Glossary Of Furniture Terms
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Acanthus: stylized, leaf shaped ornament based on the plant Acanthus Apinosa , popular in classical architecture and often used as a carved or inlaid motif.
Adam style: neo-classical style which predominated from circa 1760 to 1790, and named after the Scottish architects, brothers Robert and James Adam. It is characterized by slender, graceful lines and by motifs such as husks, festoons and palmettes.
Aesthetic movement: hybrid decorative arts movement, combining Gothic and Queen Anne revival styles with a strong Japanese influence, which flourished in Europe and the USA from circa 1860 to 1890.
Aniline dye: synthetic dye used for textiles and leather. It produces stronger and more enduring colors than vegetable dyes.
Applique: a method of decoration in which a motif is cut from a piece of material and then attached to an object.
Apron: band or shaped skirt of wood that is attached to the top of a table or chest of drawers, or runs beneath the seat rail of a chair.
Arabesque: form of intricate decoration comprising stylized, intertwined leaves, other vegetation and scrolls. Of Arabian origin, it is used in friezes and borders of furniture.
Armadio: Italian term for a long cupboard with doors, used for storing linen.
Armchair: seating for one that has both a backrest and armrests.
Armoire: French term for a linen press, wardrobe or large cupboard.
Art Deco: decorative style named after the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes ( Paris, 1925), which supplanted Art Nouveau. Streamlined, geometric forms, and bright bold colors characterize the style. Furniture made in this style often used exotic woods and other materials.
Art Nouveau: an exaggerated asymmetrical decorative style that originated and spread throughout Europe from circa 1890 to 1910. It makes use of undulating forms of all kinds, notably the whiplash curve of tendrils or plant stems, but in particular flames and waves and flowing hair of stylized female figures.
Arts and Crafts: a furniture style that emerged in England toward the end of the 19th century. Pioneered by William Morris it rejected the decorative excesses of the Victorian era, and glorified simple craftsmanship. Gustaf Stickley pioneered a similar movement in the United States in the early 20th century.
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Bachelor chest: small, multi-purpose chest of drawers with a hinged top.
Backboard: the wood (often unpolished) used to in-fill the back of furniture made to stand against a wall.
Ball-and Claw Foot: carved motif that depicts a bird's talons or an animal's claw gripping a ball or an egg. While it is most associated with 18th century English and American furniture, it originated in China as a dragon's claw clutching a crystal ball, or a pearl or other jewel.
Baluster: double curved form that swells at the base and rises in a concave curve to a narrow stem or neck.
Banding: is the term given to wood veneer cut into narrow strips and applied to create a decorative effect. Usually found around the edges of tables and the face of cabinets.
Baroque: extravagant and heavily ornate style of architecture, furniture and decoration that originated in 17th century Italy . It was characterized by an abundant use of cupids, cornucopia and similar decorative motifs set into curvaceous designs.
Bentwood: solid or laminated wood steamed and bent into a curvilinear shape. Michael Thonet developed the process in the early 19th century. Bentwood is not related to molded plywood, which was developed in the 20th century.
Bergere: French armchair of wide proportions with upholstered back and sides. It has an exposed wood frame and loose seat cushion.
Bevel: decorative angled edge usually used in relation to mirrors.
Biedermeier: a term used to describe the central European decorative arts of the period 1820-1840, which put strong emphasis on unpretentious bourgeois comfort. The word derives from Gottleib Biedermeier, a fictional character invented by a German satirical journal to typify middle-class vulgarity. Biedermeier furniture is simple and well proportioned, and while influenced by the Directoire and Empire styles it avoided decorative exuberance. Its simplicity and clarity of line give Biedermeier furniture a distinctly modern appearance.
Boiserie: French term for wood paneling elaborately carved with foliage motifs, and then sometimes painted and gilded. It was fashionable in the wealthy residences of France in the 17th and early 18th centuries, and was often complemented with furniture of a matching style.
Bombe: chest or commode with a bulge or swollen, convex shape on the front and sides.
Bonheur-du-jeur: lady's small writing desk, fitted with low recess with drawers, made mainly in France and England after 1770, and featuring secret compartments. It could also be used as a dressing table.
Borne: the name given to a large divan positioned in the centre of a room. Circular in shape and generously upholstered it was popular in the Second Empire period.
Boudeuse: a type of seat, also known as a dos-a-dos, consisting of two armchairs set back to back. The name comes from the French verb bouder meaning to sulk, because the person sitting on one side would inevitably be turning their back on the other.
Boulle marquetry: decorative inlay named after Andre-Charles Boulle, using tortoise shell and various other materials such as brass, pewter, ivory and mother-of -pearl. The technique was also known as “Buhl” work.
Bracket foot: squared foot used on furniture from circa 1725 to 1780.
Breakfront: term used for a piece of furniture with a protruding centre section.
Broken pediment: pediment or triangular superstructure, in which the central apex is absent and usually filled with a carved motif. Found in architecture and furniture.
Buffet: a two-part sideboard or “dresser”, with shelves either open or concealed behind doors. It is used in the dining room, generally to hold platters and serving dishes and trays.
Bureau: writing table or desk whose French name derives from bure , a coarse cloth used in the Middle Ages to cover tables at which clerks wrote. Beginning in the 18th century various designs featured a flat writing surface and drawers, with a sloping fall front or quarter cylinder roll-top, which when rolled down covered both the writing surface and the drawers.
Bureau-bookcase: writing table or desk surmounted by a bookcase, the lower section with shelves and compartments, and the shallower upper section with glazed paneled doors. If the lower part has drawers it is called a bureau-cabinet .
Burl: burls (or burrs) are produced from lumpish growths on trees that generally form as a result of parasitic infestation of the tree, but sometimes from injury to the tree, during the early stages of its growth. Usually they appear on the tree trunk, but they also occur below ground. The term is also used to describe woods more properly called butts. Among the most spectacular burls are those produced from Rosewood and Walnut. These uniquely figured timbers are highly prized and because of this, and the fact that they are very difficult to work, they are expensive.
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Cabinet wares: cups, saucers and plates made primarily for display, rather than use.
Cabriole: a double curved and tapering furniture leg, often ending in a stylized paw or club. The double curve turns in at the knee and flares out at the foot. The design derives from the muscular hind legs of certain animals, such as a goat (“cabriole” in Spanish)
Cabriolet: Used to describe an armchair with a hollow, shaped back, and open armrests.
Camel-back: triple-curved chair back with a raised central curve.
Causeuse: a two-seater sofa, whose name derives from the French verb causer, to chat, because it is ideal for holding a conversation.
Case furniture: furniture with a general “box” structure and shape, such as chests, cupboards and bureau.
Chaise longue: a high back upholstered seat or armchair with an elongated seat, allowing a person to recline, and with different height arms at each end. Also known as a dormouse or merideienne.
Chest-on-chest: tall chest of drawers, mounted on another similar slightly larger chest, also known as a tallboy.
Cheval mirror: tall, freestanding mirror supported by a four-legged base.
Chiffonnier: small work-table with two or three drawers beneath the top, usually fitted with a metal gallery rail and with a shelf above fitted between long slim legs.
China cabinet: cabinet with glass fronts, designed to display and store fine china. Sides may be of either wood or glass, and modern versions generally feature lights.
Chinoiserie: European style of decoration consisting of fanciful oriental-style figures and motifs. The style was popular during the late 18th century.
Chippendale: a style of furniture named after the English designer and cabinet-maker Thomas Chippendale. The furniture is in the Rococo style, with much ornamental, openwork carving (e.g. in chair backs). The style featuring Chinoiserie is called Chinese Chippendale.
Cockbeading: bead molding applied to the edges of drawers.
Coffee table: Long, low table used in front of a sofa.
Coiffeuse : small dressing table with hinged lid concealing an interior mirror and small drawers for toiletries.
Commode: French term for chest-of drawers. It also refers to a type of furniture concealing a chamber pot.
Console: a table intended to stand against a wall, either freestanding or attached to the wall. The term also refers to an ornamental bracket that serves to support another piece, such as a cornice.
Credenza: in the home office, a long piece used behind the desk with a knee hole space; often used for a computer or monitor.
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Davenport: a small writing desk (usually for a lady), with drawers and a sloping, often hinged, writing surface.
Directoire: a simplified version of the Louis XVI style in French decorative art, and popular circa 1795-1799 under the Directory (the governing body at the last stage of the French revolution).
Distressed: the term given to new furniture that has been made to look used, old or rustic. Distressing is variously effected by striking the completed furniture with hard objects (e.g. sharp nails, blunt pieces of metal or wood), by deliberate cracking, by painting or staining imperfections on the wood surface, or by partially rubbing away the surface finish. The technique is also useful for masking defects in both the material used and poor furniture making techniques.
Dovetail: a type of joinery, usually found in drawers, where two perpendicular pieces of wood are carved in a way that the "fingers" are interlocked for added structural support.
Dresser: a large piece of case furniture with a shelved upper section. The lower section usually has a central cupboard flanked by drawers or open shelves. Its name comes from the wall tables used in the Middle Ages for “dressing” or preparing food.
Dressing table: English tables of two kinds – toilette and writing tables. The former is a small closed table, similar to a tall chest with a central kneehole recess and a mirror concealed beneath its hinged top. The hinged cover can be folded back to reveal an inner compartment and the mirror. In the other types the mirror rests on top.
Drop leaf: Table built with hinged extension leaves that lower when not in use.
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Ebonized: refers to wood stained and polished black to simulate ebony.
Empire: style inspired by the civilization of ancient Rome and introduced to celebrate the empire of Napoleon I, circa 1804-1815. It typically features such motifs as palmettes, winged lions, and sphinxes. The Second Empire style refers to the revival of neo-classicism during the reign of Napoleon III (1852-1870).
Étagère: a French term for a set of shelves supported by slender columns, and used to display books or bric-a-brac.
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Fall front: the hinged, flat front of a bureau or secretaire that falls forwards to form a writing surface. It is also sometime s called a drop front.
Fauteuill: French term for a large, upholstered open armchair. First used in the court of Louis XIV, and popular in the 18th century.
Feather banding: two narrow bands of veneer laid in opposite diagonals, also called herringbone banding.
Federal style: American furniture style from 1780, following the Revolution, to 1830. It began by echoing and often amalgamating the neoclassical style of such British masters as Adam, Hepplewhite and Sheraton, and later took on influences from France . Duncan Phyfe is among its most notable craftsmen. It is refined and rectilinear, often with veneering and inlay. Brass feet and casters and brass-ring drawer and door pulls are common on case goods.
Fielded panel: refers to a raised wooden panel with beveled edges that sits within a flat outer frame.
Figuring: is a term denoting the natural surface pattern of any piece of cut wood.
Finial: a decorative turned or carved ornament surmounting a prominent terminal on a chair, a bed, or a case piece, often taking the form of a pinecone, an urn or an acorn.
Fluting: parallel lines of shallow, concave moulding running from the top to the bottom of a column, the opposite of reeding. Fluting was frequently used on table legs in neoclassical furniture.
Fretwork: originally Chinese, this is carved decoration consisting of a number of intersecting, often geometric lines with perforated spaces in between them. Fretwork was often used on Chippendale furniture in the Chinoiserie or gothic styles. Blind fretwork is when the decoration is not pierced through.
Frieze: a classical term used to describe the horizontal ornamental strip that supports a table top, or the cornice on a piece of case furniture.
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Gallery: a small metal or wooden railing around the edge of a tray, table or cabinet. The use of galleries was popular from the mid 18 th century onwards.
Gate leg table: a table with hinged legs and leaves. When raised the leaves are supported by the swinging legs which are joined to the fixed legs by stretchers.
Georgian style: a form of architecture and decoration associated with the four kings George of England (1714-1810). It combines Renaissance, Rococo and neo-classical elements, with predominantly classical elements. The revival of Palladianism, manifested in furniture by the placing of classical pediments on cabinets, took place during this period.
Greek key: a decorative band of interlocking, geometric, hook-shaped forms. Originally a classical motif, it was used on neo-classical furniture.
Guilloche: a decorative motif that takes the form of a continuous band of strands that are twisted or plaited together. First seen in classical architecture, the motif was popular with neo-classical designers.
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Hall chair: a simple high backed chair first seen in the 18th century, and used as a waiting chair in the hallway or corridor of a grand house.
Hardwood: a general term for wood from broad-leafed trees.
Hepplewhite style: named after George Hepplewhite, the 18th century English cabinet and chair maker. His style is characterized by light curvilinear forms, and by distinctive details such as slender, tapering legs. He is noted for distinctive chair backs in shield, oval, interlaced hearts, ladder and wheel forms.
Horsehair fabric: fabric woven by using the tail hair of horses in the weft combined with silk or cotton (and more recently synthetic fibre) in the warp. The resultant fabric is extremely durable, and is an excellent upholstering material.
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Inlay: a decorative technique in which different colored woods or exotic materials, such as mother-of-pearl, ivory, and bone are pierced into the solid wood surface or veneer of a piece of furniture.
Intarsia: this is an Italian term for an elaborate pictorial type of marquetry. It was often used for decorative paneling on furniture in Renaissance Italy.
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Jappaning: a decorative technique in which furniture is coated with layers of colored varnish in imitation of true Oriental natural lacquer.
Jacobean style: a style of architecture and decoration prevalent in England during the reign of James I (1603-1625). It combines renaissance, Gothic and Palladian motifs. The furniture, which was generally made of dark stained oak, was heavy and complex in appearance.
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Kiln: a room or oven-like piece of equipment used to remove moisture and (sometimes) natural oils in preparation for the timber to be used in furniture making or for other purposes. Wood is kiln dried to minimize movement in service and to prepare the surface for the application of various finishes.
Kiln-dried: wood that has been dried to resist warping, splitting and cracking.
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Ladder-back chair: a chair made with a back of horizontal rails between the uprights.
Lazy susan: A revolving tray or stand of wood or metal.
Lion's-paw foot: a leg terminal or foot carved in the shape of a lion's paw. It was a popular Regency and Empire motif.
Louis XIV style: the rich formal style of decoration in vogue under the Sun King, Louis XIV of France (1643- 1715). It combines elements of Italian baroque with devices taken from the standard classical repertoire of ornament as well as innovations such as Boulle marquetry.
Louis XV style: the French version of Rococo, popular between 1720 and 1750. Its principle feature is its extensive use of asymmetry and of ormulu.
Louis XVI style: early neo-classical style of decoration already popular when Louis XVI came to the throne in 1774. Furniture became more rectilinear and geometric, e.g. cabriole legs gave way to cylindrical or square ones. Also in reaction to rococo styles decoration became more restrained – e.g. floral themes were replaced by architectural motifs.
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Marquetry: a decorative veneer made up of shaped pieces of wood in different colors that are pierced together to form a picture or pattern. The finished surface is flat, whereas inlay may result in a three dimensional surface.
Metamorphic furniture: furniture that has been designed for more than one purpose, such as a chair that can change into a set of library steps.
Mortise and Tenon: a type of joint used in wood working in which one piece of wood has a projecting piece shaped in the end (tenon) that fits snugly into a hole (mortise) in the second piece of wood. In more finely crafted furniture the wood cuts may also angled so that once assembled the joint is impossible to separate other than by breaking the wood (three way interlocking mortise and tenon joint).
Moulding: a strip of wood applied to a piece of furniture to add decoration or to conceal a joint.
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Occasional table: a small table that can be moved from room to room and used for different purposes.
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Palladian: a classical style of architecture and decoration based on the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580). The style featured very large and dramatic pediments, cornices and sculptured ornaments of eagles, scallop shells, and other motifs.
Palmette: a classical decorative motif based on the fan-like shape of a palm leaf. It was widely used as ornament on Neo-classical furniture in the late 18th century.
Patina: fine sheen on the surface of furniture or metal that results from years of handling and the gradual build-up of dirt and polish.
Pedestal table: a round or square table standing on a single central pillar or column mounted on a polygonal base, generally with three or four feet.
Pembroke table: small table, that has two frieze drawers, two drop leaves, and is usually on legs with castors. It was made in England from the mid 18th century.
Pier table: a small table, disproportionately tall, made to stand against a pier (generally between two windows)
Pilaster: an architectural term for a flattened column attached to the surface of a piece of case furniture as a piece of decoration, rather than for support. Pilasters usually flank cupboard doors or drawers, and are often capped with capitals.
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Queen Anne style: furniture style that arose during the reign of Queen Anne (1702 – 1714), it was characterized by plain surfaces, simple curves and the cabriole leg.
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Reeding: parallel convex molding running from the top to the bottom of a column, the opposite of fluting. Reeding was used from the late 18th century as decoration on table and chair legs.
Regency style: a style of furniture and decorative art popular during the regency of George IV (1811-1820) and his later reign (1820-1830). Heavy, broadly classical forms and ornaments such as winged lions, masks and palmettes characterized it.
Relief: carved, moulded or stamped decorative features that rise above the surface of a piece of furniture.
Ribbon-back: a term that describes chair backs that have been carved to look like ribbons tied in bows. A popular design during the mid 18th century, it was a typical design feature of the Chippendale chair.
Rococo: style of 18th century European furniture that was a reaction to the opulent Baroque style. Rococo was considered to be daintier, and featured asymmetrical ornamentation and flamboyant scrollwork.
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Sabre leg: a leg with a gentle concave curve, predominantly seen on chairs, that was widely used on Regency, Empire and Federal furniture during the first half of the 19th century.
Satinwood: a fine-grained, golden-yellow hardwood used for fine cut veneers. It was popular in Britain during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Scalloped edge: a term used to describe a wavy edge or border resembling the edge of a scallop shell.
Scroll: spiral shaped ornamentation
Secretaire: a French term for a large cabinet in two sections, popular in the late 18th century. The lower section has a fall front that drops down to provide a writing surface and reveals a number of small drawers and pigeonholes. Above this there is usually a bookcase or glazed cabinet.
Semainier: a French term for a tall chest of seven drawers originally made one for each day of the week.
Settee: a seat for two or more people, with low back and open arms. It predated the sofa.
Shagreen: untanned leather, originally the skin of the shagri, a Turkish wild ass, but long used also to describe shark or ray skin. It was used by some 17th and 18th century designers as an inlay, and revived in the work of Art Deco designers in the early 20th century. It is also known by the French term galuchat.
Sheraton: British Neo-classical style named after Thomas Sheraton, who published designs in the early 1700's that were reinterpretations of the Adam style. Sheraton diminished ornamentation, and his style was more delicate than Adam, yet more severe and linear than Hepplewhite. Many Sheraton pieces contain inlay, painted decoration and bands of contrasting veneer. Openwork with urn, swag or lyre motifs is characteristic of his chair backs.
Sideboard: English wall furniture, first designed by Robert Adam in 1760 to complete dining room furnishings, but made popular by George Hepplewhite. The most common version had a central section with drawers and two side sections, and stood on six legs, two against the wall and four front ones. Sideboards were a development of the long side tables previously used in the dining room to serve food.
Sofa: a fully upholstered seat for two or more people, and a less formal version of the settee. It was made from the late 17th century onwards.
Sofa table: a long narrow table with a drop leaf at each end, and with drawers. Designed to stand behind a sofa it was popular during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Splat: the flat, vertical central part of a chair back. Back splats can be solid or pierced, and are usually shaped. They are a good indicator of period styles.
Stretcher: a rod or bar extending between two legs of a chair or table.
Stringing: refers to narrow lines of inlay on a piece of furniture, used to create a simple, decorative border around drawer fronts or tabletops.
Sunburst motif: first popularized by Louis XIV the motif of the sun surrounded by rays was later used in stylized form by Art Deco designers.
Swag: a classical decorative motif of a hanging garland of fruit, flowers or leaves. Swags often featured in inlays, and were widely used on Neo-classical furniture.
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Tabouret: this French term was originally used to describe a low, upholstered footstool shaped like a drum. Later versions were square with a padded seat.
Tallboy: modern name for a chest on chest. Nowadays the term generally refers to a high one-piece chest.
Tambour: a flexible, slatted, sliding shutter on a roll top desk, made of thin strips of wood laid side by side and glued to stiff cloth.
Tilt-top table: a table with a top that is hinged to its base on one side so that it can be tilted into a vertical position, enabling the table to be stored against a wall.
Tooling: a technique of decorating leather by embossing, gilding or incising, and often seen as the border of a leather insert on a writing desk.
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Veneer: a thin layer of fine decorative wood that is applied to the surface of a carcass made of less expensive wood or wood composite (substrate). Veneering is an environmentally friendly way of optimizing the use of expensive woods. The way in which the veneer is cut from the log, and the manner in which it is laid on to the substrate affect the final appearance of the veneered surface.
Victorian: style named for England's Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 to 1901. Furniture of that time was based on rococo and Louis XV styles, with exaggerated curves and size, lush upholstery, and ellipses, spools and carvings. Horsehair cushioning is a hallmark of the furniture of the period.
Vitrine: a glass paneled case or cabinet for displaying objects and artifacts such as fine china, crystal and curios.
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William and Mary: named for the joint reign of England 's King William III and Queen Mary II in the late 17th century the style carried the influence of William's Dutch birth, particularly in the use of floral marquetry and oyster veneer. It was elegant in scale and shape. In America it represented a provincial or country American Baroque style.
Wing chair: a high back easy chair with upholstered “wings” or panels that project from both sides of the back and curve down to upholstered arms.
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