Glossary of Important Terms in Furniture Design and Construction ✅

Accessory

Decorative object of art,lighting,plants,area rugs and wall hanging to an interior space to enhance and reinforce the design style

Accordion Fold

Tailored, pleated fabric with uniform exterior and interior appearance

Acetate

Manufactured cellulose acetate textile fiber with fast drying, wrinkle and shrink resistant characteristics

Acrylic

Plastic resins used in making synthetic fibers as coating or to bind pigment

Acrylic Coated

Fabric coated with resin for waterproofing

A&D

Architecture & Design

Advancing Colors

Warm or dark colors that make surfaces appear closer or larger

Adhesive

Tacky material, like glue, mastic (is a resin obtained from the mastic tree. In pharmacies and nature shops, it is called "Arabic gum" and "Yemen gum"), paste or rubber cement, which secures one object to another

Alligator Skin

Fabric printed or embossed replicating the texture of alligator skin

Anodize

Chemical process where coating is etched onto metal

Anthropometric

Study that deals with human measurements

Antique

All items, including accessories, art, buildings, furnishings, lighting, sculpture, statuary, and other personal possession over 100 years old

Applique

Decorations sewn onto fabric and added to an existing, surface. Applied designs or decorations, sections of wood, which has been pre-cut, then glued or tacked to the main body parts of furniture and furnishing

Apron

Horizontal member or decorative band mounted below a work's surface, attached to side vertical elements for support and stability; raised panel below a window sill

Arabesque

Pattern created by multiple design elements if interlaced flowers, foliage (plants, leaves), fruit, urns and scrolls, often elaborate symmetrical plaster castings adhered to wood doors and framed wall panels

Armoire

Originally large cabinet or wardrobe used for storing clothes, often converted into entertainment or computer center

Astragal

Small convex molding, sometimes with a repetitive beaded detail.

Aubusson

French handmade area rugs and tapestries used for wall hangings, featuring figures and scenic landscape, named after the village in France where they originated

Bachelor's Chest

Small, low, wooden cabinet with drawers

Backsplash

Vertical area behind a counter with or without a sink, typically measuring 4'' (100mm) for a partial splash up to 18''+ (450mm) for a full backsplash

Baker's Table

English marble-topped table, typically with a decorative open iron base used for cooking pastry, typically 32''- 33'' (810-830mm) high

Baluster

Small, heavily proportioned pillar used for vertical support in a railing, typically made of wood or stone i.e Venetian balcony. A column form of turned wood, twisted or tapered form or vase-shaped columns

Balustrade

Railing composed of a series balusters, bottom rail and top handrail, also used to smaller scale to embellish furniture

Balloon Shade

Fabric shade creating a gathered bottom edge when raised

Banding

Inlay or marquetry (inlaid work made from small pieces of variously colored wood or other materials, used chiefly for the decoration of furniture.) technique producing a contrast with a surface of a piece of wood furniture

Banquette

Built-in or free standing, upholstered bench, straight-run, back to back, L-shaped, island, U-shaped, octagonal, circular, radius-U, saw tooth, serpentine

Batting

Thin layers of natural or synthetic cloth used to line cushions, pillows, quilts, or crafts

Bauhaus

Practical, theoretical, and influential industrial art, craft, architecture and design school of the 20th century

Bead

Small round ball made from variety of of materials with a center hole, allowing it to be sewn or strung onto a cord woven fabrics

Bedding

Custom handmade or manufactured materials used on a bed for utilitarian or decorative purposes

- Bedspread (full length)

- Coverlet (to dust- ruffle); quiltei

- Comforter, coverlet, duvet cover (comforter cover)

- Bed Skirt, dust ruffle, lined, split corners, gusset corners, box spring cover

- Bed pillows, standard, king, continental

- Pillows; bolster, or custom shape with ruffle, flange , banding, cording, tassels, etc

- Sheets: fitted , flat, blankets (higher thread counts indicate tighter , softer, finer weave)

Bed Sheet

Square panel of fabric with or without elastic edge used to encase the top mattress

Bed Skirt

Fabric bedding treatment, which spans between the upper and lower mattress beginning beneath a comforter to touch the floor

Bedspread

Fabric bedding treatment, which covers a top mattress

Bench

Long seat several individuals with or without a back support, worktable for machinery

Bench-made

One artisan creates a piece of furniture from start to finish

Bench Seat

Built-in bench

Bentwood

Wood steamed and bent to form structural members of furniture

Bergere Chair

French exposed-wood frame, overstuffed upholstered chair, An armchair with closed arms

Bevel

The sloping on the edge of a panel of glass in cabinet work, so as to diminish the apparent size of the surface, and to provide a play of light and shade

Beveled-Edge

Slanted and polished edge detail used on wood, marble and glass

Beveled Glass

Custom or machine-made clear glass panel with an angled, polished edge; window composed of multiple pieces of leaded glass

Bibliotheque

Furniture cabinet used to store literary and artistic materials

Board and Batten

Barn-like exterior siding constructed of 12'' wide vertical boards joined side to side with smaller 1/2'' - 1'' boards covering the joints

Bobeche

Glass ring added at the base of a candle to gather wax or on the base of an electrified chandelier candle- cover to dangle glass prisms

Bolster

Cylindrical shape pillows, often with decorative embellishments such as tassel, trims and gathers on either end

Bombe

Outward swelling on commodes, bureaus and armoires

Bookcase

A chest constructed of several open shelves to hold books and accessories

Book Match

Veneer sliced. opened and glued in place to create a mirrored image pattern

Bow Front

Convex cabinet front

Bowed

A board that does not sit flat i.e warped

Box Spring Cover

Fabric sleeve constructed to hide box springs, often gathered with elastic on the underneath side

Box Spring

Wire coils connected to one another with an outer metal frame, often padded and encased in quilted fabric

Boulle Work

Terms loosely applied to a form of marquetry wherein veneers of tortoiseshells and brass and sometimes combined with other materials are applied

Bracket

Decorative or structural (up-side down, L - shaped) projection of wood, iron, marble, polyurethane or other materials installed to support overhangs, cantilevered projections or objects of art

Breakfront

Large cabinet where the center section projects beyond the two side sections

Brushed Finish

Fabric finishing process using an abrasive surface to create a raised nap on the surface

Buffet

Linear furniture piece with storage for flatware used as counter for serving

Bullion Fringe

Long, twisted, heat-set, multi-ply fringe often used on upholstery

Bullnose Edge

Thick, round edge detail i.e full bullnose , half bullnose

Bun Foot

Furniture leg in the shape of a bun or series of flattened balls

Bureau

Refers to an American dresser or French writing desk

Burled Wood

Hardwood, with a swirling growth pattern used for veneers and inlays

Burn Out

Fabric composed of two fibers chemically printed to dissolve one of the fibers, leaving a see- through design or positive/ negative appearance

Butt Joint

Woodworking joint for decorative purposes where two pieces of wood are joined together only with glue or nails

Cabinet

Free-standing or built-in furniture piece designed with shelves or drawers for storage and display i.e bookcase

Cabinetry

Combination of built-in cabinets

Cabroile Leg

Carved wood furniture leg curving outward at the knee and tapering inward at the ankle, resembling an animals hip, thigh and ankle, often finished with a claw foot or rounded pad

Cambium Layer

A thin layer entirely surrounding the trunk that is inactive growth

Camel-back Sofa

Sofa style characterized by a large curved rise or "hump" located on the seat back

Candelabra

Multiple candle holders supported on a decorative stand, which can be electrified

Cantilever

Projecting structural member supported on a fulcrum, which is held in place by a downward force behind the leverage point

Carpentry

A process by which woodwork materials are manufactured and produced

Carve

Adorn objects by cutting wood with sharp hand-held instruments

Case Goods

Furniture pieces primarily constructed of wood

Casement Cloth

Semi-sheer, translucent or opaque novelty fabric, typically in neutral color ways

Casework

Custom woodwork, all parts that constitute a finished case or cabinet inclusive of doors, drawers and shelves

Cast Iron

Molten iron poured into a mold to create multiple castings

Chair

Individual seat constructed with the back rest, which is most often supported by 4 legs. featuring single or double armrests, i.e Captain's chair, host and hostess chairs, ladder back chair, side chair, wing chair

Chair Rail

Wood trim installed horizontally on a wall around a room usually about 30'' off the ground, used to scale down a large wall, further adorned with bead board, trim, wallpaper or contrasting paint colors, above and below

Chaise Lounge

Long reclining chair or sofa

Chifferobe

Large furniture wardrobe with drawers

Chinoiserie

Style of art depicting Asian or Chinese motifs popular in France and England

Chiseled

Stone shaped by a sharp hand tool, organizations to indicate a member meets their standard

Classic

Design having withstood the test of time; classical proportions in architectural; classy or sleek

Claw Foot

Carved end on a furniture leg resembling an animal claw

Closet

Free-standing furniture, sheetrock enclosure or custom cabinetry implemented to store belongings, fitted with drawers, rods and racks

Coffee Table

A low table typically placed in front of a sofa

Collage

Images, patterns and texture onto another surface, as in decoupage contrasting, complimentary or monochromatic, utilized in a specific project

Combing

Faux painting technique where a tool with "teeth" is dragged through the wet paint to create striations.

Comforter

Bedcover with two layers of fabric filled with down or a synthetic fiber fill stitched together

Commode

Cabinet or chest, typically raised off the floor with legs, which can hold a wash basin or chamber pot

Concealed Hinge

Hinge attached to a door and frame from the inside making it invisible from the exterior

Console

Carved decorative bracket; control panel for monitoring electrical equipment usage

Console Table

A table supported by ornamental consoles

Contemporary

Designs with simple lines, curves and geometric patterns

Continental Pillow

24'' European square decorative pillow, often used in sets of 3 on a king bedding as a backrest for a bank of pillows

Cording

Machine-made or handmade decorative binding

Corner Cabinet

Built-in independently crafted cabinet designed to fit tightly into the corner of the room, often symmetrically flanking two sides of a room

Couch

Upholstered furniture used for sitting or reclining

Counter

Horizontal work surface, which can be free standing or built-in, often constructed at 29'' for seating height, or 36''-39'' for standing height