If you’ve got a kitchen table that doubles as an art studio, homework zone and snack battleground, you’ll know the state it can end up in by teatime. Crayon streaks, juice rings, and craft supplies can all contribute to a less than lovely finish. If you like the idea of something tougher that still feels warm, consider epoxy resin tables. These take reclaimed wood with its natural grain and edges, and pour in resin to create a surface that shrugs off daily disasters while bringing nature right into your living space.
The beauty of epoxy resin tables lies in how practical they are for real homes. Spills wipe away in seconds, and hot mugs leave no marks. Little hands experimenting with paints or glue? Just scrub and you’re done. Resin seals the wood completely, so there are no splinters and no gaps to collect dirt.
That natural wood-resin combo can also quietly do something good for your mood. Research on biophilic design show wood-rich spaces help lower stress and sharpen focus. In a house buzzing with kids and routines, even a small calm boost can make all the difference.
Families often spot lovely examples like those on https://maxiwoods.com/collections/epoxy-office-computer-tables. Handmade quirks, such as faint bubbles and uneven edges, add character rather than perfection. Whether your home suits warm walnut with soft turquoise swirls, or lighter oak with caramel flows, there’s a design to complement all interior styles.
Nature sealed safely indoors
These tables borrow from the garden without the mess. Reclaimed timber carries stories of old barns or fallen trees, with bark texture and natural marks intact. Resin locks it tight, so there are zero sharp bits for curious toddlers and no cracks harbouring dirt or allergens. Low-VOC resins help to keep indoor air cleaner.
Earthy colours dominate in 2026 family homes: think muted greens, warm beiges, and gentle blues that echo outdoor views. Matte finishes cut glare from windows during daytime play or reading. Wood elements in rooms often lead to better focus and less background tension. For parents juggling snacks, school runs and everything else, that subtle support adds up. All this ties into the wildlife-friendly, nature-connected trends that are popular right now.
Everyday resilience parents rely on
When choosing a table, think about the following practicalities:
Wood sets the warmth – walnut adds cosy depth on grey days, while maple or oak will lift smaller rooms.
Resin flow – wider gentle rivers suit larger tables, while delicate wisps are great for compact pieces.
Finish choice – matte kills reflections (better for bright days), but a light sheen will add a subtle glow.
Thick slabs (usually 4-6 cm) stay rock-solid when little ones lean in for drawing or puzzles.
Size – 140-180 cm suits family meals plus crafts; scale this down for smaller rooms.
Handy extras – nano coatings repel scratches, and easy-wipe sealants will help you handle sticky marks with minimal effort. You could also consider routed channels to hide cables.
Tables that evolve with family life
Built to last, epoxy resin tables can handle changing needs, from toddler scribbles to teen board games. Their non-porous tops resist germs, and cleaning is straightforward: use a microfibre cloth for dust, and mild soap for cleaning. A quality resin should hold its colour for years.
Quiet wins that make family days better
Epoxy resin tables slip into family rhythm without drama. Wood echoes the seasons and nature, while resin adds impact and movement. In hectic households, these pieces nurture wellbeing through simple durability and natural charm. If your family space craves a touch of calm that stands up to real life, an epoxy resin table might be just right.
Be careful what you shop for. You might just bite off more than you can chew. No one has learned this lesson more thoroughly than one woman who’s currently going viral for purchasing the couch to end all couches. Absolutely overwhelmed by the “great wall” of couch parts taking over her house, she’s brought us into her home to witness the carnage firsthand. Despite the logistical headache, she’s still loving the Lovesac couch itself.
What’s up with the Lovesac couch?
In a viral TikTok posted on Jan. 11 that has since accumulated over 4.7 million views, Tracy (@tracytellsit) shares her experience after purchasing one of Lovesac’s “sactional” couches, where the prices range from $5,000 to $9,000 pre-discount.
“Ever wondered what it’s like when you buy a Lovesac?” she begins in the video. “You know, one that you’ve been, like, looking at for three years and then finally bit the bullet? … This is it.”
Tracy then flips the camera away from her face to show the room she’s standing in, and it’s… absolutely littered with boxes. Nearly every available inch of floor and table space is covered in empty boxes and broken-down couch parts. And it doesn’t end there.
“There’s more empty boxes in that room,” Tracy continues, showing viewers around a house that is indeed full of Lovesac materials in pretty much every room. “Those are all broken down. That’s all corner post pieces. The house is a disaster because we had to move everything out of the living room in order to start to build it.”
The video truly becomes comical as Tracy walks viewers through more and more of her house. She reveals more boxes, couch parts, and towers of precariously stacked cushions.
“And this isn’t even all of it,” Tracy finishes. “It’s literally in so many places. The Great Wall of Lovesac.”
While it seems Tracy entered this particular fray willingly and good-naturedly, viewers didn’t hold back in her comments section. Multiple commenters chimed in with some good-old-fashioned clowning.
“Tell me you didn’t research it – without telling me,” commented one viewer.
“Yall need to stop supporting businesses that don’t offer bare minimum services for obscene prices,” wrote another.
“You bought a Lego couch that can be rearranged and wondered why it came in pieces?” joked one commenter.
People didn’t like the price tag
Many viewers were just confused why anyone would go for such an expensive piece of furniture in the first place, with one person remarking, “Problems out of my tax bracket.”
“That’s such a wild price for such a basic piece of furniture,” another viewer commented.
“I cannot imagine paying that much $ for a couch let alone one I have to assemble and deal with all those boxes,” wrote another.
“Absolutely not,” agreed yet another commenter. “8000 and no set up is ridiculous.”
It also appears Tracy’s video has brought out folks with personal beefs against Lovesac. Interior designer Libby Yozamp commented, “As an interior designer, i despise lovesac” beneath Tracy’s video.
Delivery drivers aren’t thrilled, either
“One love sac is usually 32 boxes, that each weight about 20-40lbs,” commented a viewer. “Sincerely a former FedEx driver who hates them dearly.”
“UPS loader here,” wrote another. “I hate lovesac with a fire passion, and I hope the 30+ boxes inconvenience you dearly.”
“Smith Brothers, Huntington House, Norwalk, American leather… all fantastic companies that are solid wood, American Made, and doesn’t require assembly,” they wrote. “$8000 for upgraded IKEA is insanity.”
So how is the couch, finally, once all the dust has settled and the construction is actually completed? Tracy told The Mary Sue via email that the gargantuan piece of furniture was worth the cash.
“I will say my salesperson did warn me how many boxes they come in,” Tracy admitted via email. “But nothing truly prepares you for how much trash you’ll have and how the pieces multiply like rabbits as you unbox them! Truly such a well packed product and worth every single penny.”
Tracy joked that “putting it together was a true test of [her] marriage though,” as building “always is,” but she assured The Mary Sue humorously that hers is “still going strong.”
Tracy also took the time to send a proper review of the couch after finally being able to enjoy it after all that work. She maintains it’s exactly the kind of couch she’s been looking for and very much justifies its steep price tag.
“I don’t consider it a boujee purchase,” Tracy wrote to The Mary Sue. Instead, she says she considers it “an investment.”
“I waited and saved for three years before biting the bullet. Mainly because of the price but also to make sure I was investing in something that made sense,” she shared. “I had my last living room set for close to a decade and knew I wanted to find something I could truly wash every inch of. No other product on the market checked all the boxes like Lovesac did. Machine washable, modular, easy to change, high quality, finished storage compartments- the list goes on. We plan to keep this couch through moves, kids, pets and just life. Friends have had theirs for years and swear by it!”
The Mary Sue has also reached out to Lovesac via email to request additional comment.
Have you ever dreamed of having a pool table in your home? If you’ve been wondering how to turn your dinner table into a pool table, Fusiontables has created an ingenious solution that’s revolutionizing home entertainment. Pool tables are undeniably fun, whether you’re an expert player or just enjoy the occasional game with friends and family. They’re perfect for parties, casual gatherings, and creating memorable moments that bring people together.
But for most of us, that dream quickly crashes into reality with one simple question: “Where am I going to put it?”
Traditional pool tables are massive pieces of furniture. They’re extremely heavy, require a dedicated room, and take up so much space that they essentially eliminate any other use for that area. For apartment dwellers, homeowners with limited square footage, or anyone who doesn’t want to sacrifice an entire room to a single piece of furniture, a pool table has always seemed like an impossible luxury.
Until now.
The Space Problem Most Homeowners Face
Modern living spaces are getting smaller, not larger. Whether you’re in a city apartment, a suburban home with an open floor plan, or simply trying to make the most of every square foot, the challenge is the same: how do you create a home that’s both functional and fun?
We’ve all been there. You want to entertain, you want your home to be a place where people want to gather, but you also need practical furniture that serves daily needs. The idea of dedicating valuable space to something you’ll only use occasionally just doesn’t make sense, especially when quality furniture requires careful space planning.
This is exactly why multifunctional furniture has become such a game changer in modern interior design. Today’s best furniture pieces work harder, serving multiple purposes without compromising on style or quality. Just as modern furniture from brands like Article have redefined what we expect from our homes, convertible dining pool tables are transforming how we think about entertainment spaces.
Enter Fusiontables: The Belgian Innovation That Changes Everything
In 1997, a team of designers and engineers at Saluc, a Belgian company headquartered in Callenelle, had a revolutionary idea. Saluc is already the world leader in manufacturing high quality pool balls under the legendary Aramith brand, so they know a thing or two about billiards. But they also recognized a huge gap in the market.
Pool enthusiasts who loved contemporary design were stuck with traditional, bulky pool tables that looked completely out of place in modern homes. Meanwhile, design conscious homeowners who would have loved to own a pool table couldn’t justify the space.
The Saluc team asked themselves: what if we could create a pool table that doesn’t look like a pool table? What if it could be beautiful enough to be the centerpiece of your dining room, sophisticated enough to blend seamlessly with modern decor, and functional enough to use every single day?
The result became Fusiontables, a line of stunning dining pool tables that transform from elegant dinner tables into professional quality pool tables in less than 60 seconds.
How Fusiontables Actually Work
Here’s where it gets really interesting. The engineers at Saluc didn’t just slap a dining top onto a pool table and call it a day. They completely reimagined what a convertible table could be, introducing several patented technologies that make the Fusion table unlike anything else on the market.
The Easy-Lift System
One of the biggest challenges with any dining/pool table is the height difference. Pool tables need to be 32.5 inches high for optimal play, while dining tables are typically 29.5 inches. That three inch difference might not sound like much, but it makes all the difference in comfort and playability.
Fusiontables solved this with their patented Easy-Lift system. Using spring assisted technology, you can raise or lower the entire table with minimal effort. The system requires zero maintenance, features an auto lock mechanism for safety, and includes auto leveling to ensure your table stays perfectly flat whether you’re dining or playing. No wobbling, no adjusting, just smooth, effortless transformation.
The Flat Pocket System
Traditional pool tables have pockets that hang down underneath, creating an obvious “pool table look” that screams “game room furniture.” They’re also impractical if you want to store things or have seating that slides underneath.
Fusiontables created an ingenious flat pocket system using memory nylon. When you’re playing pool and balls drop into the pockets, the nylon extends underneath the table to catch them. But when you remove the balls, the pockets return to a completely flat position, invisible from any angle.
Even better? At the end of your game, you can slide metallic strips over each of the six pockets and store your pool balls right inside the table’s slim 4.5 inch profile. Everything you need stays with the table, hidden in plain sight. This innovative design adheres to furniture safety standards while maintaining its sleek aesthetic.
Professional Grade Playing Surface
Don’t let the sleek design fool you. This is a serious pool table that meets the exact specifications of a regulation 7 foot American pool table. The playing surface is a single piece of precision cut 19mm natural slate, not the typical three piece slate that requires careful alignment and constant adjustment.
That one piece slate sits on Fusion’s rigid SpaceFrame, eliminating all the leveling issues common with traditional tables. The table also features K66 cushions, considered the gold standard for rebound consistency and precision, along with Simonis cloth, the worldwide benchmark for high quality pool table fabric. You can choose from 25 different cloth colors to match your interior design.
Transform in 60 Seconds
The transformation process is surprisingly simple. For dining, three beautiful table tops create a generous surface that comfortably seats up to 10 people, with matching benches that slide perfectly underneath. All billiard accessories are discreetly stored within the table’s 4.5 inch profile.
When it’s time to play, simply slide the benches out, remove the three lightweight table tops, retrieve your cues and balls from the integrated storage, engage the Easy-Lift system to raise the table to playing height, and you’re ready to go. No tools, no complicated mechanisms, no heavy lifting. Just simple, elegant functionality.
Design Options to Match Any Style
One of the most impressive aspects of Fusiontables is how customizable they are. The tables come in powder coated steel (aluminum grey, satin white, or satin black) or brushed stainless steel for the ultimate luxury option.
Wood finishes include Vintage Oak, Walnut Select, Grey Oak, White Oak, and Wenge, each bringing its own character to your space. The Vintage collection is particularly striking, combining reclaimed wood aesthetics with a post industrial metal frame that evokes the ambiance of an old Brooklyn workshop in a sophisticated, contemporary way.
For those wanting something truly unique, the Crystal Mirage Glass Tops can be customized with high resolution prints using cutting edge technology. I’ve seen these used brilliantly in wine cellars, corporate offices, and modern homes with abstract art designs. It’s a conversation starter that elevates the table from furniture to art piece, much like unique statement furniture pieces that transform ordinary rooms into extraordinary spaces.
The Rock Reverso Collection offers the ultimate in versatility, with ceramic panels that provide two different surfaces in one table top. The ceramic side is incredibly resilient: stain resistant, chemical resistant, fire and heat resistant, scratch resistant, and even has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Complete Your Space
Fusiontables also offers a complete collection of matching furniture including chairs, benches, LED lighting, and even a unique cue holder made from the same phenolic material as Aramith billiard balls. Every table comes with a comprehensive accessory kit including Aramith pool balls, wooden cues and racks, chalk, cleaning supplies, and everything else you need to start playing immediately.
See also
Investment and Value
A Fusiontable is an investment, with prices starting around $8,200. That might seem steep until you consider what you’re getting: a professional quality pool table AND a designer dining table that seats 10, all in one space saving package.
Compare that to buying both pieces separately. A quality dining table that seats 10 people typically runs $2,000 to $4,000. A regulation pool table with professional grade components easily costs $3,000 to $6,000 or more. You’re also saving the cost and space of a dedicated game room.
When you factor in the Belgian craftsmanship, patented technology, premium materials, and the space you’re saving, the value proposition becomes clear. Plus, like quality investment furniture, well made pieces last for decades, not years.
Space Requirements
The table measures 230cm x 134cm x 75cm (90.5″ x 52.75″ x 29.5″) with a playing surface of 192cm x 96cm. You’ll need a minimum room size of 4.38m x 3.42m (171″ x 134″), though 4.90m x 3.95m (192″ x 154″) is optimal for comfortable cueing from all sides.
Keep in mind that unlike traditional pool tables that sit unused most of the time, your Fusion table will function as your dining table every single day, making far better use of your space.
Perfect for Multiple Settings
Fusiontables work beautifully in homes, particularly in open concept living/dining areas, finished basements, modern lofts, and vacation homes where entertainment is key. If you’re planning to host gatherings, a Fusiontable provides both dining and entertainment in one elegant package.
Forward thinking companies are also discovering their benefits in conference rooms (meetings by day, team bonding by night), employee lounges, and client entertainment spaces. High end hotels and boutique accommodations use them to create memorable guest experiences that differentiate their properties.
Why This Matters
In a world filled with disposable furniture and fickle trends, consumers are demanding products with strong identity and lasting value. We want furniture that adapts to our lifestyle, not the other way around. We value quality time with family and friends. We need homes that are both beautiful and functional.
The Fusiontables concept addresses this by mixing sleek, minimalist design with exceptional functionality. It’s furniture that brings people together across all generations for enjoyable, memorable moments. Just like how brands have revolutionized affordable quality furniture, Fusiontables is revolutionizing how we think about entertainment furniture.
The Bottom Line
A Fusiontable isn’t just a pool table that converts to a dining table. It’s a complete reimagining of what furniture can be. It’s a conversation piece, a gathering place, and a smart solution to the eternal challenge of making the most of our living spaces.
For pool enthusiasts who never thought they’d have room for a table, this is your answer. For design lovers who want furniture that’s as beautiful as it is functional, this delivers. For anyone who wants their home to be a place where people love to gather, where memories are made over both meals and games, this is exactly what you’ve been looking for.
The question isn’t really “where am I going to put a pool table?” anymore. The question is “why haven’t I made my dining table work this hard before?”
If you’re interested in learning more about Fusiontables or exploring their full collection of designs, visit www.fusiontables.com. Your dining room (and your friends) will thank you.
After all, the best furniture is the kind that brings joy every single day, whether you’re sharing a meal or sinking the eight ball.
Better Living uses affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission (for which we are deeply grateful) at no cost to you.
At the end of a hard day, there’s always one comforting ritual to look forward to: coming home to your lovely abode. For this reason, creating an interior that you and your family love coming back to is essential.
An inviting and welcoming space makes being at home feel not just comfortable, but also safe for family members of all ages, from children to senior adults.
The choice of furniture plays a big role in influencing the comfort levels of a family home. Get furniture setup wrong and you could end up feeling cramped or moody inside your own dwelling. Your family may feel the same way, and this could lead to a negative family dynamic that can be difficult to overcome.
A subtle yet effective solution to this issue is by incorporating comfort-centred furniture around the house, particularly in shared spaces like the living room and dining area. When these spaces are decorated with comfort in mind, the family home will feel much more pleasant to return to, even on the worst of days.
Let’s explore a few key ways in which comfort-centred furniture can support family well-being.
1. Comfort-centred furniture supports physical health
When the body feels good and supported, such as when it’s being massaged or when you’re lying down after hours of standing up, it can feel very pleasant and comfortable.
Conversely, if the body is under a great deal of stress, it can feel a sense of discomfort and fatigue. When you choose furniture that doesn’t physically support the body, it can apply excess pressure on the joints and cause long-term health problems or aches. This is especially true for sensitive individuals, like seniors and people with mobility or joint issues. This is why it’s essential to choose furniture that can support the body’s posture and comfort.
For instance, you can opt for a home office chair that has proper lumbar and ergonomic support. You can also get comfort bean bags for therapy and care instead of placing a simple rug on the floor. Furniture with rounded edges instead of sharp ones will minimise the risk of injuries when bumping into them.
By picking comfortable furniture pieces, you can keep your family’s physical wellness in top shape.
2. Encourages relaxation
After long days at work and school, nothing beats sitting down in a comfortable, familiar, cushioned chair and unwinding at home. That said, if your furniture lacks adequate comfort and cushioning, you may not get the sufficient rest you need from this moment of “me time.” Instead of feeling relaxed, your body may remain tense or restless, preventing you from fully switching off.
Comfortable furniture helps put you at ease by supporting the body naturally. It does this by supporting the body’s pressure points, reducing strain in crucial areas that affect posture, like the back and joints.
When the body’s at ease, the mind naturally follows. This level of physical comfort can boost your mood and calm down nerves and stress. In turn, this allows each family member to enter a state of relaxation and downtime that can make them feel genuinely well-rested.
3. Promotes quality family time
Another way that comfortable furniture improves the family dynamic is by encouraging families to spend time at home with each other.
When shared spaces like the living room are inviting and cosy, this naturally compels family members to lounge in these areas instead of retreating to the comfort of their rooms.
Having furniture like sofas, lounge chairs, round tables, and carpets is great for facilitating family interactions. A comfy furniture set can act as a living room’s centrepiece where members gather, talk, and do activities together, like watch movies or play board games. This can be a great opportunity to bond and strengthen connections, making the household experience positive for all of its members.
4. Supports emotional wellbeing
Another way comfort-centred furniture can help improve the family’s quality of life is by promoting feelings of safety and comfort.
When the family is in a positive mood, the energy can be infectious. A lively and happy atmosphere around the house is great for making everyone feel calm and emotionally well. Comfortable furniture can help achieve this because it contributes to a sense of security, allowing individuals to relax and get into a positive mind space.
Over time, this consistent sense of comfort can help lower stress levels and reduce emotional tension within the household. When family members feel at ease in their surroundings, they’re more likely to engage with one another pleasantly. This, in turn, makes the house a more harmonious space for all family members.
5. Keeps the vulnerable safe
Comfort-centred furniture plays an important role in protecting vulnerable and sensitive individuals.
Seniors, for instance, don’t have as much mobility and range of movement as younger adults do. This makes them more prone to injuries, such as falls and trips. Younger children may also inadvertently put themselves in harm’s way by engaging with furniture pieces that aren’t entirely safe for them.
Using comfort-centred furniture pieces can be a great way to keep vulnerable individuals safe and provide peace of mind for the entire family.
We hope that these benefits have shed some light on the importance of having comfort-centred furniture pieces around the house. Have you focused on comfort when choosing furniture for your home?
The Omni looks nice. It’s a step up from your average office chair design, with a bit of class and a design language on the backrest that resembles the spine-like look of the Herman Miller Embody. It comes in Midnight Black or Space Gray (creative names), and my unit is the latter. The company says the Omni can support people up to 300 pounds.
I don’t think I’ve sat on an office chair with softer padding than the Omni. The multi-density sponge cushion material of the seat and backrest is plush without feeling like you’re sinking in, because it isn’t super thick. It’s very comfortable, and the softness of the material is still what surprises me the most about the Omni after sitting on it for weeks.
It’ll be interesting to see how the fabric holds up after more than a year of use. So far, it still looks great after close to a month of sitting, though it likes to collect hair. It’s hard to gauge breathability as we’re now in the cooler months, but my back feels a little warm after a few hours on the chair. If you’re in a hot environment, you’ll likely feel sweaty. It’s not as bad as the vegan leather-covered foam on most gaming chairs, but it won’t offer the breathability of a true mesh.
The armrests aren’t much to write home about—you can move them up or down, forward and back, and angle them inward or outward. You can’t push them toward or away from your body like on the Embody, but this is standard for a chair at this price (which is $1,099 MSRP, though the company seems to have a persistent sale of $848). I appreciate that the arms don’t easily shift or slide around, which is a common problem with many chairs. The armrest itself isn’t too hard, and the material feels fairly durable.
A Battery-Powered Chair
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
The Bionic FlexFit Backrest is the Omni’s highlight, which uses the battery-powered ErgoPulse Motor System for configuration. It’s essentially a motorized way to ensure the backrest lines up perfectly against your back; no need to fiddle around with an awkward lumbar support. There are three buttons on the left armrest. The front two shift the backrest support up or down, and the third is a spinal massage function, which I’ll address later.
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President Trump wants to make U.S. furniture great again with a series oftariffs that took effect Tuesday. Trump announced these tariffs partially to revitalize North Carolina’s home furnishing industry, he said on Truth Social. There is now a 10 percent tariff on softwood lumber, and a 25 percent tariff on kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and upholstered furniture. On January 1, 2026, the tariffs will increase to 50 percent on cabinets and 30 percent on upholstered furniture.
North Carolina’s High Point Market, the largest home furniture trade show in the world, brings together U.S. and global furniture designers twice a year. Many businesses in the state now focus on high-end, customizable furniture, while lower to middle-end upholstered furniture is largely produced in Mississippi.
While the long-term economic impact of the tariffs is hard to predict, the short-term effects are already being felt by manufacturers. Typically, U.S. furniture plants receive component parts from different countries. Those components are subject to the tariff duties, even if the final product is made in America.
For example, a recliner might have a powered motor, which wouldn’t be made in the U.S. Tools also cost more. Michael Rozell, a furniture designer and owner of Granville, Ohio-based Wooden Objex, says prices on essential materials are rising rapidly, sometimes by thousands of dollars.
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“It’s a very scary, weird time, and people who are just bouncing around, smiling all happy are not paying attention,” says Rozell, adding that an order he placed for tools from Canada more than six weeks ago still hasn’t arrived. “It made it to the Customs depot, and Customs would not release it to the United States because the tariffs were so confusing.”
Alex Shuford, CEO of North Carolina-based manufacturer Rock House Farm, says his company’s tariff bill in 2024 was $300,000, but that this year’s will be well over $3 million. “Next year, if this continues, we’ll be pushing $6 or $7 million,” he says.
John Hart, who runs Lewisville, Texas-based design company Arteriors and imports 97 percent of the furniture he sells, has been looking to move his operations out of Southeast Asia. The region has been hit hard by Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, and he says he’s looked at other regions that have more favorable trade relationships with the U.S. But navigating that switch to other countries means dealing with a new set of rules and regulations, depending on where he sources his products.
There was a furniture boom during the pandemic, as American consumers stuck at home decided to get new couches, tables, and other items, but in recent years, demand has dried up. U.S. furniture manufacturing has a common historical cycle, according to John Joe Schlichtmann, a professor of urban sociology at DePaul University, whose 2022 book “Showroom City” focuses on High Point’s deindustrialization and reinvention.
What tariffs won’t solve, Schlichtmann notes, is a lack of skilled labor. Young people in the area aren’t interested in furniture manufacturing, likely because the industry follows cheaper labor and is known for its historical volatility.
“You have community colleges in the region that are teaching furniture skills, but they’re going to have to really be injected with investment,” Schlictmann says. “It’s going to require a scalpel, and not a mallet, to make that happen.”
Trump isn’t new to High Point Market. Back in 2007, he visited the market for his Trump Homes brand, an imprint of Lexington Home Brands that manufactures 20 miles outside of High Point. But Trump Homes’ factories were not always U.S. based. In 2010, his crystal bearing line was made in Slovenia. After Lexington chose to discontinue its partnership with Trump in 2011, he teamed up with Dorya, a Turkish luxury furniture company, whose production process was based in Izmir, Turkey.
Though these tariffs might intend to encourage American furniture manufacturing, Rozell says buyers at High Point Market were hesitant when he was there in April, asking for 20 percent discounts on his wholesale prices. He says if the administration wanted to help, they would invest the tariff revenue back into the industry, to bring back infrastructure and labor.
“Most people would love to have their products say ‘made in America,’” Rozell said. “Everyone loves this country. It’s the greatest place on earth, but the reality is, it’s so expensive here.”
New York landscape firm Harrison Green is the name behind some of the city’s most interesting public and private gardens—on rooftops and terraces, and tiny, hidden backyards. Longstanding members of the Gardenista Architect/Designer directory, the team, run by husband-and-wife duo Damien and Jacqueline Harrison, is full service: they specialize in not only designing, but planting and maintaining their work year-round (The Row and Mark Jacobs are clients).
The Harrisons now stand ready to furnish and accessorize outdoor spaces: Galerie Green, their new online-only emporium, presents hard-to-find antique and vintage garden elements, from 1920s carved wooden mushrooms to carefully refinished French sunburst chairs and stone tables. Their offerings, they say, are about “craftsmanship, proportion, and patina” and the case for “longevity and authenticity over the new and disposable.” Caveat: this is a weighty collection in every sense of the word and prices are steep. Join us for a look at the initial offerings presented in Harrison Green’s own Brooklyn studio garden.
When Remodelista founder Julie Carlson attended a benefit dinner at Wave Hill, a public garden and under-the-radar treasure in the Bronx, she enjoyed the beautiful plantings and the breathtaking views of the Hudson River, but it was the garden chairs she saw on the property that bowled her over. (She is a design geek, after all.)
Turns out, the Wave Hill chairs have been bewitching visitors for decades. They were designed in the 1960s by landscape designer Lester Collins, who based the chair on a 1918 design by architect Gerrit Rietveld; Collins later allowed Wave Hill to make his version of the chair for use in their public garden.
Good news for Julie and others who can’t stop thinking about them: Wave Hill sells DIY plans for the chair.
Above: The beauty of these chairs is that you can use cheap store-bought planks to build them and paint them in the color of your choosing. To purchase the plans, contact The Shop at Wave Hill at 718.549.3200 x249, or email [email protected]. Above: Horticulturalist Dan Benarcik designed his own version after becoming obsessed with the chairs at Wave Hill. On his site, he sells the plans for his chair for $35; a DIY kit with all the materials you need for $325; a workshop to make a chair for $350; and a fully assembled chair, in western red cedar, for $425. Find details here. Above: You can also purchase pre-made Wave Hill chairs in your choice of wood—white ash, white oak, walnut, cherry, red oak, reclaimed oak, reclaimed pine, maple, or cedar (pictured) from Hugo and Hoby. Above: While we like the look of the untreated wood chairs that age with time, we also quite enjoy them painted or stained (Margaret Roach writes about her painted versions here). Photograph via Dan Benarcik.
For more on garden chairs, see:
N.B.: This post was first published July 2019; it has been updated with new links and photos.
“Almost passed out,” the poster wrote. “$25 for an Aeron, I’m shaking,” they added.
The Herman Miller website says that the Aeron chair is an ergonomic icon in modern office design. Made from high-performance materials, the chair is designed to provide maximum comfort and posture support through its breathable mesh fabric, fully adjustable armrests, and three size options tailored to different body types.
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The chair currently retails for between $1,350 and $2,415 on the official store’s site.
As noted by Engage for Success, the importance of a good office chair extends far beyond comfort. Using an ergonomic chair promotes better posture, reduces strain on the body, and can lead to improved concentration and productivity—ultimately enhancing overall work performance.
Fellow Reddit users were quick to react to the incredible find. “They definitely didn’t know what they had,” said one.
“My university’s computer lab is full of these, what’s so special about them?” asked another user.
“This is a Herman Miller, which is a luxury furniture brand. these chairs retail for hundreds of dollars and are widely respected for being super high quality. I ended up with one when my office downsized; I sit on it 10-12 hours a day sometimes with 0 discomfort.”
“$25 for this is a really great find if it’s in good condition,” one user posted.
“That is a steal! Great work!” added another.
“I sit in one for 8 hrs a day at work. I never feel any discomfort. My chair at home was $300 and it doesn’t compare to the Aeron. I shift around a lot in my chair at home. But the Aeron is just comfortable. And so easily adjustable to what you want whether you’re working or chilling,” shared one user.
“I was gifted an Aeron in 2002 from a grateful client and I am using it to this day; it’s in like-new shape, incredibly comfortable and my college freshman kid has asked for it when (if, ha!) I retire. It wasn’t my money spent on this thing but it’s worth every penny IMO [in my opinion],” shared another fan.
Newsweek reached out to u/Frosty-Present-7885 for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
Do you have any amazing thrifting finds that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@newsweek.com and they could appear on our site.
When President Donald Trump made his “Liberation Day” speech on April 2, announcing sweeping tariffs across a range of sectors, markets reacted sharply. Investors feared a replay of the disruptive trade battles of his first term, and stocks dropped as they tried to assess how new levies might ripple through global supply chains.
But six months on, the story looks different. Much of the initial panic has faded, replaced by recognition that the real economic impact of Trump’s tariffs has been softened by carve-outs, negotiated deals, and exemptions. In fact, stocks snapped out of a multi-day losing streak on Friday, reacting almost with disregard to the latest surprise from Trump’s social media account.
Now, as Trump tries to reignite the trade war with an overnight announcement of a slew of tariffs, including a 100% tariff on branded and patented pharmaceuticals and a 50% tariffs on furniture imports, markets are barely reacting.
Michael Browne, global investment strategist at Franklin Templeton, said that the markets regard tariffs as “over.”
“The real level of tariffs is much lower, which is one of the reasons the impact has been muted,” Browne told The Financial Times.
The other reason could be that consumers have proven far more resilient to higher prices than economists once expected.
Pharma scare eases quickly
At first, the news rattled European and Asian drugmakers. Zealand Pharma dropped nearly 3%, Novo Nordisk lost 1.6%, and India’s Sun Pharmaceutical and Divi’s Laboratories fell more than 3% in early trading. The Stoxx 600 Healthcare index swung between gains and losses before closing flat.
Yet European equities as a whole closed higher, underscoring how investors now discount Trump’s tariff announcements.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 finished the day up 0.8%, with the CAC 40 in Paris up 0.97%, the DAX in Frankfurt up 0.87%, and Madrid’s IBEX 35 leading gains with a 1.3% rise.
JPMorgan strategists quickly told clients the pharma tariff was “largely avoidable” for companies that expand U.S. manufacturing.
“We continue to see a very manageable overall impact from tariffs to our large-cap coverage,” the note said, according to CNBC.
The resilience reflects the numerous carveouts from the pharma tariffs. Generics — which account for nine out of ten U.S. prescriptions — are excluded from the new levies. A U.S.–EU trade agreement limits duties on most European drug exports to 15%. And companies actively investing in U.S. manufacturing, such as Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, Roche, GSK, and Amgen, are exempt as soon as they break ground on new facilities.
Analysts were quick to highlight those caveats.
“Many large-cap biopharmaceutical companies should not be exposed because they are engaged in some sort of U.S. facility construction activity,” Leerink Partners’ David Risinger toldBioPharma Dive.
The White House pushed back on the “carve-out” framing, saying these are Section 232 national-security tariffs aimed at reshoring critical manufacturing.
The exemptions for companies “building” U.S. plants are temporary, intended to give firms runway to relocate production without immediately hiking prices, spokesperson Kush Desai told Fortune. He added that the 15% caps on many European (and Japanese) pharma exports reflect broader trade agreements that included “significant concessions that favor the U.S.,” not a softening of the tariff stance.
Resilient consumers
For investors, the reaction was familiar. Initial volatility gave way to a recognition that tariffs rarely land as broadly as advertised.
Imports account for only around 10% of the U.S. economy, giving businesses and consumers room to adjust. Many companies stocked up on goods ahead of deadlines, while others shifted to alternative suppliers.
“It may be that inflation comes through, but there is no sign of that yet,” Browne told Financial Times.
The muted market response also reflects a larger truth: consumers have been much more resilient than most economists expected. Commerce Department data released Thursday showed the U.S. economy grew at a 3.8% annual pace last quarter, its strongest stretch since 2023, powered by robust household spending and business investment.
Economists note that Americans’ willingness to keep shopping, even amid high borrowing costs, has repeatedly surprised forecasters.
As Boston wealth manager Gina Bolvin put it, the real lesson may be that “don’t fight the Fed” has become “don’t fight the U.S. consumer.”
TACO
Markets’ calm also reflects a trade they’ve come to rely on — what analysts call the TACO trade (Trump Always Chickens Out). After April’s “Liberation Day” shock, investors assumed Trump would follow his familiar pattern: issue sweeping tariff threats, then pull back once markets started to wobble. That confidence helped stocks rebound to record highs.
Exemptions have reinforced that bet. The effective average tariff rate has stayed well below headline figures, thanks to carve-outs fand exemptions for companies breaking ground on U.S. plants.
Economists caution that tariffs often take months to ripple through supply chains, so some price pressure could still emerge later this year. But so far, inflation data has remained stable, undercutting predictions that trade policy would deliver a consumer shock.
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(CNN) — President Donald Trump on Thursday announced sweeping tariffs on various household products, including imported kitchen cabinets and certain kinds of furniture – potentially adding even more costs to a category that has surged in price in recent months. Trump also announced heavy truck tariffs and pharmaceutical tariffs Thursday.
“We will be imposing a 50% Tariff on all Kitchen Cabinets, Bathroom Vanities, and associated products, starting October 1st, 2025. Additionally, we will be charging a 30% Tariff on Upholstered Furniture,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Thursday evening.
Various tariffs that Trump has imposed have already boosted furniture prices considerably over the past year. Overall, furniture last month cost 4.7% more than in August 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Living room and dining room furniture in particular has grown more expensive – rising 9.5% over the past 12 months, the BLS reported.
Furniture prices have surged as Trump hiked tariffs on China and Vietnam, the top two sources of imported furniture. Both countries exported $12 billion worth of furniture and fixtures last year, according to US Commerce Department data.
Furniture prices had largely fallen for the past two and a half years prior to Trump’s tariffs. But Trump said Thursday that foreign manufacturers have oversupplied the US market, and the tariffs were necessary to regain US manufacturing prowess.
“The reason for this is the large scale ‘FLOODING’ of these products into the United States by other outside Countries,” Trump said. “It is a very unfair practice, but we must protect, for National Security and other reasons, our Manufacturing process.”
Shares of Wayfair (W), RH (RH) and Williams-Sonoma (WSM) tumbled in after-hours trading.
Trucks
Trump on Thursday also announced a 25% tariff on heavy trucks imported into the United States, a trade levy designed to level the playing field for America’s truck-making industry that has been hit relentlessly by the White House’s compounding tariffs.
“In order to protect our Great Heavy Truck Manufacturers from unfair outside competition, I will be imposing, as of October 1st, 2025, a 25% Tariff on all ‘Heavy (Big!) Trucks’ made in other parts of the World,” Trump said in a Truth Social post Thursday.
Previous tariffs that Trump has levied — including 50% tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper — have raised costs considerably for US truck manufacturers. Foreign-built trucks, including those made by Germany’s Daimler Truck and International Motors, are typically manufactured in Mexico and imported tariff-free because of the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement — so long as roughly two-thirds of the truck’s parts were made in North America.
Tariffs were, in part, designed to boost US manufacturing and give American factories a leg up over foreign-made products. But steel and aluminum tariffs have shifted the supply-demand balance, raising the price of all metals — both imported and domestic. That means Trump’s tariffs have made some US-built trucks more costly than trucks made by foreign manufacturers.
“Our Great Large Truck Company Manufacturers, such as Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, Mack Trucks, and others, will be protected from the onslaught of outside interruptions,” Trump said in his post on Thursday. “We need our Truckers to be financially healthy and strong, for many reasons, but above all else, for National Security purposes!”
It’s not clear, however, whether the 25% tariff would apply to all heavy-duty trucks or only those that do not comply with the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
If there is no such exemption for Mexico, then it will be the country most severely affected by these tariffs, as 78% of imported heavy trucks come into the US from Mexico, Neil Shearing, chief economist at consultancy Capital Economics, wrote in a note Friday.
Thursday’s announcement follows an investigation that Trump ordered the Commerce Department to begin in April to determine whether medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks imports pose a national security threat.
Trump has also threatened several other tariffs, including on lumber, semiconductors and other products.
The end of summer is when our aspirations move indoors—where we will soon spend most of our time. It’s when you notice the couch looks sad. And that you’ll need a new lamp for the dark days to come.
It’s also when you can catch some killer sales on home decor—and I’m a sucker for a deal, too. Specifically, home improvement megalith The Home Depot is offering some of its biggest online deals of the year during its Decor Days savings event, September 18 to 21. This means offers up to half off on furniture, home décor, and bathroom items.
Biggest Deals During The Home Depot’s Decor Days Event
We haven’t tested these products, but The Home Depot has released a little bit of advance info on the biggest price drops to expect during the Decor Days savings event, September 18 to 21—whose deals are mostly reserved for exclusive items and house brands.
One of the biggest categories for savings during the Decor Days savings event is bathroom fixtures, with up to 40 percent off on multiple categories of bathroom goods through September 21. This includes the following categories, again focusing on The Home Depot’s house brands and exclusive items:
The Home Depot Decor Days Lighting and Flooring Deals
Lighting is kind of a no-brainer for fall home decor sales at retail giants like The Home Depot, as the overhead lights start to dim on the entire Northern Hemisphere. So here we go with big deals on lighting fixtures, exterior lights, vanity lights, and overhead lights like chandeliers or this four-light hanging lamp from Aiwen. Flooring and tile are also on a deal at the moment, going for as little as $1.29 a square foot. Here’s the breakdown.
A sofa is one of the biggest investments you can make in home decor, and the last thing you want is to make the wrong choice. A good couch will be with you for a decade, and it should not only be comfortable and look great, it should also have the versatility to adapt to your needs in new spaces and seasons of your life.
You should consider a modular sofa. That’s the kind that comes in individual pieces you can pull apart, put back together, and rearrange to suit whatever you fancy. Usually, you can change the color of the cover without buying a whole new couch. And when moving day comes, you won’t need a team of three or four well-built movers to get it out the old door and into the new one.
I’ve been leading our coverage of the Best Couches for years, and many of us on the WIRED Reviews team have tested more than our fair share of different variations on the living-room seat. Modular couches are the way to go.
Switch Things Up …
Courtesy of Castlery
Castlery
Auburn Performance Fabric Chaise Sectional Sofa
If you move or travel frequently, a modular sofa is easy to take apart. No more playing Tetris in the U-Haul, trying to figure out how you’re going to bring your old couch to your new place. And it’s also easy to reconfigure. Say you’re working from home and you get a new desk, and you need the chaise portion of your sofa to face a different direction. You don’t need a new sofa, and you don’t need to entirely rearrange your living room—you can just reconfigure your existing modular couch. Or maybe you get a new coffee table and you don’t like how long your couch is in comparison. Remove a seat. It’s that easy.
That’s what recently happened to WIRED Reviews team director Martin Cizmar, who bought a new house and found that his new living room is functionally narrower than expected because of a large air register on the floor. Because he had the modular sofa from Koala, he simply removed one of the seats to turn it into an L-shape and put the extra section up in his attic for possible future use.
Courtesy of Koala
Koala
Corner Sectional Sofa
While there are a lot of standard, rectangular, boxy options, you can also play around with different fabrics and silhouettes. One example is the Castlery Auburn Performance Fabric Chaise Sectional, a modular couch with a fluffy, spill-resistant bouclé fabric and a bubbly, modern silhouette.
Modular couches can also come in handy if you have unconventional living arrangements. Do you live in a seventh-floor walk-up? A modular sofa comes in many boxes rather than as one gigantic package—you might have more steps to deal with, but you won’t have to fork over extra cash for white-glove delivery, nor will you have to convince your friends to maneuver a sofa up several flights of stairs, cursing at the banister and scraping their knuckles on narrow hallways. No ruined friendships because you said “To your left” and they tilted the whole sofa in the wrong direction. No thrown-out backs or removing doors from hinges. I’ve gotten a few modular sofas delivered to apartments with stairs, and I was able to get them into my apartment by myself. (And, if your stairs be many, you’ll only need to persuade one friend to help you out—not a bunch of them plus a truck.)
…Again and Again
Photograph: Lovesac
Modular sofas offer additional flexibility when it comes to configurations. You can make them an L-shaped sectional, a U-shaped sectional, or a traditional straight line. You can choose deep seats or shallower ones, and there are a ton of different upholstery finishes ranging from durable pet-friendly performance fabric to chenille. You could get a sleeper sofa or one designed for small spaces. Most of them come with removable, machine-washable covers, and some even have extra bells and whistles—like built-in storage or a way to charge your phone. The Lovesac Sactional is fully modular—we’re in the process of giving it a dedicated review—and you can add StealthTech to it, which gives it speakers, a wireless charging pad, and a subwoofer. A home theater in your reconfigurable couch, complete with reclining seats? It’s more likely than you think.
Modular couches do tend to be more expensive than standard options, but the convenience often outweighs the initial investment cost. For a modular sectional sofa, I find that it’s better to go with, at the bare minimum, a standard three-seater sofa and an extra piece such as a chaise lounge. That way you can move things around, but you won’t be stuck with too many additional seats, and you should still have room for an ottoman or a coffee table. Of course, if you want to go with an oversized eight-seater, you can do that too. There are some truly gargantuan modular options available, like the Cozey Ciello XL. You can even opt for an outdoor sofa, like Outer’s Teak Outdoor Loveseat, which comes with a built-in cover to protect your patio furniture from the elements.
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Outer
Teak Outdoor Loveseat With Armchairs
And while they do tend to be expensive, there are still some relatively affordable modular sofa options if you’re on a tighter budget. The Albany Park Kova has been an honorable mention in our buying guide for a couple of years, and it costs the same—or less than—similar couches that aren’t as customizable.
The long and the short of it is that a modular couch is largely similar to your standard, stuck-in-one-shape couch. You’ll still get a solid warranty. You’ll still get high-quality, high-density memory foam cushions, plush backrests, and comfortable back cushions. You still have the options for solid wood frames and stain-resistant fabric. But at the end of the day, if needed, you can change things up—something that’s only easy to do if you have a modular sofa.
If you’re in the market for a new couch, we’ve got plenty of recommendations in all shapes, sizes, and styles. You might also be able to visit a local showroom—or simply pester your comfy-couched friends about the brand they chose. (Let me know what it is in the comments!) And if you want the best of the bunch that’ll stand the test of time, you’ll consider a modular sofa.
We are not immune to the appeal of cushiony upholstered outdoor lounge sets that are essentially cut-and-pastes of their indoor counterparts. That said, there is charm, too, in simply designed, bare-bones wood furniture. Here are some excellent recent examples of artful understatement in outdoor spaces, spotted over on our sibling site. See also: Meanwhile, on […]
This trash-to-lushness story begins in the small town of Kyritz, Germany, when two creatives, Laura Muthesius and Nora Eisermann, decide to turn a historic apartment building into holiday rental units. The two performed their magic on the interiors (see their artful transformation of one of the flats over on Remodelista), but what to do with the backyard, which was unloved and unused, other than as a place to store trash bins?
The simple answer: add more plants and, in particular, more flowers. Aside from a hydrangea, the courtyard was devoid of color. After moving the garbage cans indoors to their own storage area and covering the hardscaping—uneven bricks and cobblestones laid out in a somewhat garish pattern—with a layer of gravel, Laura and Nora turned their attention to planting. More hydrangeas. A quince tree. Lots of oregano. American mint, anise hyssop, an aronia tree, climbing roses, lavender, sage, and potted olive trees.
“We wanted a wild-looking garden that has a Mediterranean feeling. We were a bit scared not to have enough light for the herbs like oregano and lavender, as it is not sunny all day in the backyard but it seems to be just enough as they are all growing so well,” they share. The plants were the costliest part of the landscape design but also “the best investment, as they just grow more and more beautiful each year.”
After moving in furniture to create outdoor living and dining spaces, and adding an outdoor kitchen (the chicest we’ve seen!), the once neglected courtyard is now their “secret little garden.” Let’s take a tour, and be sure to scroll to the end to see the space in its original state, complete with trash bins.
Above: Laura and Nora furnished the outdoor living area with pieces from Tine K Home’s bamboo collection. Above: “The ivy and wild vine that climb up the backside of the building is just so so charming and makes you feel like you are in a secret little garden.”
President Donald Trump said on Friday that new tariffs on foreign-made furniture are coming later this year following an investigation.”Within the next 50 days, that Investigation will be completed, and Furniture coming from other Countries into the United States will be Tariffed at a Rate yet to be determined,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “This will bring the Furniture Business back to North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, and States all across the Union.”A White House official clarified that the president is referencing a previously announced investigation that “will assess the national security risks arising from the United States’ increasing dependence on imported timber, lumber, and derivative products like paper, furniture, and cabinetry.”Nevertheless, the president’s comments on Friday sank some furniture stocks, from Wayfair to Williams-Sonoma. An industry coalition, called “Furniture for America,” expressed concerns about steeper tariffs earlier this year in written comments to the Commerce Department.”There is no rational relationship between imports of wood products or furniture and the national security of the United States,” the coalition wrote. “Second, no amount of tariffs will bring back American furniture manufacturing back to its prior levels. Tariffs will harm manufacturing still being done in the United States.” The White House said new tariffs on this sector would not stack on top of so-called “reciprocal” tariffs that are already targeting a wide range of countries, including major furniture suppliers like China and Vietnam. Federal data suggests those tariffs may be starting to show up in some furniture prices for consumers. The latest Consumer Price Index shows that, while overall inflation held steady between June and July 2025, furniture and bedding prices increased by 0.9 percent month-to-month. Some experts have identified this as an early warning sign, while conceding that the impact of tariffs on prices has generally been less severe than anticipated, perhaps because many businesses are absorbing added costs instead of passing them on to consumers. It remains to be seen how Trump’s latest batch of tariffs on most trading partners that took effect earlier this month will impact these trends.
WASHINGTON —
President Donald Trump said on Friday that new tariffs on foreign-made furniture are coming later this year following an investigation.
“Within the next 50 days, that Investigation will be completed, and Furniture coming from other Countries into the United States will be Tariffed at a Rate yet to be determined,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “This will bring the Furniture Business back to North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, and States all across the Union.”
A White House official clarified that the president is referencing a previously announced investigation that “will assess the national security risks arising from the United States’ increasing dependence on imported timber, lumber, and derivative products like paper, furniture, and cabinetry.”
Nevertheless, the president’s comments on Friday sank some furniture stocks, from Wayfair to Williams-Sonoma.
An industry coalition, called “Furniture for America,” expressed concerns about steeper tariffs earlier this year in written comments to the Commerce Department.
“There is no rational relationship between imports of wood products or furniture and the national security of the United States,” the coalition wrote. “Second, no amount of tariffs will bring back American furniture manufacturing back to its prior levels. Tariffs will harm manufacturing still being done in the United States.”
The White House said new tariffs on this sector would not stack on top of so-called “reciprocal” tariffs that are already targeting a wide range of countries, including major furniture suppliers like China and Vietnam.
Federal data suggests those tariffs may be starting to show up in some furniture prices for consumers.
The latest Consumer Price Index shows that, while overall inflation held steady between June and July 2025, furniture and bedding prices increased by 0.9 percent month-to-month. Some experts have identified this as an early warning sign, while conceding that the impact of tariffs on prices has generally been less severe than anticipated, perhaps because many businesses are absorbing added costs instead of passing them on to consumers.
It remains to be seen how Trump’s latest batch of tariffs on most trading partners that took effect earlier this month will impact these trends.
President Donald Trump said on Friday that new tariffs on foreign-made furniture are coming later this year following an investigation.”Within the next 50 days, that Investigation will be completed, and Furniture coming from other Countries into the United States will be Tariffed at a Rate yet to be determined,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “This will bring the Furniture Business back to North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, and States all across the Union.”A White House official clarified that the president is referencing a previously announced investigation that “will assess the national security risks arising from the United States’ increasing dependence on imported timber, lumber, and derivative products like paper, furniture, and cabinetry.”Nevertheless, the president’s comments on Friday sank some furniture stocks, from Wayfair to Williams-Sonoma. An industry coalition, called “Furniture for America,” expressed concerns about steeper tariffs earlier this year in written comments to the Commerce Department.”There is no rational relationship between imports of wood products or furniture and the national security of the United States,” the coalition wrote. “Second, no amount of tariffs will bring back American furniture manufacturing back to its prior levels. Tariffs will harm manufacturing still being done in the United States.” The White House said new tariffs on this sector would not stack on top of so-called “reciprocal” tariffs that are already targeting a wide range of countries, including major furniture suppliers like China and Vietnam. Federal data suggests those tariffs may be starting to show up in some furniture prices for consumers. The latest Consumer Price Index shows that, while overall inflation held steady between June and July 2025, furniture and bedding prices increased by 0.9 percent month-to-month. Some experts have identified this as an early warning sign, while conceding that the impact of tariffs on prices has generally been less severe than anticipated, perhaps because many businesses are absorbing added costs instead of passing them on to consumers. It remains to be seen how Trump’s latest batch of tariffs on most trading partners that took effect earlier this month will impact these trends.
WASHINGTON —
President Donald Trump said on Friday that new tariffs on foreign-made furniture are coming later this year following an investigation.
“Within the next 50 days, that Investigation will be completed, and Furniture coming from other Countries into the United States will be Tariffed at a Rate yet to be determined,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “This will bring the Furniture Business back to North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, and States all across the Union.”
A White House official clarified that the president is referencing a previously announced investigation that “will assess the national security risks arising from the United States’ increasing dependence on imported timber, lumber, and derivative products like paper, furniture, and cabinetry.”
Nevertheless, the president’s comments on Friday sank some furniture stocks, from Wayfair to Williams-Sonoma.
An industry coalition, called “Furniture for America,” expressed concerns about steeper tariffs earlier this year in written comments to the Commerce Department.
“There is no rational relationship between imports of wood products or furniture and the national security of the United States,” the coalition wrote. “Second, no amount of tariffs will bring back American furniture manufacturing back to its prior levels. Tariffs will harm manufacturing still being done in the United States.”
The White House said new tariffs on this sector would not stack on top of so-called “reciprocal” tariffs that are already targeting a wide range of countries, including major furniture suppliers like China and Vietnam.
Federal data suggests those tariffs may be starting to show up in some furniture prices for consumers.
The latest Consumer Price Index shows that, while overall inflation held steady between June and July 2025, furniture and bedding prices increased by 0.9 percent month-to-month. Some experts have identified this as an early warning sign, while conceding that the impact of tariffs on prices has generally been less severe than anticipated, perhaps because many businesses are absorbing added costs instead of passing them on to consumers.
It remains to be seen how Trump’s latest batch of tariffs on most trading partners that took effect earlier this month will impact these trends.
Oftentimes landscape designers are called in to execute a one-time overhaul or to create an instant landscape for a site that’s been ravaged by construction. Every once in a while, though, they’re enlisted for more nuanced work, such as when a mature garden needs a new steward and editor. The “before and after” results may not be as dramatic, but the process of refinement can take a garden from good to great. Such was the case when landscape designer and ISA-certified arborist Ashley Lloyd, of Lloyd Landwright, was brought in to usher a garden in lower Westchester into its next chapter.
The garden had been lovingly designed and tended by a fine gardener for many years, but after his departure, weeds had overtaken the property and much of the perennial layer had been lost during construction projects, including a new retaining wall. “The goal was to create layered texture, seasonal contrast, and movement—and to design with the garden’s future evolution in mind,” Lloyd says.
Arriving as the homeowners were in the midst of rethinking the garden, ended up being a gift. “I had time to observe the land—its microclimates, light shifts, drainage patterns—and respond accordingly,” Lloyd says. Building on the existing palette of shrubs and evergreens, she brought in more native and pollinator plants and created moments that would consistently surprise and delight the clients. She also designed dozens of seasonal planters and new outdoor lighting.
Through her years of working on this garden, Lloyd learned that “the best design happens in relationship and collaboration with the land and not from a fixed plan,” she says. Lloyd recently relocated to the West Coast, handing this garden off to its next steward in much better shape than she found it.
Take a tour of the resulting garden, a layered landscape that evolves through the seasons.
Above: “This wasn’t a ‘look but don’t touch’ garden,” says Lloyd. Rather, it was designed to invite interaction, with the client choosing to leave the front garden unfenced, so neighbors could enjoy it too. However, no fencing meant intense deer pressure, so Lloyd focussed her plant palette on those that were unpalatable to deer, including floss flower and allium. “Grasses, including sesleria, really knit everything together there,” she says. Above: Lloyd says she tries to place plants that deer don’t like around plants they prefer; for example, lamb’s ear and allium are positioned to protect asters. As part of a local Pollinator Pathway, the garden is pesticide-free and designed to support bees, birds, and butterflies.
The best way to stave off cabin fever: bundle up and get outside. As long as you’re dressed for it, winter is much more tolerable. And when you turn your yard into an outdoor playland, you’ll save your sanity too.
Make an ice rink. This is a relatively simple project, believe it or now. Dig a sunken rectangle and cover with a tarp (weigh the sides of the tarp down with bricks, large rocks or heavy pieces of wood). Then, flood it. Let it freeze for a few days and test it out – if there are thin parts that crack or break, flood it again and let freeze.
Build an outdoor playground. Carve out some different slides. Make giant snowballs that can be climbed on. Put all that snow to good use.
Make a fort. Use coloured water to decorate it, and add stairs or furniture like tables and chairs.
Create some friends. Who can make the biggest, tallest snowman? Turn them into a family. Fashion some animal friends.
Obstacle course time! From piles to climb over to zigzag snow designs to run through, dig out a full-scale obstacle course you can add to and complete with over and over.
A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.
