New exclusive Consumer Insights Now research shows high-income consumers continue to drive home furnishings purchasing…
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High-Income Earners Still Spending on the Home
New exclusive Consumer Insights Now research shows high-income consumers continue to drive home furnishings purchasing — and gives insights into their plans to buy lamps and fixtures.
By Julie A. Palm
High-income consumers plan to continue spending on home furnishings in 2026, cementing a pattern of strength in the high-end of the market, according to new exclusive Consumer Insights Now research.
According to the survey results, households making $150,000 or more annually plan to purchase three home furnishings products in 2026 and plan to spend $5,000 in total. That’s 1.7 times more than households earning $150,000 or less.
And while 39% of these consumers rate the overall economy as “fair” and only 26% say it’s “good,” they are bullish about their own lives, with 77% deeming their own financial situation “excellent” or “good.” Only 2% say their finances are “terrible” or “poor.”
These results are in line with other reports that high earners are helping to drive what has become a K-shaped economy, with high-income consumers spending more freely while lower- and middle-income consumers are struggling.
CIN research is conducted twice a year on behalf of Lighting News Now and its sister publications Home News Now, Casual News Now, Design News Now and Bedding News Now. This spring’s edition, sponsored by Bread Financial, focuses on high-income consumers: their plans for purchasing home furnishings, shopping preferences, feelings about interior designers and the style of their homes, and more. The survey also asked about lighting. More on that in a moment.
Quality and brands matter
But first, there are a few other general findings to note.
Nine out of 10 high-income consumers say they are willing to pay more for quality, and more than six in 10 seek brand names when shopping for furniture and accessories, according to the CIN results.
These shoppers see brand names as a stand-in for quality, trust and dependability. Interestingly, those earning from $175,000 to $199,000 place the most importance on brands (75%). That’s compared with 58% of those earning $250,000 or more.
Thoughts on lighting
A little more than one-quarter of high earners plan to buy lamps this year, behind sofas/sectionals, area rugs and a mattress for the primary bedroom.
When it comes to purchasing lamps, these consumers are more interested in the feeling new lighting will give them rather than functional needs.
Three-quarters of high-income consumers say they prioritize lamps that will help them create a “cozy and comfortable” environment, while one-quarter of these lamp shoppers are seeking task lighting to help them work, read or do other activities.
According to the research, high earners in the market for lamps are seeking:
75% Floor lamps
67% Table lamps
40% Desk lamps
14% Task lamps
Fewer high-income consumers – just 12% – are in the market for fixtures, perhaps representing a marketing opportunity for retailers that want to drive up that number.
When it comes to fixtures, these shoppers plan to buy:
67% Flush/semi-flush-mount ceiling fixtures
43% Chandeliers
39% Pendants
31% Sconces
22% Other wall-mounted fixtures
High earners don’t seem to be content living with unsatisfactory lighting. Seven out of 10 say they have updated the lighting fixtures since purchasing their homes.
About the research
This spring’s CIN research surveyed 825 U.S. consumers with annual household incomes of $150,000 a year who have purchased – or plan to purchase – home furnishings in 2026. The survey was fielded in February. Veteran consumer researcher Dana French conducts the CIN survey