US Online Shopping Behaviors: Home Decor and Furniture 2025
"Looking ahead, consumers will increasingly rely on digital channels and tools to help them find the perfect items for their homes."
Katie Hansen, Senior Analyst - Retail & eCommerce
Home decor and furniture are more than just functional items; they are an extension of an individual’s personality, values and beliefs. They help create a cozy, inviting atmosphere that reflects a homeowner’s unique sense of style. For younger consumers, this goes a step further – they want the brands and retailers they choose to mirror their ethics and values, ensuring that the items in their homes align with what they stand for.
To find the perfect fit, many consumers are turning to technology, with AI playing an increasingly prominent role in their shopping journey. From tailored product recommendations to tools that help visualize entire living spaces, tech innovations are transforming the way people shop for their homes. For brands and retailers, integrating these emerging technologies across every touchpoint is essential to meet consumers’ expectations and enhance their experience.
However, challenges like economic uncertainty and the naturally longer lifecycle of furniture can slow market growth. This presents an opportunity for brands to engage consumers in creative ways, such as offering seasonal home decor items or embracing sustainability through circular purchasing options like secondhand goods or rentals. By addressing these evolving preferences, brands can stay relevant while meeting the needs of today’s conscious shoppers.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Economic factors impacting spending on home decor and furniture
- Items purchased in the last 12 months
- Consumer behaviors when shopping for home decor and furniture online
- Where consumers find inspiration for their home
- Shopping barriers that prevent consumers from shopping online for home decor and furniture
- Opportunities to engage with consumers
Market Definitions
This Report explores how consumers are shopping for home items online. For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
- Home décor: Picture frames, vases, decorative bowls, candlesticks/candleholders, candles, diffusers, wall art, clocks, trays, coasters, lamps/lighting (table lamps, floor lamps, lanterns), mirrors, collectibles/keepsakes, sculptures/artwork/figurines, decorative pillows/throw blankets, rugs/doormats, baskets, fake/silk flowers or plants, holiday/seasonal décor, home décor items. It excludes paint, wallpaper, window treatments (eg drapes, blinds).
- Furniture: Upholstered furniture; sleep equipment (eg mattresses, springs, cots, waterbeds); sleep sofas, daybeds, futons and other dual-purpose pieces; living room, dining room and bedroom furniture (excluding mattresses/sleep equipment and sleep sofas/other dual-purpose pieces); office furniture, including computer-related furniture; outdoor/patio furniture and all other furniture, including kitchen, dinette, etc.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Outlook for home decor and furniture
- Opportunities
- Launch curated secondhand marketplaces and refurbishment services
- Deploy tech-enabled design tools that let users visualize complete rooms and one-click buy
- Introduce flexible payment and ownership models to keep price-sensitive shoppers engaged
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THE MARKET
- Mounting economic pressures may lead to pull-back in non-essential spending
- Consumer sentiment tumbled for the third consecutive month
- Graph 1: consumer sentiment index, 2022-25
- Consumers’ perspective on their personal finances dampens
- Graph 2: change in financial situation over the past 12 months, 2024-25
- Brands must adapt as consumers rent for longer amid a struggling housing market
- Secondhand items are a key opportunity for the future of furniture and home decor
- Market landscape
- Consumers use home items to display their individuality
- Both home decor and furniture items are critical to creating a cozy, welcoming space
- Graph 3: home decor items purchased last 12 months, 2025
- Graph 4: furniture items purchased in the last 12 months, 2025
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CONSUMER INSIGHTS
- Shopping behaviors
- Consumers conduct thorough research to find the right item to reflect who they are in their home
- Graph 5: shopping behaviors, 2025
- Younger consumers utilize tech to bolster their knowledge and overall shopping experience
- Graph 6: shopping behaviors, by generation 2025
- From social media to AI, brands can elevate each touchpoint with tech
- Younger consumers understand that the items in their homes are a reflection of their identity and the values they uphold
- Graph 7: shopping behaviors, by generation, 2025
- Shopping inspiration
- Older consumers seek inspiration in-store, while younger consumers turn to digital platforms
- Younger consumers find inspiration in the digital world while older gens prefer a tactile experience
- Graph 8: shopping inspiration, by generation, 2025
- Social media can root consumers in practical styles and transport them to a life of luxury
- Black and Hispanic consumers draw inspiration from a variety of sources
- Graph 9: shopping inspiration, by race or ethnicity, 2025
- Home & Texture elevates multicultural design voices
- Shopping barriers
- Alleviating barriers to online shopping will improve the experience for all
- Graph 10: shopping barriers, 2025
- Wayfair turns to physical retail to help consumers get familiar with the online brand
- Ashley Furniture partners with Perplexity, PayPal to streamline the shopping experience
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING STRATEGIES
- Marketing and advertising
- Sustainability is a key aspect of home decor and furniture
- Graph 11: sustainability interest in online home decor and furniture, 2025
- IKEA makes sustainability a central initiative
- Tech is transforming how consumers design and shop for their home
- Home Visualizer taps into AI to offer consumers a look into their future home interior
- Collaborations can grab consumers’ attention
- POLYWOOD bets on celebrity collabs
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APPENDIX
- Market definition
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
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