Part 3 | Furniture for different uses and buying furniture

We've been talking about the furniture in your house. Let's talk about furniture for different uses. What type of furniture is used for offices? For offices I think that traditionally there has been more of an emphasis on function rather than form. Office furniture has to be practical and it has to be rather durable. So, typically, the concern is more regarding whether the furniture allows the employee to fulfill their duties or not and less so on the appearance of the furniture or its style. How is it different from home furniture? Well, home furniture clearly allows the owner to express themselves and their style so there is much more of an aesthetic component to it and the decisions that go into purchasing it. Lots of times, home furniture will use more luxurious materials like leather or (uh) less practical ones like silk fabrics or mirrored surfaces that need to be cleaned often. Whereas in an office you really wouldn't see much of that. Office furniture more emphasises durability and practical use. In your culture who typically decides what furniture to buy? I think that it's usually a husband and wife or a couple that would make the decision together, (um) specifically with regards to home furniture. In my country, I think the woman often has the last word to be completely honest! I'll never forget going to a furniture shop with my parents when I was younger and watching them disagree on a sofa and the salesperson there was quite clever and funny. He said to my father, "Unless you want this conversation to never end, you should listen to your wife." And so my parents laughed. In the end, my dad relented and they ended up buying what my mother liked the most. When do people buy new furniture? Most commonly furniture is purchased anytime people are starting out and by that I mean beginning any new stage in their lives. For instance, in my case, I purchased furniture when I moved out on my own. However, many young couples when they move in together will buy new furniture or when their family evolves, perhaps with the arrival of a new baby, that's another time for such purchases. Later, as children grow and their needs change, the furniture needs to do so as well. So basically, in the major stages of people's lives is when they buy furniture. What factors are involved in buying furniture? There are numerous factors. Clearly, the purpose of the furniture is a major factor. Does the new furniture satisfy what it is needed for? Then, again, its appearance is also extremely important. Is it attractive to the potential buyer? Lifestyle must also be considered. Like I mentioned earlier, if you have toddlers you probably would not want glass tables or silk upholstery because grubby little hands would probably stain everything. And lastly, price must be considered. Is the item within the consumer's budget? So all of these issues need to be addressed because furniture is not something that you buy every day. Does fashion play a role in furniture purchases? It does to some extent but since furniture is not purchased every month or even every year, when you buy furniture you should take into consideration whether it will really stand the test of time. I'm sure we've all been in homes that look terribly dated simply because the owner followed the fashion of the moment from a decade ago. Equally as bad is when you see everyone's home looking identical. I really prefer individual style as opposed to being a slave to fashion when it comes to selecting furniture. Thank you. That is the end of the speaking test.