Is a Piano Considered Furniture? Facts You Need To Know

A lot of people are wondering, is a piano considered furniture? Or is it only categorized as a musical instrument?

In this article, I will discuss whether a piano can be considered a musical instrument or not, as well as uncover the idea of what makes a piece of item furniture.

Yes, you can consider a piano as a piece of furniture because of its size, quality, value, and manufacture.

In finding out why pianos are considered furniture, you need to understand the considerations of items to be categorized as furniture.

Defining Furniture

If you look up the word “furniture” in the dictionary, it’ll give you multiple descriptions.

Most of which would be like household items or equipment, usually made from wood, plastics, metal, glass, fabrics, ceramics, or other related materials having various purposes.

The term comes from fourniture, which is a French word that means to supply or to provide.

This simply means that furniture can include things that can provide comfort, purpose, entertainment, and of course, design.

Almost everything in your house can be considered furniture – from cabinets, shelves, drawers, dressers to chests, desks, decorative pieces, and many more. 

What Makes Furniture, Furniture? 

Many of us are embedded in the idea that furniture pieces are things that we use inside the house, which includes sofas or couches, chairs, tables, beds, cabinets, etc.

However, those aren’t the only things that categorize items as furniture. To consider something “a piece of furniture,” several things need to be considered:

Manufacture/Materials Used

One of the categories of furniture is the material used to create them. Typically, the most common materials or make of furniture are:

• Wood
• Plastics and Fabrics
• Metal
• Glass

Think about it – what do you usually get when you carve and process wood?

While this is true, don’t get the misconception that all products made from the materials I listed above are all furniture – they’re not! I just wanted to emphasize that the things above are commonly used to create and produce furniture.

Purpose

The next consideration you want to take would be the purpose. Furniture pieces are objects that make living more comfortable and suitable.

This is the reason why couches, chairs, tables, desks, drawers, and all other furniture you know are categorized as furniture.

Other than that purpose, though, furniture can also be things and objects that hold value or add interior design or entertainment to your humble abode.

I’ll discuss the purpose part more below by dividing furniture into different groups and categories.

Size

Lastly, you’d have to consider the size of the object. Being furniture, they’ll typically take up space in your living or working area.

They need to be noticeable because they’re the “cells” of your home “body.”

Again, while the size is a factor, it doesn’t always necessarily mean that small items aren’t considered furniture any longer. Small bedside tables, stools, and low shelves are also considered furniture.

I know that it can be confusing to determine whether an item is a piece of furniture or not.

That being said, it’s now easy to say that there are different categories of furniture you can add to your household.

Different Categories of Furniture 

Initially, I thought that the only furniture that comprise my household are the usual chairs, tables, and cabinets – I was wrong.

Upon learning about it further, I arrived at the conclusion that furniture can actually be grouped into different categories.

Seating (Single and Multiple)

This category of furniture is divided into 2: single-seating and multiple-seating. Basically, they’re the items that are sat on.

The most common ones are chairs, sofas or couches, bean bags, and stools.

Traditionally, they’re made of wood. However, you’ll find many variations of seating furniture in the market today.

Some are made from a combination of various items, while some are entirely made from fabric.

Table

These are the items used to provide a level of surface and are partnered with seating furniture. The most common examples are dining tables, desks, and side tables.

I only learned recently that not all tables are leveled to height! There are dwarf coffee tables or tables that have short legs and are purposely used as a center table in living rooms.

Storage

Storage furniture pieces are those that are used as storage for certain items like toiletries, clothes, and other accessories.

The most common types of it are cabinets, dressers, cupboards, drawers, and shelves.

Entertainment

These are the furniture types that are often used for entertainment, as well as to add interior design effects to your home.

They span from regular radio receivers, arcade machines, and pinball machines to billiard tables, chess tables, and pianos.

Lying or Sleeping

Last, but definitely not least are lying or sleeping furniture. In the simplest terms, these are the types of furniture people use to sleep, lie down on, and rest.

They consist of bunk beds, beds, water beds, sofa beds, hammocks, and futons, among others.

NOTE: Couches and sofas fall under the seating category because their primary purpose is to give you space for seating, not for lying down.

Now, you should have an idea of what the pieces of furniture are in your home.

That being said, can a piano be considered furniture? Can you add a piano as a part of your home’s lineup of furniture?

Is a Piano Considered Furniture?

To answer it plainly and simply, yes, pianos can be categorized and considered furniture, simply because of their size, manufacture, value, and purpose.

A piano inside a home is often regarded as a show of social status. Pianos are costly, expensive, and lavish items to have inside a home.

Not to mention that they eat up a lot of space, they’re also used to enhance and improve the value of a home.

They’re made from a combination of wood, metal, ceramics, and sometimes even fabric (leather of the stool).

Overall, the quality and make of this musical instrument are special, in that it’s made from rare materials and is the reason why most pianos today are expensive. 

Why Are Pianos Considered Furniture?

In a more technical aspect, pianos are considered furniture because they fit the description.

First, they’re made from different types of wood, steel, and fabric. Second, they add value to a home, and they can also provide entertainment.

And the third and last reason is that they usually come in a considerable size. They’re big and they can take up space inside the house.

What Wood Are Pianos Made Of?

The type of wood depends on the manufacturer of the piano.

Tip: But quality pianos would typically be made from spruce, hardwoods, mahogany, and ebony wood.

Different sections of a piano are made from different types of wood, and ideally, they have their own reasons and purposes.

Hardwood is ideal for the exterior shell of the piano. It adds to the strength and durability of the furniture.

Spruce is used for the soundboards because of the strength and elasticity of the wood – the list goes on.

Why Do People Buy Pianos as Furniture?

If you are a musician or a pianist, buying a piano for your home would be part of your top priorities.

It can provide classy entertainment, and you’ll get the chance to play it every now and then, too.

Not many people know how to play the piano, though. So, why do people buy it only as a piece of furniture? Simple – value.

If you are about to sell your home and you have a flawless, untouched, grand piano, its price can increase by about 10%, according to pianoreviewer.

It adds a whole lot of value, sophistication, and accent to a given area.

Read Next: How to Move Furniture Without Scratching Floors

Final Thoughts

Is a piano considered furniture? If you’re thinking about it, then this article is what you needed.

Not only was I able to answer the question, but I also explained what placed pianos in the category of furniture.