US President Donald Trump has delayed steeper US tariffs on some imported furniture items for a year, ordering the postponement shortly before they were due to take effect on Thursday.

The higher rates would have impacted imports from countries like China and Vietnam, which have been key suppliers of imported furniture to the United States.

The increase had been planned under an earlier tranche of sector-specific tariffs imposed by Trump, part of a slate of duties he has rolled out since returning to the White House.

But with US households feeling the pinch from elevated costs of living, Trump late on Wednesday pushed the planned tariffs – 30 percent on certain upholstered furniture and 50 percent on kitchen cabinets and vanities – to January 1, 2027.

"Given the ongoing productive negotiations regarding the imports of wood products, the President is delaying the tariff increase to allow for further negotiations to occur with other countries," the White House said in a statement announcing the move.

Trump's tariffs in 2025 affected goods ranging from steel to autos, and more investigations – that could lead to new levies – are underway.

In October, a 10 percent duty on imported softwood timber and lumber came into effect, along with a 25-percent duty on certain upholstered furniture and kitchen cabinets.

These tariffs were justified by the Trump administration as a means to boost US industries and protect national security.

The Supreme Court is due to rule on the legality of countrywide tariffs, imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. (AFP)