n.
Household equipment designed for a variety of purposes.
It may be made of wood, metal, plastics, stone, glass, fabrics, and related materials. It ranges from the simple pine chest or country chair to the elaborate marquetry-work cabinet or gilded console table. It is usually movable, though it can be built in, as are kitchen cabinets and bookcases. Stylistically it is related to architecture and interior design. Throughout history the functional and decorative aspects of furniture have been influenced by economics and fashion . In the 14th18th century, furniture making flourished with ever-increasing affluence. In the 1920s and '30s architects designed chairs made of modern materials such as tubular steel and plastic. See also bentwood furniture ; Early American furniture ; Shaker furniture .