Furniture is a term for movable objects that support human activities like seating (chairs, stools and sofas), eating and sleeping. It can also hold objects at a convenient height for work (tables and desks) and provide storage spaces.
Throughout history, people have designed pieces of furniture that meet various functional needs and aesthetics. Furniture design is influenced by culture, religion and daily activities as well as the surrounding natural environment. Furniture can be designed to reflect a particular time period or to be in a style that is popular at a given time. Some designs, such as those made by Alvar Aalto and Frank Lloyd Wright, have influenced the entire field of furniture design while others, such as those by Charles and Ray Eames and Mies van der Rohe, have been extremely influential.
In the modern era, industrialization and post-modernism have led to increased participation in furniture design. Furniture styles are now more varied than ever, with many integrating elements of Classical and Modernist architecture and other design fields. Contemporary DIY and Maker cultures are also contributing to the variety of modern furniture designs, including those that utilize live edge surfaces or incorporate other forms of nature in their design.
As such, furniture can be used as a tool in interior design to achieve goals such as rhythm, unity, emphasis and harmony. It is also often a focal point of a room, helping to structure how people move through and access the other features within a space.