CIFF Shanghai is focusing on the new trend of healthy home decoration. Today, virtually every home decoration brand markets itself as eco-friendly, yet most homeowners still leave their newly renovated properties empty for six months of ventilation before moving in. Relying solely on ventilation does little to completely eliminate hidden pollution risks.   Many homeowners mistakenly believe that decoration pollution is limited to formaldehyde and that prolonged airing can fully remove it. In reality, harmful pollutants from renovation are numerous, with many sources buried deep inside materials and release cycles far longer than commonly assumed. This is precisely why residents still experience discomfort after moving in despite extensive ventilation. Formaldehyde is a chronic pollutant with a release cycle of 3 to 15 years, emanating from engineered wood panels, adhesives, paint, and synthetic carpets. Its concentration spikes significantly during summer months and when underfloor heating is in use, and it is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen. Benzene compounds are highly toxic pollutants most prevalent in the early renovation phase, commonly found in coatings and adhesives, with peak volatilization occurring within the first six months after completion, causing direct and rapid harm to human health. TVOC (Total Volatile Organic Compounds) is the primary source of pungent renovation odors, comprising hundreds of chemical components that readily trigger dizziness and eye irritation. Common formaldehyde removal solutions available on the market deliver very limited results. Plants like pothos offer negligible pollutant absorption. Activated carbon can only capture free-floating harmful substances in the air and will re-release pollutants once saturated. Professional formaldehyde treatment services address only surface-level contamination and cannot tackle the continuous release of harmful substances from within panel cores. Ventilation, adsorption, and chemical decomposition are all reactive, after-the-fact remedies. To fundamentally reduce pollution, environmental safeguards must be shifted upstream to the material selection phase. Even when using wood panels certified to the highest ENF environmental grade, the cumulative pollution effect across an entire home cannot be avoided. A single furniture piece may incorporate more than a dozen panels, while whole-house customization can accumulate over a hundred. As various panels continuously emit trace amounts of harmful substances, their cumulative effect can easily push indoor air quality beyond safe limits. Moreover, wood panels carry inherent vulnerabilities: they are susceptible to moisture and temperature fluctuations, making them prone to warping, cracking, and mold. Wood wax oils and paints applied to solid wood surfaces also continue to release TVOC over time. To circumvent this dual challenge, an innovative home decoration approach has gained traction within the industry: the de-woodification concept. De-woodification does not entail completely eliminating the visual warmth of wood; rather, it calls for drastically reducing the volume of wood panels used throughout the home and replacing them with environmentally friendly, stable, and durable polymer composite materials. Combined with prefabricated dry-construction techniques that minimize on-site use of adhesives and coatings, this approach controls the three core pollutants—formaldehyde, benzene compounds, and TVOC—at the source. Walls are clad in aviation-grade composite prefabricated panels that replace latex paint, wallpaper, and wall coverings. These panels are waterproof, mold-resistant, flame-retardant, and abrasion-resistant, with a service life exceeding 15 years and requiring minimal routine maintenance. Flooring pairs with premium SPC (Stone Plastic Composite) planks installed via dry construction, which preserves ceiling height, performs well with underfloor heating, and offers waterproof, corrosion-resistant, and wear-resistant properties. The wood-grain finish delivers aesthetic appeal alongside environmental benefits, with lower long-term upkeep costs. Ceilings are differentiated by space: bedrooms and living rooms feature low-moisture, putty-free gypsum boards installed through prefabricated methods that eliminate leveling work. These boast a service life of over 30 years and meet the F4-star environmental standard. Kitchens and bathrooms employ honeycomb large-format integrated ceiling panels that resist water and oil stains while allowing easy access for maintenance. Whole-house storage systems utilize aviation-grade composites paired with metal wall-mounted frameworks; modular components can be reconfigured as needed, resist moisture and mold, and meet ENF environmental standards. Genuinely eco-friendly home decoration cannot rest on marketing slogans alone. Post-completion air quality testing is a non-negotiable requirement. Before final handover, brands commission on-site spot inspections by third-party agencies holding authoritative CNAS accreditation. Only when formaldehyde, benzene, and TVOC readings all fall within compliance limits is the project officially delivered. Rather than enduring months of passive ventilation to purge pollutants after renovation, homeowners can opt for a de-woodified whole-house solution at the planning stage—eliminating concerns over indoor harmful gases and providing comprehensive protection for family health. An increasing number of home decoration firms are deepening their commitment to low-emission prefabricated materials. Through the exhibition and exchange platform provided by CIFF Shanghai, they continue to advance the new philosophy of healthy home decoration that controls pollution at its source. Source: shushidujiazhuang

CIFF Shanghai has observed that AI applications in the home decoration industry have moved well beyond superficial scenarios such as copywriting and rendering.   For home decoration enterprises, AI is not merely an auxiliary tool, but an intelligent support system embedded directly into business workflows. In the past, the entire operational chain relied heavily on individual employee experience and coordination. Marketing campaigns were hastily prepared, sales teams subjectively judged customer intent, project progress was tracked manually, and business reviews had to wait until month-end reports. The larger the enterprise, the more likely it was to face issues such as information silos, inconsistent standards, and difficulty replicating expertise, resulting in considerable operational waste. Today, the industry has implemented four corresponding AI support systems, respectively addressing customer acquisition, conversion, project delivery, and business operations. These systems interconnect to form a closed loop, representing the mainstream path for home decoration enterprises advancing AI-driven digital transformation. Customer Acquisition: The industry is gradually moving away from broad-brush advertising toward a precise lead nurturing model that integrates public-domain and private-domain branding. Many decoration companies have established presences on short-video platforms, social media, and private community channels, yet content production is slow, trend response lags, and public and private traffic remain fragmented, making it difficult to cultivate high-quality prospective customers. AI-powered customer acquisition systems connect the complete lead pipeline, deploying multiple types of intelligent assistants responsible for campaign operations, batch production of marketing assets, tiered private-domain customer operations, and brand reputation management. The system can push customized content based on the customer's floor plan, budget, and renovation stage, tracking the entire process from exposure to consultation follow-up to achieve precise lead cultivation. Conversion: Securing a lead is only the beginning. The pain point in the home decoration closing process lies in extended customer decision cycles and difficulty aligning opinions among family members. Behind customer hesitation often lie multiple concerns spanning budget, design proposals, and competitor comparisons. Traditional deal-closing relied heavily on individual sales experience, and managers struggled to identify the real obstacles customers faced. AI-powered conversion systems cover invitation, sales, and design roles, integrating chat records, customer profiles, and requirement information from design proposals. They identify the customer's communication stage and closing obstacles, generating follow-up scripts, design proposals, and quotation references. This transforms experience-dependent deal-making into a standardized, replicable signing system that helps improve conversion rates. Project Delivery: Once a contract is signed, construction delivery directly determines a company's reputation. Under traditional models, information does not flow between roles, and construction issues often only surface when customers file complaints, making it difficult to close the loop on rectification work. AI-powered delivery and feedback systems provide tools for project managers, supervisors, workers, and after-sales teams, fully documenting the entire process from order handover, construction milestones, on-site acceptance, issue rectification, to customer follow-up visits, clarifying task owners and deadlines. Managers can visually review project progress and pending issues, achieving digital milestone control and effectively reducing delivery complaints. Business Operations: After project delivery concludes, traditional management models suffer from significant lag. By the time month-end reports reveal issues with revenue, gross margin, or cash flow, losses are often irreversible. AI-powered operational efficiency systems provide real-time alerts, breaking down business targets by department and role, and adapting to back-office functions including management, human resources, finance, and procurement. The system monitors key data such as leads, signed contracts, material costs, and receivables in real time. When deviations occur, it pushes alerts and optimization recommendations, transforming month-end reviews into dynamic, in-process adjustments that reduce operational waste. These four AI systems do not operate in isolation. They form a complete business chain: marketing AI mines leads, conversion AI closes deals, delivery AI builds reputation and referrals, and operations AI reviews data to optimize resource allocation. The effectiveness of each preceding stage directly impacts downstream operational efficiency. The essence of AI transformation in the home decoration industry is not simply purchasing tools, but converting accumulated operational expertise into digital systems and breaking down ambiguous business challenges into trackable, executable actions, leveraging intelligent systems to enhance comprehensive capabilities across the entire chain. Faced with the wave of digital transformation, home decoration enterprises continue to explore AI implementation pathways, relying on the industry exchange platform built by CIFF Shanghai to share digital experiences and find transformation solutions suited to their needs. Source: weixin

CIFF Shanghai has analyzed the current direction of home decoration aesthetics. In the first half of 2026, the renovation market has coalesced around three major trends: relaxed and healing atmospheres, vintage-inspired textures, and Eastern elegance. Six of the most popular styles now cover everything from entry-level to upgrade-oriented layouts, balancing visual appeal, practicality, and varying budget requirements.   Cream Style centers on a gentle, soothing home atmosphere. The entire space is rendered in low-saturation warm tones such as milky white, beige, and cocoa cream, paired with arched doorways that visually expand the interior. This style suits young couples setting up their first home and families with children—ideal for homeowners seeking a warm, inviting ambiance. Full-project renovation budgets run approximately RMB 1,500 to 2,000 per square meter. Mid-Century Modern carries an understated vintage quality. Dark solid woods such as walnut and teak serve as the core materials, complemented by curved silhouettes and retro lighting fixtures to create a space rich with narrative depth. It is better suited to upgrade-oriented layouts, with an overall budget range of RMB 1,800 to 2,200 per square meter. Modern Minimalist follows a design philosophy of light hard finishes and heavy soft furnishings. Clean lines are paired with hidden lighting systems and concealed storage, yielding a crisp, uncluttered space that is easy to maintain. It is particularly well-suited to small apartments for owner-occupiers, with renovation budgets of RMB 1,800 to 2,300 per square meter. Neo-Chinese integrates Song-dynasty Eastern aesthetics, abandoning the heavy, ornate carvings of traditional Chinese style in favor of expansive negative space that cultivates a serene, Zen-like tranquility. It bridges the aesthetic preferences of both older and younger generations and suits upgrade residences. Budgets vary widely, with full projects ranging from RMB 2,000 to 3,800 per square meter. Natural Wood Style relies on the organic grain of woods such as ash, accented with greenery, to create an overall atmosphere of natural ease. First-time buyers in small-to-medium apartments favor this style, with renovation costs holding steady at RMB 2,000 to 2,500 per square meter. Light French leverages flowing plaster moldings, arched forms, and refined soft furnishings and lighting to craft an atmosphere of effortless elegance. It is better suited to large flats and upgrade residences, where the cost of achieving romantic, understated luxury runs higher, with full-project budgets of RMB 2,300 to 3,500 per square meter. Different styles correspond to different layouts and budgets. Homeowners can select the right solution based on household size, floor area, and financial planning. Numerous design brands and furniture manufacturers are gathering at CIFF Shanghai to present complete soft furnishing and cabinetry packages for all six mainstream styles, offering a tangible look at how each aesthetic comes to life. Today's home decoration consumers are no longer chasing viral looks alone. They place greater value on a space's emotional resonance, material quality, and long-term practicality. Many renovation companies now offer full-project design services, integrating interior design, construction, and soft furnishings into a one-stop solution. Transparent pricing and comprehensive after-sales support reduce the risk of costly renovation missteps. Whether undertaking a full renovation of a new home or a partial refresh of an existing property, identifying the decorative style that best fits your lifestyle is the key to creating a comfortable, enduring ideal home. As home design brands continue to iterate on complete, style-driven product collections, they leverage the industry showcase and exchange platform built by CIFF Shanghai to consistently deliver high-value, cost-effective home furnishing solutions tailored to everyday families. Source: xiaopangxiezhuangshisheji

China Home Expo has analyzed major promotional consumption trends, observing that demand for partial renovations of existing homes continues to explode. Light customization has seen a significant surge in transactions, heralding new shifts in the online home consumption landscape. As the 618 e-commerce festival unfolds, major platforms have released home consumption data revealing slowing growth for traditional whole-house customization and ready-made furniture, while light customization, partial renovations, and multifunctional furniture are seizing new growth opportunities.   Tmall's home improvement data shows light customization as the standout category, with transaction volume skyrocketing more than tenfold year-on-year. Numerous home furnishing brands are racing to enter this segment, with modular cabinetry and small-apartment renovation solutions capturing substantial market attention. Rising in tandem with light customization is multifunctional transformable furniture, a segment with considerable market potential. Height-adjustable coffee tables, extendable beds, and multifunctional sofas have all seen steady sales growth, effectively addressing the space optimization needs of compact homes. JD.com's home furnishing market shows parallel development between partial renovation and whole-house furnishing services. The platform has introduced lightweight partial refresh packages tailored to second-hand homes and finished properties needing optimization. Kitchen and bathroom refreshes, balcony storage solutions, and entryway renovations rank among the top orders, while demand for elderly-friendly modifications and pet-friendly customization has risen significantly year-on-year. Lightweight renovation projects feature short construction cycles. Combined with smart home design systems that rapidly generate spatial plans, online self-design and ordering is gradually becoming mainstream. Market acceptance of various partial renovation packages continues to climb. Light customization occupies the middle ground between ready-made furniture and whole-house customization. Leveraging standardized modular cabinetry, it enables personalized adjustments for single-point spaces such as entryways, balconies, and compact study nooks, aligning with consumer demand for low-cost, flexible renovations. Affordability and delivery speed are the core drivers of light customization's breakout success. Entry-level pricing in the low thousands of yuan makes it accessible to renters and ordinary families alike. Modular production models dramatically shorten delivery timelines, satisfying consumers' desire for rapid home refreshes. Partial renovations are gradually supplanting whole-house furnishing as the mainstream choice for home transformations. Multifunctional balcony renovations represent a particularly popular application. Consumers are moving beyond using balconies solely for laundry, instead favoring composite spaces that integrate storage, leisure, and pet activity zones. Niche solutions such as compact study rooms and ultra-slim entryway cabinets effectively address pain points common in existing homes, including insufficient storage and wasted space. Eco-friendly panels have become a non-negotiable criterion for consumers. With the implementation of new national environmental standards, green materials are no longer mere marketing talking points but fundamental prerequisites for selecting customized home products. Numerous brands focused on the customization segment continue to refine lightweight renovation solutions, launching modular products tailored to different layouts to capitalize on opportunities in the existing home renovation market. China Home Expo continues to track developments in the existing home market, with many brands specializing in modular cabinetry and spatial refresh solutions making prominent appearances at the exhibition, doubling down on the light customization segment to unlock the potential of the existing home renovation market. Residential consumption mindsets are evolving. Young consumers are moving away from one-time whole-house renovations, increasingly favoring small-scale, flexible partial refreshes that prioritize the comfort of individual spaces. Light renovation has emerged as a defining new home consumption trend. The home furnishing industry's growth engine is gradually shifting from new home decoration to existing home renovation. Lightweight partial renovations, modular light customization, and multifunctional furniture constitute three major new growth tracks. Enterprises must continue developing products for niche scenarios to meet the diverse living needs of young consumers. Market opportunities are embedded within the wave of existing home refreshes. As home furnishing enterprises continue to deepen their commitment to the lightweight renovation segment, they leverage the industry exchange platform built by China Home Expo to align with consumption transformation trends and capture market dividends. Source: souhujiaodianjujia

Shanghai Home Expo has captured the latest shift in home aesthetics. Mid-Century Modern—dubbed “old money” style by young Chinese consumers—has rapidly gained traction, riding a wave of vintage warmth to become a sought-after choice in the home decoration market. Mid-century modern interiors, ubiquitous across social media, blend walnut wood, vintage green, brass, rattan, and other elements to create spaces that feel like cinematic sets while exuding a timeless, sophisticated quality.   Mid-Century Modern, known in full as Mid-Century Modern style, originated during the golden age of European and American design from the 1940s to the 1960s. The term “zhonggu” (中古) comes from the Japanese word “chūko,” referring to vintage, time-worn objects. In China, this design approach—balancing retro charm with modern sensibility—is collectively referred to as “zhonggu feng” or Mid-Century Modern style. This style is defined by three core characteristics: it feels vintage without appearing dated, using modern design techniques to recreate a retro atmosphere; it doesn't require expensive antique pieces, as affordable soft furnishings can achieve an understated old-money quality; and it relies on natural materials such as wood, leather, and brass to create an inherently warm, lived-in atmosphere. Color is central to executing Mid-Century Modern style. The overall palette emphasizes low saturation and high texture, avoiding loud, jarring hues. Walnut brown serves as the foundational base color throughout the home, applied to flooring, furniture, and door frames. Vintage emerald and olive green function as signature accent colors for feature walls, sofas, and soft décor. Ginger and mustard yellow provide measured pops of color to energize the space. Cream and beige neutrals balance the deeper tones, softening the overall visual effect. A classic formula pairs a walnut base with vintage green and cream, then adds small touches of ginger yellow for brightness. Furniture forms the structural backbone of Mid-Century Modern interiors. Pieces typically feature rounded, gentle lines without sharp edges. Sofas sit low and wide, with vintage green velvet, caramel leather, and beige fabric among the most popular upholstery choices. Classic reproduction accent chairs such as Eames and Tulip chairs offer exceptional value. Round walnut coffee tables, rattan-door storage cabinets, and upholstered solid wood beds suit living rooms, bedrooms, and dining spaces alike. A layered mix of materials is essential to achieving the distinctive depth of Mid-Century Modern style. Walnut wood anchors the spatial tone, while brass lighting fixtures, hardware, and mirror frames add refined punctuation. Velvet soft furnishings elevate the sense of quiet luxury, rattan introduces natural relaxation, and leather develops a unique patina and character over time. Soft furnishing choices directly determine the room’s atmosphere. Lighting should prioritize arched floor lamps and brass globe table lamps. Decorative art should focus on botanical, geometric, and vintage landscape prints in walnut or brass frames. Large plants such as monstera and fiddle-leaf figs in terracotta pots soften architectural lines. Vintage-textured rugs and arched brass mirrors are key statement pieces that elevate the overall refinement. Spatial arrangement follows a less-is-more principle of intentional negative space without overcrowding. The home should maximize natural light, paired with sheer curtains. A single vintage green accent wall can serve as a focal point, while soft, rounded lines should run consistently through all furniture and soft furnishings. Shanghai Home Expo showcases extensive complete Mid-Century Modern collections, fully demonstrating the logic of material, color, and soft furnishing coordination to help consumers avoid common decorating pitfalls. Several common mistakes should be avoided when creating this style: steer clear of highly saturated, bright colors; don't furnish the entire home with brand-new pieces—mix in a few vintage items; avoid relying solely on solid wood without the layering of brass, velvet, and other materials; don't use cool white lighting throughout—3000K warm light paired with floor and table lamps better matches the desired ambiance; and don't overdo greenery—a few large plants as accents are sufficient. Mid-Century Modern resonates deeply with young consumers because it strikes a balance between warmth and sophistication—neither as austere as minimalism nor as ostentatious as European classical styles. A standard Mid-Century Modern space relies on the interplay of walnut wood, vintage green, brass, velvet, and greenery. As home furnishing brands continue to mine the retro style segment, they leverage the exhibition and exchange platform built by Shanghai Home Expo to continuously introduce complete Mid-Century Modern solutions tailored to ordinary households, bringing the vintage old-money aesthetic into more everyday homes. Source: gouchengsheji

Shanghai Home Expo recognizes that in today's home design landscape, mid-century modern solid wood beds have emerged as a popular choice for creating atmospheric bedrooms. The right solid wood bed not only elevates the sleep experience but also infuses the entire home with a refined, vintage-inspired sophistication. Mastering the art of styling allows you to effortlessly curate a distinctive living space.   Solid wood is the foundational material for mid-century modern bed design. Walnut, teak, and oak dominate the market. The wood's naturally pronounced grain and warm, inviting texture, paired with clean, flowing lines, perfectly align with consumers' preference for natural, vintage-inspired aesthetics. When selecting a solid wood bed, size should be determined by bedroom dimensions. Compact spaces are best served by 1.5-meter or 1.8-meter options to avoid a cramped feel, while larger homes can accommodate 2-meter beds for enhanced comfort. Placement matters too: the headboard should rest against a wall, avoiding direct alignment with doors and windows, with adequate walking space on both sides. Color coordination directly shapes the bedroom's overall atmosphere, generally following three approaches. Deep brown and caramel tones convey understated grandeur, cultivating a rich vintage ambiance. Cream white, light gray, and other neutrals feel fresh and soft, suiting a light mid-century modern aesthetic. When the room's base palette is subdued, deep blue or burgundy bed frames add striking depth and dimension. Detail design defines furniture quality. Headboards can feature rattan weaving, upholstered padding, or subtle carved accents for visual richness. Bed legs should favor clean, understated silhouettes, with materials and styling echoing the headboard. The frame structure must be robust to prevent wobbling or squeaking over years of use. Bedding is essential for setting the mood. Beige and solid caramel bedding complements most solid wood beds, while striped and plaid patterns add layered interest. Natural fabrics such as cotton and linen offer an earthy, tactile quality that resonates deeply with the mid-century modern aesthetic. Lighting and soft furnishings complete the ambiance. Warm yellow lighting should be prioritized throughout, paired with bedside sconces and vintage table lamps. Nightstands can be adorned with ceramic vases, brass objects, and other small decorative pieces to elevate the room's sense of refinement. Numerous brands dedicated to solid wood furniture innovation continue to roll out new collections, presenting a range of mid-century modern solid wood beds tailored to different layouts at Shanghai Home Expo—balancing striking design with practical performance. Creating a high-end mid-century modern bedroom requires no excessive ornamentation. The key lies in achieving harmony among materials, colors, and soft furnishings. Thoughtfully coordinating the solid wood bed, bedding, lighting, and décor cultivates a gentle, comforting vintage-inspired atmosphere. As furniture companies continue to explore demand for character-driven home products, they will leverage the exhibition and exchange platform built by Shanghai Home Expo to consistently introduce solid wood collections that marry visual appeal with exceptional craftsmanship. Source: nankangjiajuyouxuan

China Home Expo has learned that the new U.S. Section 301 tariff policy has taken effect, bringing a major shift to the industry's traditional logic for home furnishings exports. Multiple mainstream overseas expansion pathways have been simultaneously impacted, and export enterprises urgently need to adjust their global business strategies.   On July 24, 2026, the United States officially released the new Section 301 tariff filing rules. The previously implemented global interim tariffs expired, with the new policy seamlessly transitioning into immediate enforcement. Citing supply chain compliance, the U.S. has implemented tiered additional tariffs on multiple economies worldwide. The new rules cover numerous home furnishings and building materials categories, with stringent enforcement standards. This policy disrupts the long-standing practice of home furnishing enterprises relying on transit through Southeast Asia and other regions to circumvent trade barriers. Related goods are subject to stacking with existing tariffs, with the additional taxes further raising comprehensive export costs. For the domestic home furnishings export industry, which is already under pressure, this will have long-term and profound implications. This tariff policy establishes four tiers of levy standards. Economies including mainland China and Vietnam are placed in the first tier, subject to an additional 12.5% tariff. The new policy adopts a stacking levy model, significantly raising the comprehensive tax rates on multiple home furnishing products. The policy is being implemented in two phases, with customs introducing a large number of new HS codes to distinguish various product categories. The U.S. has established a brief in-transit goods exemption window. However, given the lengthy trans-Pacific shipping cycle, most goods are unable to meet the filing deadline, making the actual benefit of the exemption policy quite limited. Export data reveals that many enterprises rushed orders and shipments in advance, front-loading short-term demand, and this type of temporal arbitrage opportunity will no longer exist in the future. The policy designates certain semi-finished wood products as tariff-exempt, while mainstream export categories such as finished furniture, upholstered home furnishings, and home textiles are not on the exemption list. The new rules also close off free trade zone tax avoidance channels, locking in the tariff status of goods, and continuously increasing enterprises' customs declaration compliance costs. The three main export pathways—direct export from China, building factories in Southeast Asia, and establishing overseas industrial parks—now all face new challenges. Enterprises shipping directly from China face further cost increases, with the risk of losing low-value-added OEM orders intensifying. The previous advantage of building factories in Southeast Asia to circumvent tariffs has been significantly weakened, as the regional tax rate differential is insufficient to support large-scale factory relocation. Although overseas industrial parks enjoy slight tax rate advantages, most enterprises only complete assembly processes there, with core components still dependent on domestic supply. This makes it difficult to meet origin value standards, and they must also undergo strict traceability audits. Meanwhile, other countries have successively introduced wood product-related tariff policies, continuously adding pressure to overseas expansion efforts. China Home Expo continues to monitor changes in global trade policies, observing that the era of simply circumventing tariffs by changing production locations has come to an end. The home furnishings industry must embark on deep-seated model transformation. Market risks continue to accumulate. The U.S. may advance new manufacturing-related trade investigations in the second half of the year. Once home furnishing categories are brought within scope, export tax burdens will continue to rise. Complex trade control measures are forcing export enterprises to restructure their global supply chain systems. To respond to external environment changes, enterprises need to take multiple measures. On one hand, they should accelerate the development of overseas local supply chains, increasing the proportion of locally sourced raw materials to meet origin compliance requirements. On the other hand, they should optimize their market structure, reducing dependence on the single North American market and exploring diversified overseas markets. In the long run, the development space for low-price OEM models continues to narrow. Enterprises should increase R&D investment, build their own brands, and rely on product premiums to absorb the cost pressure brought by tariffs. Future industry competition will no longer be limited to production capacity; supply chain management, brand building, and trade compliance capabilities have become core competitive strengths. Home furnishings foreign trade enterprises can only stabilize their development pace in the complex international trade environment by proactively adjusting their layouts and continuously innovating. Numerous foreign trade manufacturers will continue to rely on the global business matchmaking platform built by China Home Expo to discover cooperation opportunities and explore stable, sustainable new models for home furnishings exports.  Source: Furniture Today

Shanghai Home Expo has observed that the collaborative evolution of furniture and building materials has entered deep waters. The redefinition of industry boundaries and value chain restructuring have become one of the most representative development trends in the home furnishings industry in 2026. True category collaboration is not simply about displaying furniture and building materials side by side; rather, it involves fundamentally reshaping industry cooperation models, driving the two categories to break through their inherent boundaries and achieve deep integrated development.   By July 2026, the integration of furniture and building materials has long moved beyond the superficial cooperation model of traditional renovation pairings. The two product categories are no longer independent items coexisting in the same space; instead, they are closely interconnected across multiple dimensions including design planning, on-site delivery, after-sales support, and data interoperability. This transformation is not driven by short-term technological innovation, but is the inevitable result of the home furnishings industry's long-term channel competition, where the industry's focus has returned to the two core pillars of operational efficiency and after-sales accountability. Statistics from leading home furnishing stores clearly reflect the market direction. Data from the first half of 2026 shows that among cross-category orders such as custom cabinetry paired with floor tiles, and doors and windows paired with soft furnishings, 63.7% of consumers actively requested joint acceptance inspections, unified after-sales service, and cross-category warranty mutual recognition—a year-on-year increase of 21.4 percentage points. Correspondingly, among consumer complaints arising from unclear delivery responsibility definitions, cross-category complaints involving both furniture and building materials exceeded 48%, becoming the highest-incident complaint segment in the industry. Multiple forces continue to drive furniture and building materials toward deep collaboration. Design-led planning serves as a critical foundation. AI-powered home design systems, drawing on massive databases of floor plan materials, leverage AIGC technology to verify compatibility between furniture dimensions, building material specifications, and door, window, and wall configurations, avoiding pairing conflicts at the design stage and reducing delivery disputes downstream. The digital upgrade of fulfillment processes provides strong support. Integrated logistics platforms connect furniture and building materials warehousing, transportation, and on-site installation scheduling, coordinating processes such as tile construction, carpentry installation, and soft furnishing delivery, keeping time deviations across all stages within four hours. A unified credit guarantee system has become a market necessity. The scale of advance compensation by major stores continues to expand, as individual merchants find it difficult to bear cross-category after-sales risks. The market urgently needs to rely on physical stores to build full-process fulfillment guarantee mechanisms. Shanghai Home Expo continues to monitor the integration trends in the home furnishing industry chain, observing that the industry is gradually establishing new delivery standards and after-sales systems to drive the deep-rooted implementation of integrated furniture and building materials services. Looking ahead to the second half of 2026 through 2027, the furniture and building materials collaboration model will undergo comprehensive upgrades. Product evaluation criteria are shifting, with the focus of assessment moving from individual item compliance to whole-space system compatibility. For example, flooring must not only meet basic national standards but also achieve millimeter-level flatness requirements demanded by smart home devices. Warranty management models are also being revolutionized, moving away from separate management by product category or merchant to treating the entire space as a single service unit. If a door or window seal defect causes furniture moisture damage, the platform can uniformly trace accountability and coordinate multiple parties to handle after-sales issues. Meanwhile, the industry's digital infrastructure continues to improve. SaaS systems are being adopted by numerous stores and merchants, driving interoperability between building materials BIM models and furniture 3D model parameters to achieve collaborative data construction and sharing. The integrated collaboration of furniture and building materials has evolved from a competitive differentiator to an essential capability for enterprises to establish themselves in the market. As home furnishing companies continue to refine their cross-category service capabilities, they are well-positioned to leverage the industry exchange platform built by Shanghai Home Expo to accelerate the deep integration of furniture and building materials and seize new opportunities in this industrial transformation. Source: sohu

CIFF Shanghai has gained deep insights into the shifting landscape of the home decoration and furnishings industry. The sector has bid farewell to its golden era of high-speed growth and entered a new phase of deep adjustment and comprehensive reshuffling. Numerous leading home furnishing brands have embarked on large-scale strategic transformations, serving as a vivid microcosm of the current industry upheaval.   For a long time, domestic leading home furnishing brands generally relied on heavy-asset flagship store models to rapidly expand their market presence. However, as the market environment evolves, the traditional heavy-asset large-store model has gradually become ill-suited to today's consumption market. Recently, leading home furnishing enterprises have been divesting multiple self-owned properties across China, initiating the largest asset restructuring effort since these brands entered the Chinese market. Combined with earlier moves to close several large-format stores at the beginning of the year while focusing on smaller urban outlets, industry leaders have officially bid farewell to extensive scale expansion and are fully pivoting toward lightweight, refined deep-cultivation operational models. Industry experts analyze that the home furnishings industry's past growth was heavily dependent on the one-time consumption dividend of urbanization and new home decoration. Today, as real estate enters the stock era, market demand has fundamentally shifted. Old home renovation, partial remodeling, and smart home upgrades have become the mainstream consumption trends. Consumers are becoming increasingly rational in their purchasing decisions. Demand for large-scale whole-house renovations is declining, while demand for quality improvements and partial replacements continues to rise, leaving traditional large-format stores facing declining foot traffic and pressure on sales per square meter. Large self-owned stores carry high fixed costs and substantial capital tie-up, making their drawbacks conspicuous in a stock-competition market environment. Industry brands are shifting from suburban megastores to urban boutique stores, with a focus on instant retail and home services. This represents the core transformation path aligned with evolving consumption patterns—shifting from scale expansion to efficiency-driven growth. This adjustment philosophy has also become an important reference direction for numerous home furnishing enterprises undergoing transformation. Beyond individual leading brands, the operating data of multiple listed home furnishing companies in China provides direct evidence of the overall industry under pressure. Many mainstream home furnishing brands have seen revenues decline continuously for several years. Multiple enterprises have experienced simultaneous drops in both revenue and net profit after reaching performance peaks, with overall industry operating pressure continuing to mount. The adjustment trend in the home furnishings industry is continuing into 2026. Data from relevant industry reports shows that from January to May this year, retail sales of furniture, building and decoration materials, and home appliances all recorded year-on-year declines. The entire home furnishing industry chain is in a critical stage of destocking, structural adjustment, and transformation promotion. With its long-standing focus on home furnishing industry development trends, CIFF Shanghai clearly sees that the industry's competitive logic has been completely rewritten—from competing on store scale and expansion speed to competing on operational efficiency, product innovation, and scenario-based service capabilities. Currently, numerous leading domestic home furnishing brands are implementing whole-house furnishing transformations, enhancing customer stickiness and operational efficiency through one-stop home furnishing services. Meanwhile, innovative industry models continue to emerge. Many enterprises are actively building out full-chain services from home purchase to move-in readiness, deploying new smart home scenarios, and deeply cultivating niche segments such as customized scenarios for young demographics, precisely tapping into differentiated consumption demands. The mature transformation experience of overseas home furnishing brands also provides valuable lessons for the domestic industry. High-quality overseas home furnishing brands have stabilized their market share through lightweight urban stores and integrated supply chain models. By upgrading the service attributes of their stores and improving online fulfillment systems, they have significantly enhanced supply chain operational efficiency, offering fresh perspectives for the upgrade of home furnishing retail models. Overall, in the home furnishings industry's era of stock competition, scenario-based refinement, precision operation, and lightweight models will become the core development keywords. Relying on continuous industrial innovation and model upgrades, the future home furnishings industry, supported by the industry exchange, innovation showcase, and resource matchmaking platform built by CIFF Shanghai, will steadily achieve high-quality transformation and upgrading. Source: toutiao

China Home Expo has foreseen the consumption dividend brought by the recovery of the real estate market. As the domestic real estate market in many regions shows signs of moderate recovery, downstream consumption chains such as home furnishings, home appliances, and home decoration are embracing new development opportunities. Numerous emerging home furnishing brands have adjusted their development strategies and are making all-out efforts to expand their offline new retail presence. In recent months, the transaction volume of second-hand homes in key cities across China has continued to climb, effectively stimulating deferred demand for home renovation, furniture replacement, and whole-house furnishing. The rollout of offline new retail layouts has enabled home furnishing brands to break through the limitations of the industry's traditional off-season. Even during the post-618 sales lull, major offline stores continue to deliver impressive performance. A large number of potential customers who previously browsed and hesitated online have been converted into direct purchases after experiencing product texture, functionality, and comfort in-store. This has also driven cross-selling of multiple complementary products, effectively boosting overall store sales and average order value. With its long-standing deep engagement in the home furnishings industry, China Home Expo has clearly captured this emerging trend of consumers shifting from online to offline, and has witnessed how emerging home furnishing brands have achieved breakthrough sales performance through physical experiential retail. The steady recovery of the real estate market is the core foundation driving the rebound of the home furnishings consumption market. According to data from the China Index Academy, in the first half of this year, cumulative transactions of second-hand residential properties in 20 key cities reached 761,000 units, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.6%. First-tier cities have performed particularly well, with both Shanghai and Beijing seeing steady year-on-year growth in second-hand home transaction volume, injecting ample incremental consumption into the downstream home furnishings market. In response to the continuously released consumption demand, companies across the home furnishings industry chain have accelerated their business model upgrades, moving away from single-channel online sales to focus on scenario-based stores and an integrated online-offline new retail model. Many home furnishing brands that previously focused exclusively on online channels have opened physical showrooms to compensate for the shortcomings of online-only consumption. For large home furnishings such as smart beds and mattresses, online images and videos alone cannot give consumers a genuine sense of product quality and core functionality. Moreover, the return and exchange process for bulky items is cumbersome and costly, leading consumers to generally adopt a "try before you buy" approach. The establishment of offline showrooms has significantly improved brands' conversion rates, average order values, and cross-selling rates. Compared to the limitations of single-item online shopping, offline stores offer distinct core advantages. Customers can bring their floor plans to the store and, with the professional guidance of designers, finalize whole-home furnishing layout plans tailored to their living needs, completing entire home furnishing decisions in just a few hours. This dramatically shortens the consumer decision-making cycle. The evolution of the consumer demographic is also driving innovation in the home furnishings industry's business models. According to relevant research data, people aged 21 to 41 have become the dominant force in home furnishings consumption, accounting for as much as 56% of the market, with post-90s and post-00s young consumers leading the way. This demographic favors personalized, scenario-based consumption and has formed a new consumption path of "online discovery, offline experience, and integrated decision-making." The creation of new retail home furnishing venues precisely aligns with the core needs of young consumers, filling the experiential gap left by pure online shopping. At the same time, policy support is also safeguarding the transformation of home furnishings retail. Multiple government departments have jointly issued relevant guidance, explicitly supporting the development of immersive retail scenarios and promoting the upgrade of offline retail toward experiential, diversified, and social formats. Industry experts analyze that China's retail sector has entered a critical period of structural transformation. Competition is no longer limited to product pricing; scenario-based experience and service quality have become core competitive factors. As an experiential consumption sector, the home furnishings industry is seeing the value of offline new retail become increasingly prominent. The two-way integration of online and offline channels has become the prevailing trend in the home furnishings industry's development. Major home furnishing stores and brands continue to deepen their commitment to experiential new retail, constantly activating the young consumer market and optimizing the industry's consumption ecosystem. Through continuous model innovation and scenario upgrades, the home furnishings industry will leverage the industry exchange and exhibition platform built by China Home Expo to continuously unlock new consumption potential and embark on a new journey of quality home furnishings consumption.  Source: toutiao