History of Furniture

(Dixon n.d. fig. 1)

1. Pre-historic Furniture

The word “Furniture” is used from the Old French “Furnir”- which means furnish (Furniture (n.), 2020). Furniture (n.) (2020) and Furniture (2023) stated that it should be a movable object derived from Latin. Archaeologists’ found that the primitive started to carve things about 30,000 years ago – during the Upper Paleolithic. According to the photo provided by Dixon (n.d.), as shown in figure 1 on the right, pre-historical humans started building houses and furniture with stones. One of the most famous countries that still exist till now is Egypt, which has lots of creations invented before Christ however it is said by History (2023) that “Although only a few important examples of actual furniture survive, stone carvings, fresco paintings, and models made as funerary offerings present rich documentary evidence”. The starting of making furniture dates back a long time ago before Christ however it is not as perfectly formed as our current furniture as it should be after Christ. 

(Dalbera 2012 fig. 2)

2. Furniture with Beauty

The perfect form of furniture performed creatively and used to decorate the living area after the Neolithic. Furniture can designed with different patterns and colours with a combination of different fabrics. The designs can vary depending on the nationality of the carpenter. The product itselves follows the materials available together with

the tradition and trend locally. One of the designs are showns in figure 2 taken by Dalbéra (2012) at the National Library of France. This is a Coromandel Lacquer which is simply a cupboard used in ancient China during the 17 and 18th centuries, which is the ruler of the Qing Dynasty. This type of furniture you can see from the photo, they are commonly black and shiny with a colourful picture painted on the furniture. The border of the furniture will sometimes be decorated with the chic gold plates to determine the prosperity of the owner of this product. Finally from the photo provided, there are already some keyholes for locking during the 1700s.

(Gupta n.d. fig. 3)

3. The Latest Trend

From the 1900s – 2000s, the trend changes and community seek for more stylish and multifunctional amenities. For instance, sofa bed, all in one table chair, expandable round table, etc. The requirement for equipment is getting more difficult. In spite of that, it has an advantage to society increasing the quality of life and brings ease to the world. For instance, the rental is more expensive and the economic is harsh, therefore society’s freshman is unable to rent a wide living space. People nowsaday is living in a Financial Stress society, “Homelessness, and housing instability, has significantly increased in the United States over the last decade; colleges and universities are beginning to confront this persistent problem (Broton & Goldrick-Rab, 2013)” (Cruz 2018). Due to this reason the housing space can be small and there is no much space to fit all furniture separately, and belatedly invented the multifunctional furniture shown in figure 3 (Gupta n.d. fig. 3).

(Hurst 2022 fig. 4)

4. Conclusion

As a conclusion, furniture is a must in our life and we are unable to despair it completely. The only scheme is to provide reasonable price and popularization for any type of residence. Apart from that, creativity is importantly needed in our society as stress level is increasing, warm and cozy design as well as colour is a plus to the living area. For instance, coming home from a stress job; after shower with a warm and neutral colour with a soft sofa will release most tension of the day. In a nut shell, getting a furniture at home or work can be a bonus point in life as you can see from figure 4 shows that a room like this can be relieving to live in (Hurst 2022).

Reference List

• CRUZ, R., 2018. Stress and Housing Instability Among College Students. [online]. Northridge, California. Available from: https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/downloads/z890rx900 [Accessed 19 January 2023].
• DALBÉRA, J.-P., 2012. “Médaillier à panneaux de laque de Coromandel” (inv.55.701). Médailler en laque de Coromandel (musée du cabinet des médailles, BNF). [online]. Paris: Flickr. Available from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dalbera/7365169420/ [Accessed 18 January 2023].
• DIXON, M., n.d. Fascinating facts about Skara Brae you may not know! North Link Ferries [online] [online]. Available from: https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/orkney-blog/skara-brae/ [Accessed 19 January 2023].
• Furniture (n.), 2020. [online]. Online Etymology Dictionary. Available from: https://www.etymonline.com/word/furniture [Accessed 17 January 2023].
• Furniture, 2023. [online]. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furniture [Accessed 17 January 2023].
• GUPTA, R., 2n.d.. Multipurpose and Convertible Furniture. Ghar360. Available from: http://ghar360.com/blogs/architecture/multipurpose-convertible-furniture#google_vignette [Accessed 19 January 2023].
• History, 2023. [online]. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/technology/furniture/History [Accessed 18 January 2023].
• HURST, M., 2022. Cosy living room ideas – 33 ways to create a snug space to hunker down in. [online]. Ideal Home: The Home of Great Ideas for More than 100 Years. Available from: https://www.idealhome.co.uk/living-room/living-room-ideas/cosy-living-room-design-ideas-89579 [Accessed 19 January 2023].