Holiday Shopping Survey Says TV Room Will Be Hotter Than Bedroom

Furniture World Magazine

According to a new survey by the Unfinished Furniture Association, entertainment unit purchases are expected to beat master bedroom set buys this year, with holiday shoppers placing more value on sitting down with family and friends to watch a football game or a holiday movie in well-furnished but casual surroundings than sprucing up the more private areas of their homes. According to the survey, 80 percent of unfinished furniture store owners and managers said they expect new entertainment units and stands that accommodate larger widescreen TVs to outsell master bedroom sets. In fact, many said they expect those entertainment units and stands to be among their hottest selling items this year. "Bigger TV sales are driving our sales," said one retail survey respondent from Missouri. "At our store, we have rapidly been stocking more plasma and flat screen TV stands," said another from Massachusetts. An Arizona retailer concurs: "Many people are upgrading their TV and consequently, they need at least a new console to fit the wider profile. Many are going with a whole new wall system to update their look." Gathering around the dining room table is also a popular way to be together Another big seller that also speaks to customers' desire to spend time with family and friends is the dining room table. Although newer, trendier gathering tables have been increasing in popularity, they aren't replacing more traditional dining room sets, unfinished furniture store owners say. Among those surveyed, 94 percent said they expect dining room tables and chairs to outsell gathering tables and chairs. However, some unfinished furniture store owners said their customers are trying to replicate the look of gathering tables without the added height by buying square dining tables at the traditional 30-inch dining room table height. A longing for relaxed family living is evident in furniture buying habits Both entertainment unit and dining table purchases reflect shoppers' desires for a casual, family-oriented home this holiday season. More than 91 percent of unfinished furniture retailers surveyed said their customers would buy casual, rather than formal, furniture to decorate their homes.