One thing every dining room needs is tables and chairs. Though you may just assume this is true, I have seen many people do without them. Some families choose to eat dinner in front of the television, and they don?t have a lot of company. Because of this, they skip the investment in a good dining room set. This probably isn?t a good idea, though eating in front of the television on occasion never hurt anyone. In my home, however, I like to know that we eat together at the table most of the time.

Some days, the only time a family has to connect is when they are eating dinner together. Tables and chairs in the dining room also sometimes double as a place to play games together, or as a homework or study area for the kids. Some people even use their tables and chairs for doing bills, or even as a makeshift office. If you have a place like this, don?t let it become a place for clutter to pile up. Use it as a place for your family to reconnect on a daily basis. There may be no better way to stay in touch with each other?s lives.

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The value of the furniture market in the United States amounted to an estimated $78.5 billion (2005) measured at retail prices. Of this, 38.0% is wooden case-goods (mainly bedroom furniture), 33.9% is upholstered furniture (mainly chesterfields and matching chairs), 17.1% is mattresses and foundations, and the remaining 11.0% is metal furniture (mainly outdoor furniture).

Measured at manufacturers? prices domestic household furniture sales reached an estimated $30.7 billion in 2005 or about 47.5% of the total dollars spent by U.S. households on furniture. The $47.8 billion difference between the prices received at the retail level and the prices received at the manufacturers? level represents a combination of transportation costs, wages and other costs at the retail level, the retailer?s profit margin, plus all sales taxes.

Over the last two decades household furniture purchases increased significantly from $29.3 billion in 1985 to $78.5 billion in 2005, or 168%. In other words, sales increased at an average annual pace of approximately 5.5% over this period. However, growth has been much slower recently, and in 2005 growth of household furniture sales was only 3.9% (nominal terms).

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