Introduction to Furniture Materials for Interior Design

Almost every interior design, furniture plays the main role as the very first highlight spot that everyone notices. Each material adds characteristics and gimmick to your space. For example, when you add a vintage wooden single sofa to your contemporary living room along with artisan rugs, the overall look and feel instantly change from an ordinary modern room to a one-of-a-kind timeless space of all time.

Before selecting materials to create your favorite furnitures, it’s nice to know more about their appearances, qualities, and especially costs. Some materials look incredibly stunning to your eyes but are not compatible with everyday usage. Some have the right look and durability but cost too high to use for the whole house. There are many kinds of furniture materials that can replace each other with more affordable features.

Today we collected the all-time favorite furniture materials along with their unique different features. Let’s see which one suits your place the most.

1. Wood

Wood is the basic element and leading furniture material that is widely used for centuries. If you prefer sustainable furnitures with durability and visual appeal, wood is gonna be the ideal choice for you. Of course, wood costs highly but it’s yet varied since there are various types of wood to select. First of all, it’s divided into 2 main types, solid wood and manufactured wood. Solid wood is a genuine product from a real tree. There are so many qualities depending on it is hardwood or softwood. While manufactured wood, as same as its name, is engineered material that is made to look exactly the same as real wood. Some wood can be yellowed or darker over time, some are easily damaged, while some are weather-resistant. However, wooden furnitures always bring a rich look to interior design.

2. Glass

Glass, a material with modernity, always adds a touch of high class to any interior design.​ Glass is always popular among contemporary lovers. It’s normally used as the primary furniture material in the combination with other kinds of material, such as glass-wood or glass-steel. Only a few pieces of furniture are made of 100% glass since it’s the most fragile, cannot withstand too much weight, and is easy to get broken. However, there are tempered or heavier glass for the stronger choice.

3. Steel

The best choice for modern and hi-tech interior design solutions. Normally, you can find it as metal inserts with other furniture materials. It’s added for strength since most steels are strong and durable. Steel can be both decorative and functional for your space. If you want to try an eccentric look, try this. Most steel furnitures are coated to prevent rusting, while some leave it without coating to get the rusty look.

4. MDF / Plywood

If you love wooden furniture and think it’s too expensive, wood is not the only choice that provides you a natural and synthetic look. It can be replaced with MDF (Medium Density Filterboard) or plywood as a cost-friendly furniture material. They are made of layers of wood glued together to make them thicker and stronger. The basic appearance looks almost the same as wood and most furniture contains some plywood. With its color, texture, and lacquer finish, MDF and plywood offer interior design a brand new brighter look. Even it has less durability compared to real wood, it’s still a strong choice that prevents splitting and warping.

5. Plastic

If you want to save your budget to decorate anything else, furnitures made of plastic will definitely help you out. Plastic is the most budget-friendly furniture material that comes with unexpected strength and durability. It’s versatile and can be molded into any shape you like. That is why plastic is the designer’s favorite, it’s suitable with any kind of exterior or interior design. Besides the vibrant design, it’s strong but lightweight and easy to move as well. However, plastics vary in quality. Some are heat and scratch resistant, some have visual interest but not that durable, and some are eco-friendly since it’s made of oil and soybeans.

6. Leather

Speaking of leather, you might think of some contemporary ottoman in modern luxury living room or rusty leather sofa in the loft interior design. Since leather provides a softness and a comfortable look, it is always the desired furniture material for upholstery of seating arrangements like sofa or stool. There are various qualities both faux and genuine. Of course, faux leather is cheaper, but it still can’t replace the distinct visual and texture of the genuine one.