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Glossary A handy guide to design, furniture and fabric terms Design Furniture Fabric DESIGN TERMS Color Scheme The color palette used in a home. These colors help define your personal style. They can be contrasting (pink and red), complementary (red and green) or monochromatic (various shades of one color, such as light and dark green). Focal Point A visual element in a room that draws the eye, such as a fireplace, a painting, a piece of furniture or even a color. Golden Furniture index
Thread A common style, color or theme used throughout a house that ties everything together and
makes your home uniquely yours. Personal Style An expression of your character and preferences. Your furniture style should reflect your personality, tastes and lifestyle. Scale The proportion or size of a piece of furniture as it relates to a room. back to top
FURNITURE TERMS Armoire A large cabinet or wardrobe, with two doors and shelves on the interior for storing clothes or electronic equipment. Banding Inlay or marquetry that produces a Furniture index
color or grain contrasting with the surface it decorates. Bombé (French) An outward swelling. Applies to commodes, bureaus, and armoires. Bowfront A cabinet front that curves outward to appear convex. Break front A bookcase or china cabinet made of three vertical sections, the center one projecting forward beyond the two end sections. Buffet A small cupboard. The French definition of the word is "a
small sideboard, a place for keeping dishes." Bun foot A flattened ball, or bun shape, foot. Bureau In America, the name refers to a bedroom storage piece commonly known as a "dresser." The French word, however, originally designated the red cloth covering for a writing desk, and, later, was used to refer to the desk itself. Cabriole A graceful, curving type of leg that swells outward at the knee and inward at the ankle. Camelback A curved sofa back characterized by a large
central hump. Case goods Specifically, storage pieces made primarily of wood. More generally, refers Furniture index
to entire collections of wood bedroom and dining room furniture, including some pieces that are not storage, such as headboards and dining tables. Couch A 17th- and 18th-Century term for a daybed. Not used as a term for a sofa until recent times. Credenza A sideboard or buffet. Dowel Headless pin, usually made of wood, used in furniture construction. Eight-way, hand-tied springs Each coil spring is hand-tied into place with twine, interlocking it with other coils. Using a set of knots, the
coils are tied front to back, side to side, and diagonally across. Etagere A set of open shelves for displaying small objects and sometimes having an enclosed cabinet as a base. Gateleg table A table with a folding leaf upheld by a leg that swings out like a gate. Popular in Colonial America. Highboy A high chest of drawers, deriving its name from haut bois, which in French means "high wood." KD "Knocked down." Term applied to furniture sold unassembled or only partially assembled. Motion upholstery An upholstered piece with reclining or inclining seating features. Occasional tables A term applied loosely
to any small tables, Furniture index
such as coffee tables, lamp tables and consoles. Patina A surface texture produced by age, wear or rubbing. RTA "Ready-to-assemble." Term applied to furniture sold unassembled or only partially assembled. Secretary A drop front desk, often with book shelves above and drawers below. Settee A long seat or bench with a high back and often with arms. Sideboard A dining room piece with a long flat top for serving and usually equipped with drawers or cabinets for storing china. Trundle bed A low bed, which, during the daytime, is rolled under a larger bed. Veneer Thin sheets of wood applied
to the surface of furniture for decorative effect. Windsor chair A chair with a wooden or rush seat, pegged legs, and a back of turned spindles. Wing chair An upholstered chair with a high back, stuffed arms and wing-shaped projectors at head level.
back to top FABRIC TERMS Batik Hand-printed material colored by dipping the fabric into dye. Brocade Originally heavy silk with an elaborate pattern in silver or gold threads. Brocade fabric has an embossed appearance. Chenille From the French word for "caterpillar," so named because chenille yarn is plush and fuzzy. Also used
to denote fabrics made with Furniture index
chenille yarn. Chintz Originally any printed, cotton fabric. Now refers to fabric with a glazed or "polished" surface. Damask Named for the ancient city of Damascus where elaborate floral designs were woven in silk. Damask is flatter than brocade and is reversible. The pattern changes color on the wrong side. Jacquard Damasks, tapestries, brocades, matelass and all cloths with elaborate figures woven on a jacquard loom. Matelass
French, meaning to cushion or pad. Refers to fabric with a quilted surface produced on the loom. A figured or brocaded cloth with a raised pattern. Moire A fabric, particularly silk, with a watered or wavy pattern. Ticking A Furniture index
strong cotton fabric used to cover mattresses. Toile A sheer cotton or linen fabric.
Glossary A handy guide to design, furniture and fabric terms Design Furniture Fabric DESIGN TERMS Color Scheme The color palette used in a home. These colors help define your personal style. They can be contrasting (pink and red), complementary (red and green) or monochromatic (various shades of one color, such as light and dark green). Focal Point A visual element in a room that draws the eye, such as a fireplace, a painting, a piece of furniture or even a color. Golden Furniture index
Thread A common style, color or theme used throughout a house that ties everything together and
makes your home uniquely yours. Personal Style An expression of your character and preferences. Your furniture style should reflect your personality, tastes and lifestyle. Scale The proportion or size of a piece of furniture as it relates to a room. back to top
FURNITURE TERMS Armoire A large cabinet or wardrobe, with two doors and shelves on the interior for storing clothes or electronic equipment. Banding Inlay or marquetry that produces a Furniture index
color or grain contrasting with the surface it decorates. Bombé (French) An outward swelling. Applies to commodes, bureaus, and armoires. Bowfront A cabinet front that curves outward to appear convex. Break front A bookcase or china cabinet made of three vertical sections, the center one projecting forward beyond the two end sections. Buffet A small cupboard. The French definition of the word is "a
small sideboard, a place for keeping dishes." Bun foot A flattened ball, or bun shape, foot. Bureau In America, the name refers to a bedroom storage piece commonly known as a "dresser." The French word, however, originally designated the red cloth covering for a writing desk, and, later, was used to refer to the desk itself. Cabriole A graceful, curving type of leg that swells outward at the knee and inward at the ankle. Camelback A curved sofa back characterized by a large
central hump. Case goods Specifically, storage pieces made primarily of wood. More generally, refers Furniture index
to entire collections of wood bedroom and dining room furniture, including some pieces that are not storage, such as headboards and dining tables. Couch A 17th- and 18th-Century term for a daybed. Not used as a term for a sofa until recent times. Credenza A sideboard or buffet. Dowel Headless pin, usually made of wood, used in furniture construction. Eight-way, hand-tied springs Each coil spring is hand-tied into place with twine, interlocking it with other coils. Using a set of knots, the
coils are tied front to back, side to side, and diagonally across. Etagere A set of open shelves for displaying small objects and sometimes having an enclosed cabinet as a base. Gateleg table A table with a folding leaf upheld by a leg that swings out like a gate. Popular in Colonial America. Highboy A high chest of drawers, deriving its name from haut bois, which in French means "high wood." KD "Knocked down." Term applied to furniture sold unassembled or only partially assembled. Motion upholstery An upholstered piece with reclining or inclining seating features. Occasional tables A term applied loosely
to any small tables, Furniture index
such as coffee tables, lamp tables and consoles. Patina A surface texture produced by age, wear or rubbing. RTA "Ready-to-assemble." Term applied to furniture sold unassembled or only partially assembled. Secretary A drop front desk, often with book shelves above and drawers below. Settee A long seat or bench with a high back and often with arms. Sideboard A dining room piece with a long flat top for serving and usually equipped with drawers or cabinets for storing china. Trundle bed A low bed, which, during the daytime, is rolled under a larger bed. Veneer Thin sheets of wood applied
to the surface of furniture for decorative effect. Windsor chair A chair with a wooden or rush seat, pegged legs, and a back of turned spindles. Wing chair An upholstered chair with a high back, stuffed arms and wing-shaped projectors at head level.
back to top FABRIC TERMS Batik Hand-printed material colored by dipping the fabric into dye. Brocade Originally heavy silk with an elaborate pattern in silver or gold threads. Brocade fabric has an embossed appearance. Chenille From the French word for "caterpillar," so named because chenille yarn is plush and fuzzy. Also used
to denote fabrics made with Furniture index
chenille yarn. Chintz Originally any printed, cotton fabric. Now refers to fabric with a glazed or "polished" surface. Damask Named for the ancient city of Damascus where elaborate floral designs were woven in silk. Damask is flatter than brocade and is reversible. The pattern changes color on the wrong side. Jacquard Damasks, tapestries, brocades, matelass and all cloths with elaborate figures woven on a jacquard loom. Matelass
French, meaning to cushion or pad. Refers to fabric with a quilted surface produced on the loom. A figured or brocaded cloth with a raised pattern. Moire A fabric, particularly silk, with a watered or wavy pattern. Ticking A Furniture index
strong cotton fabric used to cover mattresses. Toile A sheer cotton or linen fabric.
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