Facts and Statistics About Furniture in Ireland
As you may expect, furniture is one of the most popular shopping categories worldwide. Whether you own a home or are a renter, whether your house is a palatial mansion or a studio flat, everyone needs furniture and home decor.
But have you ever wondered about the specifics of buying furniture in Ireland, facts and statistics, and the history of Irish home interior design? Read on to learn more!
History of furniture in Ireland
While many elements of furniture and home design are similar in different countries, every place has its own specific details and quirks based on things like culture, climate, and economy.
For example, in Japan, every home has an entryway known as a genkan due to the tradition of removing your shoes when you enter a home. And in the southern regions of Spain and Italy, homes are built from materials that will keep rooms cool in the hot summers.
Traditional Irish homes also have their own special traits for furniture and home decor. According to the National Museum of Ireland, the importance of the hearth in Irish homes determined the most common use of furniture in Ireland. Because meals were cooked, served, and eaten around the hearth, dining tables were not originally a common element of traditional homes.
On the other hand, a common feature that is unique to Irish country cottages is the ‘outshot’. An outshot is a small section of wall near the hearth that protrudes from the main perimeter of the experier, offering space to place a bed by the hearth for extra warmth and comfort.
Statistics about furniture in Ireland
The market for furniture in Ireland is relatively small compared to its larger counterparts in the UK, the US, and elsewhere. This is naturally understandable due to the smaller size of the country and its population.
However, furniture and home decor are still popular categories for browsing and buying in Ireland across all demographics. According to Statista, the furniture market in Ireland was worth €2.2 billion in 2021, and is only expected to grow in the coming years. While this is tiny in comparison to the largest market, the USA, with €225.5 billion, it is still a significant figure leading to a good amount of competition across the furniture market.
The most popular furniture category is bedroom furniture, followed by furniture for the living room, the kitchen and dining room, and then lamps, lighting, and other accessories.
Buying furniture online in Ireland
Although ecommerce has skyrocketed in popularity for categories such as clothing and electronics (Wolfgang Digital reports that ecommerce revenue grew by a massive 159% in 2020), most shoppers in Ireland still prefer to buy furniture in-store rather than online. In some ways, this makes perfect sense. Furniture is a big investment, so many people prefer to see and touch the pieces they are considering in person, before they commit to buying.
While furniture shopping online has lagged behind other categories in Ireland, it is still growing in popularity, rising from encompassing just 6% of overall sales in 2017 to 14% in 2021 (per Statista). The report also predicts that this percentage will continue to grow, reaching 29% by 2025.
Shopping at Corcoran’s Furniture & Carpets
If you are looking to buy furniture online or if you are searching for a furniture store in Ireland, it is important to choose a retailer who supplies quality furniture and a variety of options.
Corcoran’s Furniture offers furniture and flooring across all rooms and departments to suit all styles and budgets, with expert craftsmanship so you can be sure you’re getting top-quality pieces sourced from manufacturers in Ireland and abroad.
If you are still more comfortable buying your furniture in-store, you can visit any of our showrooms in Kerry and Limerick to see our range in person and speak to our expert team, but you can also shop online with confidence from anywhere in Ireland.
And if you have questions about any of your furniture selections on the Corcoran’s website, you can get the same top-notch customer service from our furniture experts. Get all your questions answered, find the best furniture to match your needs, and make your house a home with help from Corcoran’s!
Plus, to learn more about furniture in different countries and how to choose the ideal investment pieces for your home, read these other popular blog posts: