We spend so much time around our furniture, but we don’t really consider how deeply it impacts our lives. Whether it’s hand-me-down or fancy that you scrimped and saved for, we think it’s worth celebrating the role furniture has in improving our quality of life. After all, every piece of furniture has a story and a supporting role in your life. So here are 9 quotes about furniture to inspire you.

Do you have any meaningful pieces of furniture? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Share a picture, if you like!

Furniture and food are ways that people define their attitude toward life. – Terence Conran

It’s simple – by choosing which foods and furniture to have in your life, you’re really articulating a life philosophy. For example, if you only have slouchy gray chairs, you might need a little jolt of energy in your life. If you eat delicious, nourishing, and varied meals for breakfast, then you’re saying you have a zest for life! This quote about furniture is really a quote about making a choice about how to live your life. Choosing the right furniture can help you live the life of your dreams!

Your home should be a story of who you are, and be a collection of what you love.
– Nate Berkus

Too many people shy away from bold, wacky statements in their home. And that’s, well, because they’re afraid of being seen as bold and wacky! But what if that’s who you really are? Your home is the one space in the world that you’re allowed to curate totally for yourself. You’re the #1 decider, and you’re the #1 priority. It’s okay for your space to be a reflection of what you love.

Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future. – Robert Peters

Have you ever noticed that certain rooms just feel really oppressive and unwelcoming? Or places that feel really exciting at first, but then feel overwhelming? That’s not entirely by accident. For instance, in the fast food industry, primary colors are used in the interiors of restaurants to encourage people to eat faster and move out quicker, increasing their bottom line. Waiting rooms in places like the DMV are designed to be calming and neutral, but they usually just come off as outdated and ignored. When we can consciously use design as a tool to shape culture, we can achieve powerful things.

The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life. – Marie Kondo

If you don’t know who Marie Kondo is, head on over to Netflix and watch her show, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. Her philosophy is all about sparking joy and getting yourself organized in a way that frees up space and energy to live your best life. Too often, the things around us are just holdovers from other times in our lives. We’ve all been there, holding onto that worn out IKEA couch from college, or staring at that concert poster from 2010 on the wall. Of course, it’s totally reasonable to want to save money and enjoy things from the past if they truly spark joy. But with this quote about furniture, Marie Kondo is asking us to think deeper. How do you want to live your life? Based on your answer, you’ll start to figure out what you want to own.

Furniture is meant to be used and enjoyed. – Natalie Morales

We’ve all seen those showroom posts on Instagram, where it looks like the furniture has never been used. Who are these people?! In real life, furniture should be a daily part of your life. If you’re not using in, then why is it there? No need to rush off and tell your Grandma to get rid of the fancy couches that no one is allowed to sit on. But it is important to think about if your furniture is serving you. If it looks good but you can’t enjoy it because it’s too high or too big, then it’s not really serving you. An interior designer can help you think about through this in advance.

Have nothing in your house which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.
– William Morris

This quote about furniture also applies to decor. It should either serve you, or inspire you, otherwise you should pass it on. If that sorting system scares you, just think of it this way. The more you get rid of, the more space you’re creating for truly beautiful and useful objects!

Underneath all I design lies the solid belief that beauty is a positive force. – Barbara Barry

The discipline of design is a blend of practicality and aspiration. Designers are always trying to make something more useful, and also more beautiful, than it was before. Beauty is a key ingredient in life, and too many people forget that. Practicality without beauty is just boring! Which makes you more excited to eat dinner, a white dining table and a plain white wall, or a gorgeous purple table and a large-scale colorful map of the world? You don’t have to make dramatic changes to your space to introduce small moments of beauty.

We need objects to remind us of the commitments we’ve made. All designed objects are propaganda for a way of life. – Alain de Botton

Consider the wedding ring. In older times, rings were exchanged to mark wives as property. But nowadays? They are seen as symbols of love and commitment. People choose to wear them to physicalize their commitment to their partner and remember the love they have chosen. Everything around us is, as this quote about furniture says, “propaganda for a way of life.” What is your furniture currently asking of you?

Design is coming to grips with one’s real lifestyle, one’s real place in the world. Rooms should not be put together for show but to nourish one’s well-being. – Albert Hadley

Ah, well-being. It’s a value that designers often forget about. How you ever been to a fancy restaurant where everything looks gorgeous but the lights are way too bright and the chairs are actually really uncomfortable? It’s possible to design a space that is beautiful as well as nourishing to your well-being. In fact, when your room design centers you, your health, and your personal goals, your space will actually be more beautiful because it’s tailored just for you.

We hope you enjoyed these quotes about furniture!

If you’re inspired and want to see more furniture inspo, visit us @Furnishr on Instagram. Or if you want to see what your custom room would look like, give us a call! Our design team can help you enjoy your dream home, set up for you in just a day.