The declining size of U.S. homes hasn't resulted in a decline in the appeal of plus-size furniture. (yet.) Online retailers such as Oversize Furniture, Living XL, and Brylane Home specialize in outfitting the homes of large-size customers, providing extra-wide seats and increased support. Other furniture makers are subtler, making furniture that is a little bigger without calling attention to it, retailers say.
This trend won't last forever either, predicted Jerry Underwood, director of marketing for HOM Furniture. He said big traditional furniture appeals to baby boomers, but their echo boomer children like cleaner lines and smaller scale. "The big overstuffed [look] is going away rapidly," he said. - From Realtor Magazine
I for one can't wait for the big, puffy couches to fade away - I have always liked a streamlined, cleaner look, and honestly there is nothing worse than showing a small house filled with huge furniture - it might be comfy, but it really does not show well in most cases. The tufted with buttons thing will hopefully go off-trend as well - nothing says "Grandma lives here" like some big buttons or puffy sections on the back cushions of sofas.
But I do hope that as the sizes of homes decrease that sofas will shrink, too. If you live in the Denver area, you know that furniture retailers are somewhat limited, especially in the "affordable" category. Not that there's anything wrong with American Furniture Warehouse, but they do tend to lean toward the "big and puffy" -- I think that having an IKEA in town will help those with smaller homes, or less traditional/tuscan-inspired/black leather taste to decorate -- I can't wait.
If you have your home on the market, or are thinking about listing it - think about whether your furniture matches or at least compliments your home's architecture and style. We see a lot of Highlands bungalows stuffed with huge furniture that would look more appropriate in a suburban McMansion, and we also see a lot of super-outdated, worn-out sofas and tables in homes that are listed as "updated" and "renovated". It is REALLY hard for any buyer to look past your stuff to get a really good look at your home.
Professional stagers also usually recommend that you "float" your furniture instead of pushing it up against the walls, and that you create visual vignettes that are pleasing to the eye but not distracting. It's not necessary to stage wine glasses carefully balanced on a tray on the bed every time you have a showing (who lives like THAT?!) but it is important to make your space seem as inviting and usable as possible.
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