The guest room
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, August 1, 2004
High Point — High Point— It's worth looking beyond the master bedroom. More than 1.8 million households planned to buy other adult bedroom in 2003. Translated to dollars, that's about $1.5 billion or 12% of the total bedroom market.
While some of those buying "other adult bedroom," were furnishing a room for a child returning to the nest or an elderly parent, many were buying for the guest room.
More than two-fifths of these buyers spent $1,000 or more on their total bedroom purchase.
As with other bedroom furniture, most buying is done at furniture stores; 57% of the total number of guest room purchases are made there. Households spent a median of $1,650 in furniture stores for their guest room furniture, compared with a median or $1,425 at department stores; a median of $500 through the direct-to-consumer channel; and a median of $350 at discount department stores.
Guest bedroom buyers tend to be older and more stable; four-fifths were 45 or over, and nine out of ten own or are buying their home. Only 29% are parents with children living at home.
Don't count out the minorities as guest room buyers. African-Americans accounted for 10% of guest room buyers in 2003, and Hispanics accounted for 8%.
Southern hospitality extends to the West, since guest bedroom buyers are more likely to live in these two regions.
More than three-fifths of guest-room buyers are mixing and matching pieces themselves. In addition to furniture, 70% planned to also purchase bed linens; 37% planned to buy window treatments; 36%, decorative pillows; and 29%, table lamps.
The reasons for buying guest room furniture run the gamut. One-fourth of households bought because they just wanted to redecorate.
Another quarter each were in the market due to the conversion of a child's room into a guest room; furnishing a new home or apartment; the old furniture was worn out; and they didn't already have furniture for the guest room.
| Buying for the guest room | |
|---|---|
| Where bedroom was purchased* | |
| % of purchases | |
| Furniture stores | 57% |
| Other | 16% |
| Department stores | 8% |
| Direct-to-consumer | 6% |
| Discount department stores | 6% |
| Warehouse membership clubs | 4% |
| Home improvement centers | 2% |
| Interior designers | 1% |
| *The percentage of the total number of bedroom purchases (each purchase may have included more than one product) through each channel, not the percentage of total dollars spent through each channel. Sears is included in department stores, and closeout stores are included in discount department stores. "Other" includes used/pre-owned, gift and decorative accessory stores, designer showrooms, military exchanges, variety stores, antique shops, custom-made, rental and fabric/craft stores, among others. Source: Furniture/Today market research |
|
| Amount spent | |
|---|---|
| Median | $870 |
| % of households | |
| Under $300 | 15% |
| $300 – $399 | 18% |
| $400 – $599 | 10% |
| $600 – $999 | 13% |
| $1,000 – $1,999 | 19% |
| $2,000 – $2,999 | 10% |
| $3,000 or more | 15% |
| Source: Furniture/Today market research | |
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Where consumers shop for bedroom
Aug 15, 2006
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