The Economy of Furniture

So, at this point in the election cycle, we've all realized that the Economy is a top issue to most voters. Certainly economical concerns have been a top issue for home owners for some time now, as the housing market has plummeted. The question we at Ace Office want to ask is, what does do for furniture sales? Furniture Today provides some possible answers:

Tuesday started with a 465-point drop in the Dow Jones Industrials Average — severe by any measure — by midday the vast majority of furniture stocks were up and some gained as much as 10%. Does that make sense to you?

In the complex and sometimes befuddled mind of Wall Street, it does. The Federal Reserve hammering down interest rates should begin to ease the current housing distress by lowering mortgage rates and saving homeowners money, reducing the step-up rates on adjustable mortgages, and hopefully making home purchases more affordable so that the glut of homes for sale will be reduced. That, in turn, will stop the decline in home values and everyone should sleep better (helping the mattress industry).

As far as home office furniture goes, it seems that furniture sales rise and fall with the rest of the housing sector. So, when the housing market has hit its lows (as many believe it already has), houses (and furniture) are set up for a come back!

Office (Furniture) Politics - 2008 Election Special Edition!

Pictured: Former Governor of Arkansas and current presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, seated in a tasteful chair, surrounded by polished wood furnishing, and awash in soft lighting. (A candidate who loves good office furniture!)


On December 3, an entry was posted about office furniture politics. In Boston, local politicians were butting heads over an issue known as "Drapesgate." House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi openly criticized Governor Deval Patrick for purchasing $10,000 curtains for a corner office. It may sound petty, but office furniture purchases are always grounded in issues of personal legitimacy and fiscal responsibility. Our advice? Make smart choices in affordable office furniture, of course.

The drama continues, but now on a national scale. Unless you've had your head buried in the sand, you probably have noticed that one of the biggest news stories is the upcoming 2008 U.S. presidential election. In a race that has no returning incumbent, both the Republican and Democrat parties lack a clear front runner, which only adds to the excitement and anxiety. The Democrats seem to have three leading contenders: Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Barack Obama, and former Senator John Edwards. Other notables include House Representative Dennis Kucinich, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Joe Biden, Senator Chris Dodd, and former Senator Mike Gravel. Among the Republicans, will it be former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Senator John McCain, Representative Ron Paul, Representative Duncan Hunter, former Senator Fred Thompson, or former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee?

The latter candidate is the one at the center of another office furniture scandal. A couple of weeks ago, a blogger for the Arkansas Times reported on the issue and dubbed the politician's gaffe as "Officegate" (perhaps the English lexicon would benefit from a different suffix that indicates controversy). Apparently, Huckabee accepted new lights, speakers, and furniture as gifts to replace ones that were not up to par. In this case, taxpayer dollars were not used (as was the case in Boston), and the source was reported as "private funds." Around $70,000 worth of Mansion furniture was offered as a gift from Boe Adams, a wealthy cotton planter. There have been other issues that have called Huckabee's fiscal responsibility into question, and this is just another log thrown into the fire.

As seen above, candidate Mike Huckabee seems to like fine lighting and seating. And who can blame him? Presentation is important, and no career highlights image more than possibly politics. However, as the aftermath scandal has proven, it is still important to consider budget alongside furnishing needs. The most sensible route is to look at quality furnishings at discount prices. Don't sacrifice enduring style and quality just to stay within budget!

Ace a Member of DMI Furniture

Pictured above: Belmont Series Executive Five-Piece Office Suite

Ace Office Furniture is a proud to be an authorized dealer of products by DMI Furniture, which is a large retailer of furniture since 1911. DMI office furniture includes different categories, including traditional, transitional, small office/home office, seating, and tables. The brand is known for its high-quality veneers and fine wood materials.

Ace conveniently offers all of its DMI inventory on the DMI Furniture page, as a part of its large online store. Clicking on "More" for each of the listed items will directly lead you to related office furniture pieces for decor coordination. Celebrating its tenth year as a DMI Dealer, Ace is also excited to say that it's the number one retailer of DMI furniture on the web!