces" (Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, West Elm, Macy's, ikea, etc.), and some furniture stores and department stores have a greater selection online these days - Some of those pieces are shipped directly from the manufacturer and require assembly.

[phoenixbrd]

I think you have choices frequently depending on where you shop.  There are choices for both larger or smaller furniture.  (Wayfair offers many choices.)

Most of the furniture in my home is fairly large....I can do this because I have few well thought about/placed pieces.  I don't jam a lot of furniture into my home.....rather have few really special pieces.  It also depends on the function of the furntiure.  The bathroom space requires smaller furniture, whereas the family room demands a large family sectional.

[on the bay]

I've been looking at a couch for my daughter. I've seen many smaller ones and larger ones.

I think the very large sectionals are popular not because of people's size so much but because families esp with children like to assemble on the couch together and watch tv together. And when having extended family or friends. Instead of going to movie theaters as much, people are gathering on their sofas in their own homes. Watching football, Christmas movies, all these things are a wonderful way to hang out together on a couch that can fit everyone (if they have the money!).

[Cakers3]

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@Goldengate8361 wrote:

I suspect furniture is bigger now because people are bigger (i.e. fatter) now.

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@Goldengate8361   Nailed it.

Car seats are wider, too.

[AngelPuppy1]

Hmmmmm -- interesting!  I haven't shopped for furniture in ages either.  Maybe also because a lot of the newer homes seem to have the open floor concept???  I think most older homes have separate rooms and the rooms seem to be smaller.  I know this is true in our home which was built in the '50s and when we were looking at homes to pourchase, the older homes all pretty much had smaller, separate rooms, and the newer homes, a lot of them had the open floor plan and a much larger space!  If I had to buy new furniture, I might have a problem also, then! 

[Winkk]

I know what you mean.  I recently bought living room furniture and when I went to chain furniture stores it was all big stuff.  I have a small rancher and could not accommodate such big items.

I found shopping at  individually owned stores is better.  They have a better selection and work with you to find what you want.  I ended up buying Flex Steel furniture.  I bought it last February but did not get it until September.

[RollTide2008]

In the last two years, I’ve purchased a sofa, 2 easy chairs with an ottoman, tv stand, bookcases, and a dinette set. I didn’t have any trouble finding standard size pieces that would fit my space. And I’m a large lady who fits quite comfortably in a standard chair.

[deepwaterdotter]

A larger price tag accompanies these larger pieces.  If you want to buy off the showroom floor, you will have to pay that larger price.  Smaller-sized items can be special ordered.