The nation’s favourite furniture items revealed

Research by Manor Interiors, the experts in build-to-rent furnishing solutions, has found that when it comes to furniture, the bed is our undisputed household favourite.

Manor Interiors surveyed 1,742 people to find out which household furniture items they couldn’t live without and why, as well as asking about the importance of furniture when it came to their wider lifestyle.

When it comes to our favourite furniture item, our beds ranked as our favourite by far, with the sofa sitting in second, followed by the armchair, dining table and chairs and bedroom dressing table.

The bookcase also ranked high, with desks and office chairs also amongst our favourites, no doubt an influence of the requirement to work from home since the start of the pandemic. Our wardrobes and display cases also made the top 10.

What makes these items our favourite? Comfort was the most important factor for 38% of people, while 26% stated that frequent use was the main reason. Being fit for purpose was also an influential factor (17%), as was the style of our furniture items (10%).

Interestingly, 64% of us don’t feel it’s important that our home furnishings reflect our wider lifestyle, with just 7% finding this link between life and the home of great importance.

However, when it comes to family life, furniture plays a far greater role. When asked how important furniture was with regard to aspects of family life such as dinners, movie nights and so on, 44% ranked it of somewhat importance, while a further 15% stated it was very important to them.

CEO of Manor Interiors, Farhan Malik, commented:

“There’s no better feeling than getting into bed after a long day and it can be a hard task to get out once that morning alarm starts to sound, so it comes as no surprise that it ranks as our favourite furniture item.

However, if our homes are our castles, then our sofas and armchairs are certainly our thrones and not only do they provide a comfortable space to unwind, but they can also form the heart of the household.

The same can also be said for the dining room table and so these items hold far greater importance in life than a piece of furniture. They provide a place where we all come together as a family to eat, socialise, interact and it’s clear that this sits above the style or brand of home furnishings for many people.”

Survey of 1,742 UK population carried out by Manor Interiors via consumer research platform Find Out Now (25th June 2021).

Why is it your favourite? (Tick all that apply)
Answer	Rank
Bed	1st
Sofa	2nd
Arm chair	3rd
Dining table and chairs	4th
Dresser	5th
Bookcase	6th
Desk	7th
Office Chair	8th
Wardrobe	9th
Display case	10th

Why is it your favourite?
Answer	Respondents
Comfort	38%
Most frequently used	26%
Most fit for purpose	17%
Style - antique/modern	10%
Sentimental value	4%
Handmade/bespoke	3%
Branded	1%

How important is it that your home furniture matches your wider lifestyle?
Answer	Respondents
Not important at all	64%
Somewhat important	29%
Very important	7%

How important is your furniture within family life? E.g family dinner time, movie night etc
Answer	Respondents
Somewhat important	44%
Not important at all	41%
Very important	15%