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A
Armoire: Another name for a
tall, wide wardrobe usually having two large doors behind which clothes can be hung or
stored. Armoires originated in France where they were used for the storage of armor.
Arrow Foot: A cylindrical foot which is tapered and
separated from the leg by a turned ring.
Attached Back Pillow: A
pillow treatment which cannot be removed from the upholstered piece.
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B
Bachelors Chest: A low chest
of drawers, traditionally with a slide that pulls out for writing.
Ball Foot: The rounded end
of a turned leg which has a hooded effect.
Barrel Back: A chair or sofa
with the arms and back forming a continuous curve.
Bedroom
Furniture: Furniture
sets that are placed in your
bedroom such as bed, dresser,
chest of
drawers, and nightstand.
Some
bedroom collections even come with an armoire, chiffonier, or
storage chest. Depending
on your preference, you may choose contemporary, traditional or
transitional styled bedrooms.
Blanket Chest: A low
box-like check designed for storing blankets often having a hinged top and a drawer near
the base.
Bow Back: A chair back
formed by a bent piece of wood fitted with vertical spindles (as in a Windsor chair). The
bow or hoop is continuous down to the arms or the seat.
Brass: An alloy of copper
composed of copper and zinc. Brass is stronger than copper and has a more yellow color. It
is often made into headboards, footboards, frames, lamps, table top accessories and
occasional tables. Brass will tarnish when exposed to the air if not coated with a clear
protective coating.
Brass Plate: Brass plated
furniture usually has steel frames electroplated with a thin layer of brass or nickel and
brass. The plated surfaces should be smooth, free from water marks and covered by a
protective coating.
Brewster Chair: An American
colonial wooden chair with heavy turned posts, many turned spindles and a wood seat.
Provincial Jackobean style influences.
Broken Pediment: The space or structure
above the cornice in which the side lines or scrolls do not meet in the center or come to
a point. Often used on secretaries, clocks or chinas.
Buffet: A small cupboard or
sideboard used to store dining implements.
Bun Foot: A flattened ball
foot.
Bunk Bed: Two beds that are
joined together so that one is placed above the other.
Bunk
beds
are often used in kids rooms and
dormitories.
Federal safety standards exist for
bunk bed ladders and rails which protect children from falling injuries.
Bureau: A chest of drawers
used in the bedroom. See dresser.
Butler's Table: An oval
wooden tray on legs whose four sides are hinged to fold out flat when set down.
Butterfly Table: A small
drop-leaf table whose leaves are supported by a swinging support which resembles a
butterfly wing on a rudder.
Button Tufted: Fabric
covered buttons are sewn through the upholstery surface and tied down. The placement of
buttons and the resulting folds produce geometric patterns.
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C
Cabriole: A furniture leg
that curves outward from the structure which it supports and then descends in a tapering
reverse curve terminating in an ornamental foot. Often used in Queen Anne and Chippendale
dining chairs.
Camel Back: Double curved
back, shield shaped; characteristic Hepplewhite style.
Canopy
Bed:
Canopy beds
are beds decorated with
a
canopy.
Sometimes they use four posts that are connected at the top with
rails that fabric can be hung from. Other times, a hoop is hung
from the ceiling over the bed and the fabric drapes down from
the hoop. Originally, they were developed to provide protection
from insects but now are more commonly used in a decorative
fashion.
Case Piece: Furniture that
provides interior space for storage.
Casting: The art of forming
metal objects by pouring the molten metal into a mold and allowing in to harden. After
hardening, the castings are finished by hand.
Center Glide: A center track
that a drawer glides on.
Chaise Lounge: A type of
sofa or daybed designed for reclining and resembling an elongated chair.
Chest On Chest: Primarily
English and American 18th and 19th Century pieces composed of two stacked chests of
drawers. The upper chest usually being smaller than the lower.
China Cabinet: A cabinet
which is used for the display and storage of fine china. It is often massive with front
and side glass panels.
Chinoiserie: Painted or
lacquered Chinese designs.
Chip Core: A board made of
chips of wood which are held together with resin and compressed into a strong, warp
resistant panel.
Claw and Ball Foot: The
terminal portion of a furniture leg (often cabriole) consisting of a carved animal or bird
claw clutching a sphere.
Club Foot: A rounded foot
that resembles a club resting on a flat base.
Coil Springs: Wire coils
used in quality upholstery to give a desired resiliency and firmness to the seat and back.
These are often "tied" or incorporated in a "marshall unit."
Comb Back: A Windsor chair
having an extension of the back above the arm rail that consists of five or more spindles
and a curved top rail that resembles a comb.
Commode: A low chest of
drawers and/or doors or a cabinet on legs which usually stands against a wall.
Component: An electrical
device such as a cassette deck, compact disk player, graphic equalizer or amplifier. Each
is purchased separately and then connected together to make a complete system.
Console: A table that is
fixed to a wall and supported by one or more carved legs. Also any table meant to be
placed against a wall.
Corner Blocks: Blocks of
wood that are placed at major joints in a furniture frame. Usually glued and screwed into
place. Triangular blocks which strengthen important frame joints.
Corner Cupboard: A
triangular shaped dining room china cabinet made to fit into a corner.
Couch (Lounge): A sofa that
has a half-back and only a head end.
Credenza: A sideboard of
buffet.
Cupboard: A cabinet, box or
closet with shelves designed to hold cups, dishes or food.
Curio: A case piece which
has glass doors, panels and shelves, which is used to display collectibles. Derived from
"curiosity" cabinet.
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D
Daybed: A sofa with head and
foot and/or back pieces, having a twin sized mattress which doubles as a sitting and
sleeping surface. Daybeds often have decorative removable covers and matching pillows or
bolsters which act as back rests.
Dentil Molding: Ornamental
cornice molding consisting of rectangular blocks spaced at regular intervals resembling
teeth.
Diamond Tufting: An
arrangement of tufting buttons to yield a diamond shaped pattern on the back of an
upholstered piece.
Dining
Table: A
dining table is a table
at which meals are served.
Dining tables have
evolved into many different styles and shapes. The most common
shapes are square or rectangular and round or oval. Some dining
tables have the versatility of additional leaves that can be
added or removed from the table to provide for extra space when
needed. Dining tables are often accompanied by matching chairs,
buffets, hutches, china cabinets, or a sideboard server.
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E
Easy Chair: Any large chair
which is suitable for lounging.
Entertainment Center:
An
entertainment center is
a
shelving unit to place
a
TV and stereo
equipment on. The larger TV’s have become,
the larger entertainment units have grown.
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F
Fiddleback: Chair back whose
splat looks like a violin.
Finger Joint: A joint made
with interlocking finger-like projections in two boards.
Finials: The curved cast,
turned or stamped decorative piece that adorns the top of bed posts.
Four Poster: Any bed with
four high posts positioned at each corner. Originally, the posts were designed to support
elaborate fabric curtains and upholstered treatments which totally enclosed the bed.
Frame: The bed frame
supports the mattress and attaches to the headboard and footboard. They often have self
locking devices at each corner and are connected to threaded reinforcements inside the
bedposts. The wooden skeleton of an upholstered piece.
Futon:
A
futon is a type of
sofa that folds
down into a bed. They often have a ‘futon mat’ as a mattress
that doubles as a seat cushion when it’s folded up into the sofa
position.
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G
Gallery: A small ornamental
barrier or railing around the top of a table, cabinet or buffet, etc.
Gateleg Table: A table which
has drop leaves supported by a leg which swings out like a gate.
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H
Hand Tied: Single coil
springs that are attached to the webbing with links and then "hand tied" to each
other and the frame with twine to achieve differing amounts of elasticity in the seat.
Two, four, and eight way hand ties are commonly used. The more ways the spring is tied,
the harder the seat.
Hardwood: Wood derived from
angiosperms (broad leafed trees such as oak, beech, maple, mahogany, and walnut). The
category consists of some woods that are actually much softer than "softwoods."
Hardwood Frames: Frames
which are made from hardwoods such as ash, oak, or birch. These woods are usually kiln
dried and resist splitting.
Headboard: An upright
structure rising above the mattress at the head of the bed. Common types include the
chairback headboard, panel headboard, and bookcase headboard.
High Body: A tall chest of
drawers that is often made in two sections - the upper chest is sitting on a table with
long legs called a lowboy.
High Pressure Laminates: Synthetic
sheet surfacings that are bonded to a core material. Laminates offer heat, soil, and stain
resistance. They can be grain and color matched to surrounding woods for use in dresser or
bureau tops, or produces in decorative colors used to surface entire contemporary bedroom
suites.
Hitchcock Chair: Named for
American furniture manufacturer Lambert Hitchcock, the chair has a rush or caned seat,
slightly bent back, and an oval turned top rail. These chairs are often painted or
stenciled with fruit and flower patterns.
Hock Leg: A cabriole leg
having a broken curve on the inner side of the knee.
Hogarth Chair: A 18th
Century Queen Anne styled side chair with a hooped back, pierced splat and cabriole legs.
Home
Office Furniture:
Home office furniture
consists of
office chairs, computer desks and bookcases that can be used to
turn your room into an office at home.
Hoop Back: A chair back
formed by a bent piece of wood fitted with vertical spindles. In Windsor chairs a bow
back.
Horseshoe Back: The outward
sweep at the base of the bow in the back of a Windsor chair.
Hutch: A low cupboard with
doors usually surrounded by open shelves.
Hutch Mirror: A mirror
incorporated into an open shelved cabinet designed to sit on a dresser.
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I
Inlay: Wood or other
materials which are set into corresponding carved out recesses often producing a pattern.
Iron Beds: Term often used
to describe beds made of steel that are coated with white or colored protective coatings.
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J
Japanese Platform Bed:
Japanese platform beds
are known for gently swooping lines,
reminiscent
of the architectural phenomena of pagodas.
K
Kids
Furniture:
Kids furniture
is specially designed for kids. It is usually designed with
eye-catching colors and styles that are
suitable for
children.
Some kids furniture is designed with
space saving functions like storage drawers and desks built into
the beds.
Kiln Dried: Kiln drying
reduces the moisture content of the lumber, a process which inhibits checking, splitting
and strengthens the finished product.
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L
Ladder Back: A chair back
which has horizontal cross rails or slats that resemble a ladder.
Lawson: An overstuffed
furniture design that has square seat cushion, short squarish back rests and high square
or rolled arms. Variations of the Lawson sofa are often called transitional.
Leather
Recliner: A
leather recliner
is a chair that reclines when the person lowers the chair's back
and raises
the front.
Leather is the material it’s upholstered in and can be found in
different leather grades. Some recliners come with
complimentary ottomans while others may have drink holders or
adjustable headrests, back rests, arm rests, and foot rests.
Some swivel while others are stationary.
Library Storage: Drawers,
trays, cabinets or racks designed to store cassettes, compact discs or VHS tapes. They
often roll or slide out for easy accessibility.
Lingerie Chest: A tall,
narrow chest or drawers originally designed to hold women's undergarments.
Living
Room Furniture:
Living
room furniture usually includes
couches, sofas, coffee tables, end tables, love seats, and
chairs that are placed in your living room.
Styles range from traditional to contemporary and transitional,
which is a combination of styles.
Loft
Bed:
Loft beds are similar to
bunk beds except there is sometimes only one bed and the lower
space is used for storage or a desk. Often the beds are placed
perpendicular to each other and the supports for the top bed
also container drawers, shelving, or cabinets for storage.
Loop Back: An oval chair
back or a Windsor bow back without arms.
Loose Pillow Back: A pillow
treatment which can be removed from an upholstered piece.
Loveseat: Double chair or
small sofa.
Lyre Motif: Representations
of a harp-like instrument are used in many French and English designs. The lyre is used
extensively in the chair backs and table supports of Duncan Phyfe.
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M
Marlborough Legs: A heavy
strait leg used by Chippendale and others.
Marshall Unit: Coil springs
which are inserted in separate pockets and then joined together to form cushions.
Memory
Foam Mattress:
A
Memory Foam Mattress
is distinguished
from a
regular
‘inner-coil’
mattress in the way that it
is made.
Memory
foam mattresses are made only with
memory foam, which is made from
polyurethane with additional chemicals that add to its viscosity
level.
Memory foam was initially developed by NASA to protect
astronauts from G forces and impact on landing. Different types
of memory foam mattresses have different thicknesses and
densities of memory foam in the layers of memory foam that
provide the support.
Miter Joint: A joint made by
fastening two pieces cut at an angle (usually 90 degrees).
Mortise: A hole, groove or
slot in wood into which a tenon or tongue fits to form a secure joint.
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N
Nest-of-Tables: Small
occasional tables which are graduated in size so that they slide beneath one another.
Night Stand: A small, low
table or cabinet which sits by a bed.
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O
Online
Furniture Store: In contrast
to the traditional furniture store,
an
online furniture store gives you the
opportunity to browse a wide selection and purchase the
furniture directly online and have it delivered to your home.
Some
online furniture stores specialize in certain rooms or styles
while others try to represent a broader selection.
Ottoman: An upholstered seat
or couch usually without a back or an overstuffed footstool.
Oval Back: The shape of a
chairback often associated with Hepplewhite designs.
Overstuffed Furniture:
Upholstered pieces in which the wood frame is completely and deeply covered by the
upholstery with little exposed woodwork.
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P
Pad Foot: A simple foot
treatment at the end of a cabriole leg.
Pad Seat: Upholstered
furniture built without springs. The seat usually has a solid or webbed base padded with
loose stuffing and overlaid with a sofa material (felted cotton, poly-dacron).
Parquet Top: A table top
made by using joinery or inlay which has geometric or other patterns usually made from
different colored woods.
Parsons Leg: A relatively
long fully upholstered leg.
Patio
Furniture:
Patio furniture is mainly used outside
on the patio or around the pool. It’s designed
to withstand the elements. Patio or pool furniture is made from
teak, cedar, aluminum, or plastic compounds.
Pedestal Table: A table
which has a central supporting column or pillar.
Pediment: The usually
triangular or rounded structure above the cornice often seen in tall case pieces.
Pier Group: Two very tall,
narrow chests (pier cabinets) which sit at the head on either side of a bed.
Piping (fluting): Used on
barrel back, fan back, kidney shaped and hollow backed upholstered pieces. Individual
upholstered pockets (pipes) are stuffed separately to give a comfortable soft curve in the
back.
Platform Bed:
Platform beds are beds
whose bases consists of a raised, flat, hard, horizontal surface
meant to support a mattress. Usually, they have a ‘low-profile’
footboard. You can use them with or without a
boxspring, depending on your
preference.
Plinth Base: A squared base
(sometimes other shapes) which sits on the floor and usually recessed from the outermost
outlines of the case piece.
Poly Dacron Wrap: A cushion
construction method in which a soft resilient polyester material is wrapped around a
polyurethane core.
Pressboard: A strong, highly
glazed board sometimes used for case backs, dust proofing or as the underlying structural
base for veneers, engraving or vinyl wrap. Also known as composition board or particle
board.
Punch-out Back:
Entertainment centers are designed to hold many pieces of audio/video equipment each with
separate power plugs, input/output cables, and antennas. To allow these unit's wires to
connect with each other, entertainment centers either have fully or partially open backs
or backs with removable panels that can be "punched out."
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R
Rabbet Joint: A joint formed
by fitting together boards into which rectangular grooves have been cut. Also a recess in
the meeting stiles of cabinet doors that close to form a dust proof joint.
Rail Joints: The places
where the horizontal members of an upholstered frame meet. These joints are often screwed,
glued and doubled doweled for extra strength.
Recliner
Sofa:
Just
like a
reclining
chair, a
recliner sofa's back can be lowered
and its front can be raised so that you can sit comfortably
in a reclined position and
you can adjust the sofa accordingly to fit your own preferred setting.
Reclining loveseats are also available.
Refectory Table: A long
narrow table with heavy stretchers positioned close to the floor which was originally used
by religious orders in the middle ages. Modern adaptations are shorter and have
underleaves.
Rolled Arms: Arms which
flare out, then down and return to meet the sides of a chair or sofa - appearing to have
been rolled.
Ruffled Pleat (Sheer Pleat): A
skirt treatment in which unlined fabric is gathered to achieve a ruffled effect.
Rule Joint: A knuckle joint
as between a table top and drop leaf that leaves no open space when the leaf is down.
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S
Saddle: A chair seat which
has been hollowed to the sides and back to resemble the pommel of a saddle. Often used in
American colonial styled seats.
Scoop Seat: A chair with a
seat that has been hollowed out to fit the body.
Scrolls: Scrolls (curls) are
the supportive and decorative members shaped like a scroll or curl which are connected to
posts, rails, and each other on many brass (especially traditional) headboards and
footboards. Scrolls can either be solid or made from hollow tubing.
Sectional:
Furniture made up of modular units capable of use separately or in various combinations.
Self Storing Leaves: Leaves
that store within an extension table.
Serving Table: A long narrow
side table with drawers used in dining rooms for silver storage.
Shield Back: A chair back
used by Hepplewhite and Sheraton that resembles a shield, the outlines of which are formed
by a double curved top rail with a half ellipse below.
Side Glide: A drawer located
on the vertical side faces on the drawer.
Slat Back: Often used in
American colonial styled chairs. This treatment uses horizontal rails across the back and
looks similar to a ladder back.
Sleigh
Bed: The
sleigh bed has a high,
scrolled headboard and footboard resembling the front of a
sleigh.
Slip Seat: An upholstered
"loose seat" insert that is dropped into the frame of a dining chair and can be
removed for reupholstery.
Sofa Table: A long, thin,
tall, occasional table placed against the back of a sofa or against a wall. Original 18th
century versions had small, rounded drop leaf ends and drawers.
Soft Woods: Wood from a
conifer (cone bearing tree). Pine, cedar and redwood are common examples.
Spiral Leg: A leg having the
shape of a spiral or twisted rope.
Spooning: A curved chair
back designed to fit the sitter's form. Common in Queen Anne styled chairs.
Spoon Back: To hollow out
chair seats as in Windsor chairs. See also Saddle.
Springs: The most commonly
used springs for upholstery are coil springs and sinuous springs.
Spring Edge: An upholstered
seat front edge that is supported by springs rather than the hardwood frame giving added
comfort.
Steam Bend: A method of
bending a single piece of wood (bowback chair, bowed splat, etc.) into a furniture part.
Since the wood grain is bent instead of cut, this method yields exceptional strength.
Storage Bed:
Storage beds are beds that usually
come with additional drawers underneath the bed to save space
in the
bedroom.
Some storage beds have hydraulic lifts instead of drawers.
Swing Leg: A hinged table
leg lacking a lower stretcher (as in a gate leg) which swings out to support a drop leaf.
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T
Table
pad: Dining
table pads are pads or covers that are
used for protection of
a dining
table.
On one side they are covered in felt so they don’t scratch the
table. On the other side they’re covered in a heat resistant
vinyl. Table pads are made with seams to allow folding for easy
storage when you don’t have it on your table. They can be
ordered custom made to fit any style or shape of table and with
a selection of colors.
Tapered Leg: A chair leg
whose thickness is reduced as it approaches the bottom.
Tee Seat Cushions: A loose
seat cushion whose outside front edges laterally in the front of the arm of an upholstered
piece.
Television Cavity: Most
audio components have standard physical dimensions, but televisions vary widely in height,
width and depth. If a customer's television is too deep for the entertainment center, its
back will protrude beyond the back of the case and force replacement of the case away from
the wall. If a TV's width and height exceeds the physical dimensions of the case, the
television will not fit at all. Television tube size is measured diagonally across the
front of the tube. Today's sets generally have similar dimensions, but older sets vary
widely in height width and depth. Larger tubes are becoming more popular.
Tester Bed: A four poster
bed that has a canopy supported by a frame.
Tight Seat Bed: Fully
upholstered back designed not to have a cushion.
Trestle Table: A table top
supported by a braced frame (divided foot, horse), often consisting of two posts with
feet, joined by a connecting member.
Trifold Mirror: A tri-fold
or tri-view mirror sits on or hangs above a dresser. It has a central mirror panel and two
mirrored side panels that produce three images of a person looking in the mirror.
Trundle Bed: A low or
collapsible bed which is stored under another bed.
Turning: The shaping of
chair or table legs on a lathe.
Tuxedo Arms: Slightly flared
arms that are the same height as the back.
Twist: A chair or table
turning resembling a screw or spiral.
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U
Urethane Foam (Polyurethane):
Flexible polyurethane foam is used as a cushioning material in upholstered furniture
seats, backs and arms. It is an extremely versatile product that can be produced to have
practically any "feel" - from very firm to very plush. For seat cushioning,
foams that have a density of 1.8 pounds per cubic foot or higher offer the best support
and durability characteristics. Several types of polyurethane foam are used in upholstered
furniture. Conventional polyurethane is the most widely used. High resilience (HR foam) is
used at higher price points because it offers superior support and surface softness. High
comfort (HC foam) normally falls between conventional foams or foams containing a variety
of materials used to increase density are also used.
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V
Veneer: A thin decorative
layer of wood which is applied to underlying wood solids or particleboard. Veneers are
used to match and balance grain, create inlay and banding effects.
Vinyl Wrap: Flexible vinyl
wrapping applied to underlying wood solids or particleboard to produce a surface that most
often resembles wood. It is often used in less expensive furniture applications.
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W
Wall Units: Large
free-standing or wall hung units which can have drawers, shelves, cabinets, desks, ban
units, entertainment centers or a variety of other features.
Webbing: Interwoven 3.5 inch
wide jute (or synthetic) strips that provide a foundations for many upholstered arms,
backs, seats and wings.
Welting: Cord wrapped in
fabric which is used to trim upholstery seams and places where the fabric meets exposed
wood.
Windsor Chair: A wooden
chair with a bentwood, fan, hoops or bow back and legs which are pegged into a thick
saddle seat. The back is often formed of plain or turned spindles with or without splats.
Wing
Back Chair: A comfortable large chair with side pieces (ears, wings) attached
to the sides of the back, usually overstuffed.
Wrap Group: Bedroom
furniture designed to sit against a wall that can be juxtaposed to "wrap" around
a room. Wrap groups often include small scale chests, hutches, student desks and corner
desks.
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