Computer furniture's second generation still faces uncertain market: 1985.

Computer furniture--a betting man probably would lay odds that this new segment will become one of the hottest areas of furniture manufacturing. If you believe the soothsayers who predict that 80 percent of all American households will own a computer by 1990, then you have a just reason to believe that a good share of these domiciles will buy furniture specially made to house their terminals, keyboards, disk drives, printers, etc.

But the computer industry is not without pitfalls. Foremost in the minds of those who are skeptical about this market is the current shake-out in the personal computer industry. Manufacturers who have entered this field have discovered that to be successful, one must adhere to a whole new set of rules and be prepared (at least initially) to absorb losses.

Problems such as determining the correct size of the units that will house the terminal and finding dealers who are enthusiastic about computer furniture were discussed by several computer furniture manufacturers and retailers at the Computer Furniture Show held March 24 and 25 at the San Mateo expo center. The Computer Furniture Show attracted approximately 1,500 buyers and approximately 100 exhibitors.

According to Ken Forville, head of Thomasville's computer furniture line, sales of computer furniture are expected to total $2.4 billion in 1985 and $7 billion by 1988. He said 91 percent of computer furniture customers are male and that the average home computer user has invested $7,500 in his computer system.