A vertically adjustable item of furniture with a vertical pipe, a supporting base arranged at a first end of the vertical pipe, a guide bush fastened to a second end of the vertical pipe opposite to the supporting base, a cylinder which is arranged coaxially in the vertical pipe a piston which divides the cylinder into a first work chamber and a second work chamber, a piston rod fastened by its first end to the piston extends through the second work chamber and a connection between the first work chamber and the second work chamber which can be blocked by a valve actuatable by an actuating device. The valve is controllable electromagnetically. The furniture item comprises a sensor or switch which generates a signal causing the valve to close when the piston reaches a position in the cylinder near the valve.