Why Is Furniture So Expensive?

Last Updated on August 2, 2023 By Emma W. Thomas

Furniture can be expensive due to factors like quality materials, craftsmanship, design complexity, and brand reputation. Additionally, supply chain costs, transportation, and retail markups contribute to the final price.

Factors that drive the cost of furniture so high

Several factors make the cost of furniture to be so high. These include;

Timeless Designs – The Cost Of Uniqueness

Furniture takes a lot of time in designing, developing, and producing prototypes. To come up with an original design of furniture takes a lot of trial and error, making the furniture costly. 

Unique or handcrafted artisan furniture usually has a timeless and well-made design and is, therefore, rare. When the furniture is of high-end quality and small in numbers, the cost will go up exponentially. 

Small Market Demand

Some fewer customers go for high-end pieces that is those who can afford the luxury. Due to the small group of clients who can purchase custom-made pieces of furniture, the cost goes up. The production cost of a luxury piece of furniture dramatically affects its pricing. The quality of materials used in producing the pieces and attention to detail will make the furniture stand out among others and increase the cost. 

Superior Quality 

Most pieces of furniture are custom-made using high-quality materials, which plays a great role in setting the prices. If you are searching for a piece that is made using expensive material and superior quality craftsmanship, be sure to pay handsomely for the same. 

Furniture Is Long-Lasting

The cost of furniture is set higher than other items in your house since it is long-lasting. You can use your piece for many years or even decades, depending on the quality. Such furniture that can be used for a long will be expensive. The great thing is that once you buy the pieces, you will not need to go back to the stores soon for similar pieces. 

Skilled Workers

Besides high-quality materials and superior designs that come with furniture pieces, they need experts to produce the best. These skilled workers have spent several years trying to perfect their crafts. Different professionals make each piece, each having a particular part of working on. 

Skilled labor is not cheap, and this impacts greatly on the overall cost of the furniture. 

What Makes Wood Furniture So Expensive?

While it is possible to get inexpensive wood furniture, high-quality wooden pieces are expensive. Low-quality furniture may look good but will not be long-lasting; hence, you will pay more eventually.   Wood may be expensive or not, depending on the type and quality. The following are the different types of wood available;

Solid Wood

Solid wood is a natural resource that is either hardwood or softwood. These materials can be of high or low quality. Hardwoods are scarce since they take longer to grow, and are more resistant to fire than softwoods. For this reason, furniture made from hardwoods is more expensive than that made from softwoods. 

Hardwood pieces are also more expensive since they use the best part of the tree (the heartwood). This is the central portion of the tree that is stronger and with rich color tones. Some hardwoods, such as walnut, are more expensive than others since they are rare due to their limitations. Maple, Cherry, and Ash are more available since they grow larger and are, therefore, less expensive. 

Birch is the cheapest of the hardwoods since its natural tones in the grain are uneven. This wood is, therefore, great for making colorfully painted or stained furniture. 

Medium-Density Fiberboard And Particleboard

MDF (Medium Density Fiberboards) and particleboards are custom-made wood composites made from leftovers from soft and hardwoods.  MDFs are sturdy, dense, reliable, and can be cut using a table saw. MDF is suitable for use in media cabinets since it does not warp with heat from electronics. 

It is also perfect for bookshelves as it can support more weight and does not bend over time. MDF is also great for the dresser’s siding since it helps to mitigate weight and cost and make items stable over time. 

Particleboard (also known as chipboard) is made of large wood chips and is less sturdy. These materials are bound together with resin and glue. While furniture made from chipboard is cheaper, it is less durable and prone to damage due to the wood chips’ spaces. 

Plywood

Plywood is engineered from layers of wood that are pieced together using glue in alternating sections. There are both soft and hardwood versions of plywood that impact their durability. Plywood also comes in various layers (called ply) that range from 3 to 9. The strength of plywood depends on how much ply it has, which also affects the cost. Plywood with many layers is stronger and more expensive. 

Kiln-dried hardwood layers make the best quality plywood that holds well in shape and which does not warp. You can shape and curve plywood for specific uses, such as the base for a Stressless chair which contains 32 layers of kiln-dried wood. 

Veneers

A veneer is a cheaper alternative to hardwood, which means placing a thin piece of premium wood coating over a kind of engineered wood. A single layer gives the appearance of hardwood grains, but the underlying material lowers the cost. However, the veneer has one drawback: it minimizes the number of times that one can refinish the furniture. It is for this reason that the material cannot be used for making tables.

Is it worth paying more for furniture?

The furniture in a home not only serves a functional purpose but also adds to the aesthetic appeal of the space. It’s no wonder why people often find themselves debating whether they should splurge on expensive furniture. Here are some insights to help unravel the complexities of this decision:

1. Longevity:
Quality often comes at a price and this applies to furniture as well. Armoires, sofas, or tables built with high-quality materials inevitably have a longer lifespan. Paying more for such pieces, therefore, could be seen as an investment in the long run.

2. Comfort:
Luxury furniture tends to provide a higher level of comfort. Whether it’s a mattress that adjusts to your body or a sofa that’s just the right balance of firm and cozy, the extra money spent can significantly enhance overall living quality.

3. Craftsmanship:
Expensive furniture is often synonymous with impeccable designs and craftsmanship. These items can become focal points in your home, and sometimes even conversation starters, thanks to their uniqueness.

4. Home Value:
If you plan to sell your home in the future, it’s worth noting that high-quality furniture can augment its value considerably.

5. Reduce replacement costs:
Purchasing cheap furniture may seem like a bargain initially. However, the cost of replacing or repairing them frequently may add up, making it less economical than investing in high-quality items from the beginning.

Pay More for Furniture	Pros	Cons
Yes	Last longer, Enhances the aesthetic appeal, Supreme comfort, Adds value to home	Higher initial investment
No	Less initial investment, easier to replace	Less durable, May incur more frequent replacement or repair costs

6. Consideration of Needs vs Wants:
A useful tactic is to differentiate between wants and needs. If a piece of furniture is not needed as much, maybe skipping the high-priced version would make more sense.

7. Sustainable Practices:
Many high-end brands are now focusing on sustainability. Investing in their products can mean that you are indirectly helping to protect the environment.

Conclusion

Furniture can be expensive depending on the design, quality of materials used, uniqueness, and how skillful the workers making them are. The cost and type of materials used also play a great role in the pricing of furniture. These pieces can last for many years without calling for a replacement or repair.

The demand for furniture is low, making the pieces remain in the stores for longer periods, which makes them expensive to cater to storage expenses. 

References:

https://www.veranda.com/decorating-ideas/advice-from-designers/a43458013/why-is-furniture-so-expensive/
https://www.furniturerow.com/blog/why-is-furniture-so-expensive-in-2022-/7699