10/16/2026
Here’s a furniture-shopping tip most people never think about:
Look at the back.
We naturally judge a chair, sofa, desk or cabinet from the front. But today’s homes are much more open, and furniture increasingly sits away from the wall.
That means the back matters.
A beautifully finished desk can float in an office instead of being pushed against a wall. An interesting chair can be appreciated from every direction. A console can help define two areas of an open room rather than simply filling an empty wall.
When a piece looks beautiful from more than one angle, you suddenly have many more possibilities for where—and how—you can use it.
Next time you’re furniture shopping, walk all the way around the piece. You may discover the most interesting view isn’t the front.