Document And Entity Information Note To Financial Statement Details Textual Significant Accounting Policies Note 4 - Accounts Receivable Note 5 - Inventories Note 6 - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Note 8 - Post Employment Benefit Obligations Note 11 - Leases Note 12 - Earnings (Loss) Per Share Long-term liabilities Note 13 - Segment Information Note 15 - Changes to Stockholders' Equity Note 4 - Accounts Receivable - Accounts Receivable (Details) Note 4 - Accounts Receivable - Activity in Allowance for Doubtful Accounts (Details) Note 5 - Inventories - Inventories (Details) bset_InterestRateOfCertificatesOfDeposit Interest Rate of Certificates of Deposit Represents the interest rate for certificates of deposit. Note 5 - Inventories - Activity in Reserves for Excess Quantities and Obsolete Inventory by Segment (Details) us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent Total current liabilities Note 6 - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Details) Note 6 - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill by Reportable Segment (Details) Note 6 - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Amortization Expense With Intangible Assets (Details) Note 6 - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Estimated Future Amortization Expense for Intangible Assets (Details) Note 8 - Post Employment Benefit Obligations - Pension Liability (Details) Note 8 - Post Employment Benefit Obligations - Components of Net Periodic Pension Cost (Details) Note 8 - Post Employment Benefit Obligations - Deferred Compensation Liability (Details) Note 8 - Post Employment Benefit Obligations - Recognized Deferred Compensation Expense (Details) Note 11 - Leases - Supplemental Balance Sheet Information (Details) Note 11 - Leases - Lease Cost (Details) Note 11 - Leases - Supplemental Lease Disclosures (Details) Note 11 - Leases - Lease Maturities (Details) Note 11 - Leases - Minimum Future Rental Income (Details) Note 12 - Earnings (Loss) Per Share - Reconciliation of Basic and Diluted Loss Per Share (Details) Note 12 - Earnings (Loss) Per Share - Antidilutive Securities (Details) Amortization of pension costs, net of tax Note 13 - Segment Information - Segment Information by Segment (Details) Note 13 - Segment Information - Wholesale Shipments by Type (Details) Note 15 - Changes to Stockholders' Equity - Changes Occurred in Stockholders' Equity (Details) Notes To Financial Statements Notes To Financial Statements [Abstract] Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block] us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInvestments Purchases of investments Proceeds from maturities of investments Other Gains and Losses [Text Block] The entire disclosure for other gains and losses. Retirement Plan Name [Axis] us-gaap_GoodwillGross Goodwill Retirement Plan Name [Domain] Goodwill, accumulated impairment loss us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityCurrent Customer deposits Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Text Block] Schedule of Goodwill [Table Text Block] bset_LeaseGuaranteesTerm Lease Guarantees Term (Year) The term for the lease guarantees. Accrued compensation and benefits Lease Obligations of Licensee Operators [Member] The nature of a loss contingency and in this case it is lease obligations of a licensee operators. Pension Plan [Member] Accounts payable Loans, Notes, Trade and Other Receivables Disclosure [Text Block] Retirement Plan Type [Axis] Retirement Plan Type [Domain] Proceeds from sales of property and equipment Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan [Member] Other current liabilites and accrued expenses us-gaap_PolicyTextBlockAbstract Accounting Policies us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment Purchases of property and equipment Current liabilities Identifiable Assets us-gaap_Assets Total assets us-gaap_OperatingLeaseImpairmentLoss Operating Lease, Impairment Loss Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member] us-gaap_SubleaseIncome Sublease income Basic earnings per share, net income Customer Relationships [Member] us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted Diluted earnings per share, net income Legal Matters and Contingencies [Text Block] Options and restricted shares, net income us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxAssetsNet Deferred income taxes Finite-Lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Axis] Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Major Class Name [Domain] us-gaap_LossContingencyEstimateOfPossibleLoss Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss Net income (loss) for the period us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss Net income (loss) Net income (loss) us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization Intangibles subject to amortization, Accumulated Amortization us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet Total Intangibles subject to amortization, Intangible Assets, Net us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross Intangibles subject to amortization, Gross Carrying Amount Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option [Member] Loss Contingency, Nature [Domain] Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Table Text Block] Antidilutive Securities [Axis] Antidilutive Securities, Name [Domain] us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedTradeNames Trade names Loss Contingency Nature [Axis] Property and equipment, net us-gaap_Goodwill Balance Balance Recognized Deferred Compensation Expense [Table Text Block] Tabular Disclosure of Deferred Compensation Expense recognized during the period. Paid in Capital [Member] The capital paid in by investors during common and preferred stock issuances including the par value of the shares themselves. Investing activities: Schedule of Pension Liability [Table Text Block] Tabular disclosure of pension liability. Earnings Per Share [Text Block] Accounts payable and other liabilities Intersegment Eliminations [Member] Income tax expense (benefit) Cash and cash equivalents New store pre-opening costs Income taxes related to LTCA Litigation expense Legal Fees Litigation expense Amendment Flag us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax Total comprehensive income (loss) City Area Code New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block] us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfPropertyPlantEquipment (Gain) loss on sale of property and equipment Customer deposits us-gaap_SharesOutstanding Balance, shares (in shares) Balance, shares (in shares) Current Fiscal Year End Date us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1 Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate us-gaap_LeaseCost Total lease cost Weighted average discount rates, operating Document Fiscal Period Focus Operating lease cost Document Fiscal Year Focus Short-term lease cost Lease, Cost [Table Text Block] Lease liabilities arising from new right-of-use assets, financing Document Period End Date Lease liabilities arising from new right-of-use assets, operating Weighted average remaining lease terms (years), operating (Year) Entity File Number Entity Emerging Growth Company Document Type us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges Asset Impairment Charges, Total Entity Small Business Entity Shell Company us-gaap_DividendsCommonStockCash Cash dividends declared Document Information [Line Items] Document Information [Table] Entity Filer Category Entity Current Reporting Status London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Variable Rate [Domain] us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceived Total minimum future rental income Goodwill impairment charge Goodwill, Impairment Loss Goodwill impairment Variable Rate [Axis] us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedFiveYears Fiscal 2025 us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedThereafter Thereafter us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable Accounts receivable Stock based compensation us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedRemainderOfFiscalYear Remainder of fiscal 2020 Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract] Entity Tax Identification Number Entity Central Index Key us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedNextTwelveMonths Fiscal 2021 Entity Registrant Name us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedTwoYears Fiscal 2022 us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedThreeYears Fiscal 2023 us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedFourYears Fiscal 2024 Entity [Domain] Legal Entity [Axis] Lessor, Operating Lease, Payment to be Received, Fiscal Year Maturity [Table Text Block] Entity Address, Address Line One us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets Intangible asset amortization expense Entity Address, City or Town Entity Address, Postal Zip Code Entity Address, State or Province Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue Purchase and retirement of common stock us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares Purchase and retirement of common stock, shares (in shares) us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherCurrentAssets Other current assets Investments [Domain] Amortization of prior service costs us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories Inventories us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAmortizationOfGainsLosses Amortization of loss Trading Symbol us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanNetPeriodicBenefitCost Net periodic pension cost us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanServiceCost Service cost us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanInterestCost Interest cost Investment Type [Axis] Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block] Local Phone Number us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity us-gaap_TableTextBlock Notes Tables us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity bset_CertificatesOfDepositOriginalTermsWeightedAverage Certificates of Deposit, Original Terms, Weighted Average (Month) Represents weighted average term for certifications of deposit. us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityUnusedCapacityCommitmentFeePercentage Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesShareBasedCompensationForfeited Forfeited shares (in shares) Impact of the COVID -19 Pandemic Upon Financial Condition and Results of Operations, Policy [Policy Text Block] Disclosure of accounting policy for impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon financial condition and results of operations. Asset impairment charges Asset impairment charges Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets and intangible assets. Does not include goodwill. Additions charged to expense us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensationForfeited Forfeited shares Line of Credit Facility, Lender [Domain] Issuance of common stock, shares (in shares) Lender Name [Axis] us-gaap_LiabilitiesAndStockholdersEquity Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity Early retirement program Early Retirement Program Expense Early retirement program Charges related to the early retirement package offered to certain eligible employees. Issuance of common stock bset_GainLossFromCompanyOwnedLifeInsurance Gain (Loss) from Company Owned Life Insurance Amount of gain (loss) from company owned life insurance. Retained earnings Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit), Ending Balance bset_RentAbatement Rent Abatement Represents the amount of rent abatement during the period. Accumulated other comprehensive loss Debt Disclosure [Text Block] Changes in operating assets and liabilities: us-gaap_DisclosureTextBlockAbstract Notes to Financial Statements Closed Custom Upholstery Manufacturing Facility in Grand Prairie, Texas [Member] Information related to the closed custom upholstery manufacturing facility in Grand Prairie, Texas. Underperforming Retail Stores [Member] Information related to the underperforming retail stores. us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncomeExpense Other, net Inventory Disclosure [Text Block] Long-term portion of operating lease obligations Lease liabilties, long-term Schedule of Inventory, Current [Table Text Block] Total operating lease obligations Goodwill and other intangible assets Total goodwill and other intangible assets Current portion operating lease obligations Lease liabilties, short-term Lease liabilties, short-term (2) Lease liabilties, long-term (3) Right of use assets under operating leases Right of use assets Unvested Shares [Member] Shares of stock that have not yet vested. Schedule of Deferred Compensation Liability [Table Text Block] The tabular disclosure of the deferred compensation liability. us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDue Total lease payments, operating lease us-gaap_FinanceLeasePrincipalPayments Repayments of finance lease obligations Less: interest, operating lease Total finance lease obligations us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit Deferred income taxes us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseAfterYearFive Thereafter Fiscal 2023, operating lease us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseRemainderOfFiscalYear Remainder of fiscal 2020 Fiscal 2024, operating lease Right of use assets (1) Fiscal 2025, operating lease us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense Deferred compensation expense Thereafter, operating lease us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearTwo Fiscal 2022 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearThree Fiscal 2023 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearFour Fiscal 2024 Fiscal 2021, operating lease Furniture and Accessories [Member] Information pertaining to furniture and accessories. us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearFive Fiscal 2025 Fiscal 2022, operating lease Cumulative effect of a change in accounting principal Represents impact of adoption of accounting standards update during the period. Liability for all deferred compensation arrangements us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualRecordedLiability Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Recorded Liability Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Future Amortization Expense [Table Text Block] bset_ContractWithCustomerTimingOfPayment Contract with Customer, Timing of Payment (Year) Period of time between transfer of our goods or services and the collection of consideration from the customer . us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseNextTwelveMonths Fiscal 2021 Bassett Leather [Member] Products and services, Bassett leather. Sales, revenue, percent bset_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerPercentage Percentage of revenues from customer. Accessories [Member] Products and services, accessories. Bassett Casegoods [Member] Products and services, Bassett Casegoods. Other us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent Bassett Custom Wood [Member] Products and services, Bassett Custom Wood. Remainder of fiscal 2020, operating lease bset_CertificatesOfDepositRemainingTimeToMaturity Certificates of Deposit, Remaining Time to Maturity (Month) Represents the remaining time to maturity for certificates of deposit. Other Postretirement Benefits, Individual Contracts, Type of Deferred Compensation [Axis] Other Postretirement Benefits, Individual Contracts, Type of Deferred Compensation [Domain] bset_EarlyRetirementProgramBenefitsPaymentPeriod Early Retirement Program, Benefits Payment Period (Year) Period from the final day of each individual’s active employment during which benefits are paid. us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseTermOfContract Lessee, Operating Lease, Term of Contract (Year) us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseRenewalTerm Lessee, Operating Lease, Renewal Term (Year) Depreciation and amortization Depreciation and amortization us-gaap_AssetsCurrent Total current assets Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block] Post Employment Benefit Obligations [Member] Represents specific location on Balance sheet. Accrued Compensation and Benefits [Member] Represents specific location on Balance sheet. Recoverable income taxes us-gaap_AssetsNoncurrentOtherThanNoncurrentInvestmentsAndPropertyPlantAndEquipment Total long-term assets Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: Certificates of Deposit [Member] Common stock bset_PastDueRentsSubjectToNegotiationWithLessors Past Due Rents Subject to Negotiation with Lessors The amount of past due rents subject to negotiation with lessors. Statistical Measurement [Domain] Cash paid for amounts included in the measurements of lease liabilities, operating Maximum [Member] Minimum [Member] Weighted Average [Member] Product and Service [Axis] Other current assets Product and Service [Domain] Statistical Measurement [Axis] Cash paid for amounts included in the measurements of lease liabilities, financing us-gaap_InventoryLIFOReserve LIFO adjustment Inventories Total Inventories Bank Two [Member] Refers to information regarding the second of two banks that the entity usually uses for financing. Bank One [Member] Refers to information regarding the first of two banks that the entity usually uses for financing. us-gaap_InventoryWorkInProcess Work in process us-gaap_InventoryRawMaterialsAndSupplies Raw materials and supplies us-gaap_InventoryValuationReserves Reserve for excess and obsolete inventory Balance Balance us-gaap_InventoryFinishedGoods Wholesale finished goods Selling, general and administrative expenses excluding new store pre-opening costs SGA Expenses Excluding New Store Pre-opening Costs The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. This excludes new store pre-opening costs. us-gaap_InventoryGross Total inventories on first-in, first-out method Capital expenditures bset_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipmentCashAndNonCash Represents the amount paid, both cash and non-cash, for the acquisition of long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Operating activities: Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block] Statement [Line Items] us-gaap_AccountsReceivableGrossCurrent Gross accounts receivable us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent Allowance for doubtful accounts Balance at November 30, 2019 Balance at August 29, 2020 Accounts receivable, net Accounts receivable, net us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments Number of Reportable Segments Sales revenue: Wholesale Revenue by Major Product Category [Table Text Block] Tabular disclosure of wholesale revenue by major product category. Short-term investments Short-term Investments, Total Additional paid-in capital AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member] Stockholders’ equity Other income (loss), net Long-Lived Tangible Asset [Axis] Long-Lived Tangible Asset [Domain] Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block] Current assets Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block] us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsIncludingDisposalGroupAndDiscontinuedOperations Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period Cash and cash equivalents - end of period us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect Change in cash and cash equivalents us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities Net cash used in financing activities Income (loss) from Operations us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss Income (loss) from operations Postemployment Benefits Disclosure [Text Block] us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities Net cash used in investing activities us-gaap_OtherPostretirementDefinedBenefitPlanLiabilitiesCurrentAndNoncurrent Liability, Other Postretirement Defined Benefit Plan Cost of furniture and accessories sold us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilitiesNet Deferred Income Tax Liabilities, Net, Total Consolidation Items [Domain] Inventory valuation charges Additions charged to expense us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerLiability Contract with Customer, Liability, Total us-gaap_LitigationReserve Estimated Litigation Liability Consolidation Items [Axis] Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 [Member] us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitsPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent Liability, Other Retirement Benefits Combined pension liability us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementAndPostemploymentBenefitPlansLiabilitiesCurrentAndNoncurrent Logistical Services [Member] Information pertaining to the logistical services. Accounting Standards Update [Domain] us-gaap_PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount Accounting Standards Update [Axis] us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends Cash dividends bset_GainLossOnLeaseModification Gain on lease modification Amount of gain (loss) on lease modification. Condensed Financial Statements [Text Block] Obligations under operating leases The increase (decrease) during the reporting period in obligations under operating lease. bset_IncreaseDecreaseInRightOfUseAssetsUnderOperatingLease Right of use assets under operating leases The increase (decrease) during the reporting period in right of use assets under operating lease. us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock Repurchases of common stock bset_LeaseRightofuseAssetNet Lease, Right-of-Use Asset, Net Amount of lessee's right to use underlying asset under operating and finance lease. Real Estate Lease [Member] Information pertaining to the real estate lease. Lessee, Operating and Finance Leases [Text Block] The entire disclosure for operating and finance leases of lessee. Lessee, Supplemental Balance Sheet Information [Table Text Block] Tabular disclosure of lessee's supplemental balance sheet information. Retained Earnings [Member] bset_LeaseLiabilityNet Lease, Liability, Net Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from operating and finance lease. Proceeds from the exercise of stock options Sales revenue Sales revenues Sales revenues Other issuance of common stock Common Stock [Member] Equity Components [Axis] Equity Component [Domain] Lessee, Operating and Finance Lease, Liability, Maturity [Table Text Block] Tabular disclosure of undiscounted cash flows of lessee's operating and finance lease liability. Other Current Liabilities [Member] us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest Income (loss) before income taxes Deferred Compensation, Management Savings Plan [Member] Represents information about the Management Savings Plan. Revenue from Contract with Customer [Text Block] Pension Plans Defined Benefit and Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan [Member] Represents information about Pension Plans Defined Benefit and Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan. Balance Sheet Location [Axis] Balance Sheet Location [Domain] Document Quarterly Report Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code Accounting Policies [Abstract] Supplemental Lease Disclosures [Table Text Block] Tabular disclosure of supplemental lease disclosures. Deferred Compensation Plans [Member] Represents information about deferred compensation plans. Variable lease cost (net of abatements received) Amount of variable lease cost, net of abatement received. Document Transition Report Management Savings Plan [member] Represents the Bassett Furniture Industries, Incorporated Management Savings Plan, an unfunded, nonqualified deferred compensation plan maintained for the benefit of certain highly compensated or management level employees. Entity Interactive Data Current Dividends per share (in dollars per share) Security Exchange Name Title of 12(b) Security us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableWriteOffs Write-offs against allowance Segments [Axis] Segments [Domain] Options and restricted shares, weighted average shares (in shares) us-gaap_RepaymentsOfNotesPayable Repayments of notes payable Antidilutive securities (in shares) us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding Diluted earnings per share, weighted average shares (in shares) Statement [Table] Diluted earnings (loss) per share (in dollars per share) Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] Basic earnings per share, weighted average shares (in shares) us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Percent, Total Business Acquisition [Axis] Basic earnings (loss) per share (in dollars per share) Business Acquisition, Acquiree [Domain] Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] Lease Contractual Term [Domain] Lease Contractual Term [Axis] Income Statement [Abstract] us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent Other comprehensive income, net of tax Schedule Of Accounts Receivable [Table Text Block] The tabular disclosure of the accounts receivable. bset_InventoryRetailMerchandise Retail merchandise The amount of inventory pertaining to retail merchandise. Activity In Reserves For Excess Quantities And Obsolete Inventory By Segment [Table Text Block] The tabular disclosure of the activity in reserves for the excess quantities and obsolete inventory categorized by segment. Wholesale Segment [Member] The name of the segment, in this case it is the wholesale segment. Retail Segment [Member] The name of the segment, in this case it is the retail segment. Financing Receivable, Current, Allowance for Credit Loss [Table Text Block] bset_InventoryWriteoffs Write-offs Charges to the reserve to reflect the disposal of inventory previously reserved. Interest on lease liabilities Description of New Accounting Pronouncements Not yet Adopted [Text Block] bset_DefinedBenefitPlanFixedFutureBenefitAward Defined Benefit Plan, Fixed Future Benefit Award The fixed future benefit awarded to participants of the unfunded defined benefit plan. us-gaap_FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDue Total lease payments, finance lease bset_DefinedBenefitPlanFixedFutureBenefitAwardIndividualParticipants Defined Benefit Plan, Fixed Future Benefit Award, Individual Participants The fixed future benefit awarded to each individual participant of the unfunded defined benefit plan. Amortization of right-of-use assets Fiscal 2025, finance lease Thereafter, finance lease Less: interest, finance lease Fiscal 2021, finance lease Fiscal 2022, finance lease Fiscal 2023, finance lease Fiscal 2024, finance lease Schedule of Intangible Assets and Goodwill [Table Text Block] Finite-lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense [Table Text Block] Zenith Freight Lines [Member] The name of the affiliate involved in the investment. Weighted average discount rates, financing Remainder of fiscal 2020, finance lease us-gaap_LiabilitiesNoncurrent Total long-term liabilities Weighted average remaining lease terms (years), financing (Year) us-gaap_PaymentsForProceedsFromOtherInvestingActivities Other Financing activities: us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent Other long-term liabilities Long Term Cash Awards (LTCA) Post employment benefit obligations Other comprehensive income: us-gaap_StockholdersEquity Total stockholders' equity Balance Balance Unfunded Deferred Compensation Plan [Member] The description of a deferred compensation plan. Class of Stock [Axis] Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Table Text Block] Schedule of Stockholders Equity [Table Text Block] Operating Segments [Member] Upholstery [Member] The type of product or service that is provided.