A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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ANILINE: Full grain leather soaked in aniline dye but is not subsequently segmented or clear coated. Aniline dye only partially penetrates the hide, allowing natural grain and imperfections to show through. Generally, only the best hides are used. Aniline is soft, pliable and expensive. Semi-Aniline leathers are similar the Aniline, but with minimal protective coating. Still a premium product, semi-aniline is generally a more practical covering.
APPLIQUÉ: An ornament, device or embellishment attached to another surface.
APRON: A wooden panel that connects the surface and the legs of a table or chair.
ARMOIRE: Also called a wardrobe, an armoire is a freestanding closet often consisting of clothing rod and several drawers. Entertainment armoires usually offer a cutout panel to house a television as well as pocket doors and interior electrical outlets.
ART DECO: An international art and architecture design movement popularized from about 1925 to the 1940s. Art Deco is characterized by modern, sleek opulence often using geometrical shapes. The Chrysler Building in New York City is a good example of Art Deco.
ARTS AND CRAFTS: Inspired by John Ruskin is the later years of the 19th Century, the Arts and Crafts artistic movement concentrated on hand made design and craftsmanship. Known in the United States as Craftsman Style. Famous designers include William Morris, Frank Lloyd Wright and Gustav Stickley.
ASH WOOD: A tough, pliable hardwood often used in ‘bent-wood’ applications. Ash varies in color from a creamy off-white, grey, light honey-brown to a deep reddish brown. Ash is generally moderately priced.
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BACHELOR’S CHEST: A small chest of drawers slightly larger than a Night Stand, usually 24″ to 36″ wide by 30″ to 36″ tall.
BAKER’S RACK: A small hutch with open shelving to display china or ornaments.
BALL AND CLAW FOOT: A foot carved to represent a bird’s foot grasping a ball. Popular in Chippendale style furniture.
BANDING: A strip of contrasting veneer used to embellish the surface of a dining table.
BASEBALL STITCHING: A double row of stitching running along both sides of a seam. Although decorative, baseball stitching also strengthens the seam.
BAUHAUS: Named for a design school in Germany, Bauhaus is used to describe a design movement from the early 20th century. Famous practitioners include Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Marcel Breuer and Laszlo Nagy. Examples of iconic pieces are the Wassily Chair and the Cantilever Chair.
BED FRAME: A (usually metal) structure on which a box spring and mattress set. Manufacturers sometimes include wooden bed frames with their beds, but often they with not comply with the mattress manufacturer warranty. Ask your sales associate about a warranted bed frame.
BERGÈRE: An enclosed upholstered armchair with upholstered back, arms and frame. Appreciated in the Régence, Rococo, Louis XVI, Directoire and Empire styles.
BIRCH WOOD: Birch or Yellow Birch is a common hardwood used in all aspects of furniture manufacture. Birch has an attractive grain and varies in color from light yellow to brown. Birch is a moderately expensive hardwood.
BOMBÉ: Often used to describe chests, the term bombé refers to outwardly bowing shapes.
BROCADE: Heavy fabric with raised design. Often made with satin yarn.
BROKEN PEDIMENT: While a pediment is a triangular architectural crown, a broken pediment’s arches terminate before reaching the highest point. In furniture, a broken pediment often includes a central decorative finial or relief carving. Broken pediments are often used on headboards and cabinets. Also popular in Chippendale inspired furniture.
BUFFET: A cabinet with storage space intended for housing tableware in a formal dining room. A buffet is paired with a hutch to make a china cabinet.
BUN FOOT: A round foot flattened at the top and bottom. It may be wooden or upholstered.
BURL VENEER: Veneer cut from a ‘burl.’ A ‘burl’ is similar to a knot and naturally occurs in several types of wood such as: Maple, Ash, or Walnut. Burled veneer is coveted for its intricate swirling pattern.
BUTT JOINT: Joint where two wood ends meet at a right angle without overlapping or notching.
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CABRIOLE LEG: Popular in Chippendale, Louis XV and Queen Anne periods, the Cabriole (or Queen Anne) Leg is an S-Shaped leg often terminating in a ball and claw or bun foot.
CAMEL-BACK SOFA: Sofa with a hump or raised curve in the centre of the back. The camel-back sofa is typical of the Queen Anne, Chippendale and Federal styles.
CANOPY: Covering over a bed, generally a drapery suspended by a wooden frame.
CASE PIECES: Furniture with interior space used to enclose or store. For example: chests, cabinets, armoires, wardrobes are referred to as case pieces.
CASTERS: Small wheels used on the feet of furniture.
CEDAR WOOD: Cedar is a soft, aromatic wood often used for small chests.
CHEVAL MIRROR: A full size mirror mounted within a free-standing frame allowing the mirror to be tilted to different angels.
CHINTZ: A flat, brightly colored printed fabric.
CHIPPENDALE: Named for Thomas Chippendale, an 18th century cabinet maker who published The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director. Based on this design catalog ‘Chippendale’ became an identifiable style although it is often associated with Georgian, Rococo and Neoclassicism.
CHERRY WOOD: Cherry is one of the most desired hardwoods. Cherry varies in color from light brown to deep reddish brown and features close graining. Mottling is a common feature of cherry wood and it is expensive.
CONSOLE TABLE: A shelf-like occasional table often placed against a feature wall or against the back of a sofa. Sometimes referred to as a sofa table.
CONTRAST STITCHING: When the stitching along the seams of an item is different in color than the dominant fabric.
CORNER BLOCKS: Blocks of wood used to reinforce joints in a wooden frame.
CREDENZA: A table with cabinet storage below the surface. A credenza is similar to a buffet, but more often the term is used to apply to home office furniture.
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DAMASK: Named after the city of Damascus, Damask is a type of upholstery featuring woven, ornate decorative patterns.
DENSITY: Referring to polyurethane foam making up a cushion core. Higher density will resist flattening, support more weight an will generally prove more confortable.
DENTIL MOLDING: A decorative molding featuring offset blocks.
DISTRESSED FINISH: Also known as antiqued or antiquing, a distressed finish is intended to appear worn and often features rubbed patinas, small scratches or holes.
DOWN: Goose or duck feathers used in upholstery.
DOVERTAIL JOINT: A joint where a piece of wood is set into grooves notched into a second pieces. Often used in drawer production.
DRESSMAKER SKIRT: Any substantial skirt featured on the bottom of an upholstered sofa, loveseat or chair.
DROP-DOWN LEAF: A hinged leaf that can be retracted and stored within a dining table when not in use.
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EIGHT-WAY HAND-TIED SPRINGS: Technique whereby manufacturers tie springs together with wire increasing the durability and quality of a spring system. Some manufacturers use modern production methods to duplicate the effect.
EMBOSSED: Embossed leathers are mechanically imprinted with a desirable pattern (ie. ostrich, alligator or lizard). Embossing is also used to give corrected-grain leathers a natural pattern.
EMPIRE: Associated with Neoclassicism, Empire is a design movement from early 19th century Napoleonic France. Variously referred to as Federal Style (in the United States), Regency (in Britain) or Biedermeier (in Germany) it is based on designed artifacts of the Roman Empire. The style is ornate and classical in its approach. A good example of Empire/Neoclassical architecture is the Arc de Triomph in Paris.
ÉTAGÈRE: An open shelf intended to display decorative ornaments.
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FEDERAL: Associated with Neoclassical and Empire, Federal is an American classical design movement that concentrates on inlay, straight lines, light construction and tapered legs.
FILIGREE: Open ornamented metal work.
FLUTING: Carved parallel grooves carved into columns or legs.
FOOTBOARD: Panel at the foot of a bed.
FRETWORK: Similar in idea to lattice, fretwork is carved wooden interlaced decorative design.
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GRAIN: Markings or patterns on a leather surface due to the natural occurrence or pores, wrinkles, and markings in an animals hide. Grain can also be simulated using mechanical embossing and finishing processes.
GLIDE/SLIDE: Rail in a case piece in which a drawer slides.
GLIDER: A chair (often with reclining feature) which moves forward and backwards in a swinging (rather than rocking) motion.
H
HAND: Hand refers to the feel or softness of a leather covering.
HEADBOARD: Panel rising above the head of a bed. Usually supports the rails.
HIDE: The pelt taken from a large animal (usually cattle) and processed for use in upholstered furniture. Cow hides are a by-product of the meat-industry and animals are generally not raised for their hides.
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INLAY: Contrasting material embedded into another. The most common example is inlaid veneer.
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KNOCK-DOWN: Furniture sold unassembled, packaged flat in a box.
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LAWSON ARM: A rolled arm design that sits at mid-height between the seat and the top of the sofa back.
LEAF: A removable panel used to extend the length of a table top. Leafs can be placed in the centre of a pull-out table, or along the edges of a table-top.
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MAHOGANY WOOD: Mahogany is a traditional favorite of fine furniture design. It varies in color from medium brown to dark red. With distinctive grain, it is one of the most expensive hardwoods and is used extensively in veneers.
MAPLE WOOD: Strong, dense hardwood often used in furniture and butcher blocks. Maple grain is generally straight but can be wavy, curled or burled. It is generally light brown with a reddish cast and is usually quite expensive.
MANGO WOOD: A hard, dense wood used in Indonesian style furniture. Mango wood is a byproduct of fruit production. When a tree reaches maturity is ceases to bear fruit. When producers harvest the old growth, replacements are planted. Mango wood is dried in a two-step process which stabilizes the wood making it more durable.
MARQUETRY: Applying varying veneers to a surface to create a picture.
MID-CENTURY MODERN (MODERN): A period of design lastingly roughly from 1933 to 1965. A movement inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and the Bauhaus school of design, it is a category which includes some of the most respected designers and architects of the past century: Alvar Aalto, Harry Bertoia, Charles Eames, Ray Eames, Eileen Gray, Arne Jacobsen, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Isamu Noguchi and Eero Saarinen.
MISSION: An American 20th century offshoot of the Arts and Crafts movement. Mission is often simple, linear in design and is often constructed in oak.
MORTISE AND TENON JOINT: A joining technique where the projecting tenon on a piece of the wood is glued into the recessed mortise of another.
MODERNE: A popular style popular from the 1920s till about 1940. Inspired by the Art Deco movement.
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NEOCLASSICISM: European design movement inspired by Ancient Greek and Rome. Popular from the mid-eighteenth century until the end of the 19th century, Neoclassicism is characterized by clean, linear forms with a subdued color palette and references to Greek and Roman mythology.
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OAK WOOD (Yellow Oak, Red Oak, White Oak): Abundant hardwood known for its strength and prominent grain. Oak is often used in sold-wood furniture and modern furniture and is moderately expensive.
OCCASIONAL FURNITURE: Small case pieces such as cocktail, end and console tables designed to permit varied uses.
OGEE CURVE: An ogee curve is similar to an S-shape consisting of two arcs that curve in an opposite sense so that their ends run parallel.
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PARQUETRY: Veneer applied in contrasting colors to create a geometric design. For example, some chessboards are made using parquetry.
PARSONS: A 20th century American design movement now most recognized for upholstered dining chairs.
PATINA: Patina refers to the natural evolution of luster and appearance of leather or wood as it ages. Can be artificially reproduced.
PEDESTAL TABLE: A tabletop supported by a single or double pedestal base.
PEDIMENT: An arched decorative structure sitting atop a crown on case pieces. Simulates pediments above arches or doorways in architecture.
PEROBA ROSA WOOD: A tropical hardwood, light brown to pink to red and often veined with several shades, is increasingly rare. Some contemporary manufacturers such as Environment Furniture reclaim peroba wood from old structures for use in furniture designs.
PILASTER: A false column carved into a case piece.
PILLOW TOP: A additional layer of padding attached to any mattress or upholstered furnishing.
PINE WOOD: A softwood used extensively in furniture manufacture. Almost all unfinished furniture is made of pine and many modern designs also use this close-grained, light colored, inexpensive wood.
PROTECTED LEATHER/ANILINE: Leather treated with a transparent polyurethane top-coat. Protected leather has more consistent color due to more pigmentation. Protected leather repels stains, is easier to clean and is generally less expensive than aniline or semi-aniline leathers.
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QUEEN ANNE: Characterized by shell carvings, cabriole legs and splat-back chairs, this style is named after Queen Anne of England who reigned from 1702-1714.
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RAILS: Wooden supports running parallel at the sides of a bed connecting the headboard to the footboard.
REGENCY: A style of furniture popular in the 19th century named for the regency of George IV of England. Similar in design to Empire.
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SABER LEG: A curved leg named for its similarity to the sword of the same name.
SADDLE STITCH: A decorative stitch along a covers seams.
SECRETARY: A desk with a cabinet base and a door hutch. Popular in the seventeenth and eighteenth century.
SECTIONAL FURNITURE: Upholstered modular furniture which can be set in variable combinations to fit a space.
SEMAINIER: A tall chest with seven drawers. From the French word for “week,” a semainier has a drawer for each day of the week.
SETTEE: An elongated arm chair, similar to a sofa but without extensive padding.
SHEESHAM WOOD: Golden to deep brown, Sheesham wood is a coarse grained hard wood made from Indian Rosewood. Often featuring a hand-rubbed wax finish, Sheesham wood is increasingly popular in North America for its durability and versatility.
SHERATON:A style named for Thomas Sheraton an eighteenth century English furniture designer.
SHIELD-BACK CHAIR: A side-chair with an open-back shaped like a small shield.
SIDEBOARD: Similar to a buffet, a sideboard is cabinet with a flat surface intended for storing dining flatware.
SLIEGH BED: A bed with scroll shaped headboard and footboard which looks similar in shape to an antique sleigh.
SLATS (EURO SLATS): A series of parallel wooden supports running perpendicular to the bed rails which support a mattress. Slat beds do not require a boxspring.
SPLAT-BACK CHAIR: A dining-chair with a single wooden panel for the back.
SPLIT: Split refers to the bottom portion of a hide that has been ‘split’ off from the top. Split leathers are generally stiffer and thicker that the top-grain and may be used on back panels and non-seating surfaces of leather upholstered furniture.
SPOON FOOT: The foot on a turned leg that resembles an 18th Century spoon.
STRETCHER: One or more crossbars connecting the legs of a piece of furniture, in order to strengthen and stabilize the construction.
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TICKING: Closely woven fabric used to cover mattresses, box springs, pillows and duvets.
TONGUE AND GROOVE JOINT: A method of joining where a long flat projecting piece fits into a grooved piece.
TOP-COAT: Synthetic and transparent coating made of polyurethane resins which is applied to leathers as a protective coating.
TOP-GRAIN: Leather consisting of the top portion of a hide. Approximately the thickness of a penny, top-grain can be processed as a full-grain or a corrected-grain. Corrected-grain leathers are buffed and sanded to minimize surface marks and embossed while full-grain leathers are processed with the natural grain intact.
TRANSITIONAL: Subtle restrained approach to furniture design popular in the modern era and intended to be versatile and adaptable to different design approaches.
TRUNDLE BED: A pull-out bed on casters designed to fit underneath another bed.
TRESTLE TABLE: A table supported by centered legs connected by a horizontal beam.
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VENEER: Thin slices of desirable woods applied to surfaces of furniture.
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WALNUT WOOD: A traditional furniture material, Walnut is chocolate brown in color and is often used in veneers. It is very expensive and desirable hardwood.
WINDSOR CHAIR: A wooden chair design featuring a curved back with thin spindles and a saddle seat.
WING CHAIR: A high-back, upholstered easy chair with wings projecting away from the back of the seat.
