How do you express yourself? When words like "thingy" and "whatchamacallit" just won't do; or when you want to learn a little bit more about the language behind your decorating experience – we're here to help. Here's a list of some of the most commonly used terms in the furniture and decorating worlds.
A – C D - L M - R S - Z
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Abrasion wear: Distress or erosion marks on fabrics, wood or metal. Created when a surface experiences friction in use or handling.
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Acanthus leaf: A plant with a beautiful leaf of scrolling points and pinnate lobes. Often found in objects from Greek and classical antiquity as a decorative motif. Still popular in fabrics, art, accessories and carvings.
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Acetate: A synthetic fiber made from cellulose, a common material in the cell walls of many plants. Its desirable properties are elegance and versatility; and it is usually combined with other fibers to add a luxurious hand and appearance.
Acrylic: A synthetic fiber derived from plant or chemical resin. Acrylic's desirable properties are moderate strength and its acceptance of brilliant color dyes. Acrylic also has a soft, plush loft that does not flatten.
Antique finish: A patina of age created by the application of paint, stain or other surface treatments.
Arm caps: Coverings, mostly crafted from fabric, designed to protect the top surface of chair and sofa arms.
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Armoire: A cabinet or wardrobe, usually made of wood and originally built to store linens, clothing or other household items. Now often used as media centers. Derived from Latin word for chest.
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Art Deco style: A style of art, decoration and architecture, generally popular from 1925-1940. Often used geometric designs, bold colors, wood, metal, glass, stone and plastic either singly or in mixed media application.
Art Nouveau style: A style of art, decoration and architecture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that depicted flowing leaves, flowers and natural elements. Typical materials used were wood, metal and glass.
Arts & Crafts style: A style of art, decoration and architecture made popular during the first half of the 20th century. Often associated with simple, clean-lined pieces that have a handcrafted look and feel. Also referred to as Mission style.
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Balance: A harmonious or satisfying arrangement and proportion of the components of a product or environment.
Ball and claw foot: A decorative feature on traditional wood furniture. The foot imitates a carved ball held by a talon of a bird of prey, usually an eagle.
Beadboard: An architectural design element in wood. Paneling is routed vertically so that parallel lines span the height of the board. Often used as wall material, wainscoting and cabinet doors. The beadboard is then painted or stained.
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Bergere: A chair of French design with carved wood framing, upholstered body and sumptuous seating. Popularized in the reigns of Louis XIV and XV.
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Bench seat: An upholstery feature in which the seat of a sofa, loveseat or settee is made of only one cushion rather than two or more. The complete seating space is a single unit.
Bias: The cutting and sewing of a fabric at a diagonal or 45 degree angle in relationship to the pattern.
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Block foot: A square or tapered leg of a chair or sofa. Usually made of wood, plastic or metal.
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Bombe: A French design silhouette common in chests, cabinets and armoires. Features a convex or outward curving of the dimensions in the lower portion of the piece.
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Boxpleat skirt: The treatment of a skirt using alternating high/low folds of fabric to create a dentil pattern.
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Brocade: A heavy fabric woven with a rich, raised design or pattern.
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Buffet: 1-A piece of furniture designed for serving food. 2-The lower portion of a two-piece china cabinet.
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Bullion trim: A trim made of lengths of yarn twisted into a rope or braid. Applied to the base of upholstery, draperies, pillows and lampshades. Available in many colors, sizes and lengths. Originated in France in lacework made with gold or silver threads.
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Bun foot: A base style – usually made of wood – for upholstered products crafted in the shape of a spherical or flat bun.
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Burl: The beautiful, swirling grain pattern in wood usually harvested from roots or knots.
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Button tufted: An upholstery surface technique that uses buttons to create a pattern. Can mimic the look of pieces of fabric and/or leather sewn together.
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Cabriole: A shape given to a furniture feature, usually a leg, with a gentle hip or bow near the top, then curving and tapering into a smaller foot.
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Camelback: The name referring to a style of furniture in which the back swells into a higher dimension at the center point and declines to a lower dimension at either side.
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Cane: 1- Material usually derived from the soft, outer bark of rattan and woven into the seat or back surface of chairs. 2- Material created from wood or wicker and made to resemble the segmented growth pattern of bamboo, water or ribbon canes. Often used as motif in the leg or base of furniture pieces.
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Case goods: Furniture items that are generally used for storage and have a case as the primary component of construction. The case space is then filled with drawers, shelves and/or doors. Examples are dressers, armoires, cabinets and chests.
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Casters: Round or tire-shaped wheels attached by a swivel to furniture pieces for mobility; generally constructed of metal or plastic.
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Chaise: A chair with an elongated seat that allows the occupant's legs to be raised. From an old French word for chair.
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Channel back: A patterning technique in upholstered goods using vertical seams to create definition and separation in back materials.
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Charles of London arm: A style of arm construction, also known as English, that is lower near the back and swells into a graceful, sinuous curve at its front. Padding is usually rolled over the side of the arm to create a fuller dimension above a flat side panel.
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Chenille: A tufting technique of yarn making which allows the fibers to blossom, creating a soft and plush fabric. From an old French word for caterpillar.
Chesterfield: A name for a silhouette of upholstery, usually overstuffed and more masculine in attitude. Many Chesterfield pieces have a tight back, rounded corners and large, rounded or semi-rounded arms. Named after the 4th Earl of Chesterfield, an 18th century writer.
Chintz: Fabric that has been printed and then glazed to have a high sheen. Usually cotton and floral, occasionally in solids, plaids or stripes. From the Hindu word for shiny or spotted.
Chippendale: A traditional style of furniture with flowing lines and Rococo ornamentation. Named for an early 17th century British cabinetmaker.
Club foot: Refers to a simple turned foot modeled after a club, much like that used in the early days of golf. Usually paired with Cabriole and Queen Anne style legs.
Colonial style: A traditional style of furniture popularized during the American Revolution. Pieces were often gracefully carved and featured moderate to heavy ornamentation. Also used to reference furniture crafted by settlers in colonial areas around the globe using local materials exhibiting Old World designs in New World materials.
Color transfer: 1- The process of applying color from one material onto another by moisture or heat. 2- The accidental seepage of color from one material to another.
Colorway: The variety of color choices in which a product is constructed.
Contemporary style: A name given to a broad style range of designs from the 20th century. Generally, designs are simple and pure in concept and crafted from woods, metals, polymer products or glass.
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Contrasting welt: The welting or piping at seams that is covered in fabric contrasting or different from the main body cloth of an upholstered piece. This technique creates a highlighting of the components in the piece. Applies to pillows, linens, seating pieces, draperies, etc.
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Conventional center: The pattern in a fabric where the center parallels the selvages or edges and runs the length of the roll of yardage rather than across it. Certain centered patterns require centering and balancing on the back, seat cushions, and other areas of a piece of upholstery, thus requiring more yardage. See Selvage.
Conventional match: The pattern in a fabric where the center parallels the selvages or edges and runs the length of the roll of yardage rather than across it. For instance, certain florals, plaids or large checks might require that the pattern be matched at seams in critical focal points, and possibly other visible areas. See Selvage.
Conventional random: The pattern in a fabric where the center parallels the selvages or edges and runs the length of the roll of yardage rather than across it. The pattern of the fabric is small enough or indistinct enough that matching and centering are not required.
Cottage: 1- A small, usually one-floor house often bearing some details of rural inspiration. 2- An interior design plan or style of furnishings that uses cottage influences. Cottage as a trend generally refers to romantic colors, simple lines and natural materials.
Cotton: 1- A green, leafy plant with showy, white fibrous flowers. 2- The fiber derived from the blossoms of the cotton plant. 3- Textiles made from cotton fibers. Admirable qualities: abrasion resistance, excellent hand and pilling resistance, offers an elegant and stylish appearance.
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