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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.
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Marquetry: The craft of inlaying wood or other natural materials into a surface area to create a distinctive pattern; usually indicating a more elaborate and fine artistry than inlay.
Married cover: The specifying of a particular fabric's use with a particular frame style in repetitive production.
Matelasse: A textile weaving technique using two layers of fabric held together by stitches sewn into a pattern. The pattern could be botanical, such as leaves; geometric such as diamonds or squares; or abstract shapes. The space between the layers of fabric creates pockets between the stitches. Matelasse fabrics are heavy, sumptuous and durable.
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Mattress-tufted: A method of cushion or pillow construction featuring symmetrical tufting usually with buttons. Mimics the appearance of a mattress surface.
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Mission: A design style reflective of objects from the early 20th Century. Items were typically plain, solidly built and of dark finish.
Moiré: A textile pattern that mimics the marks left by water having evaporated from paper or silk. There is a distinct and recognizable pattern to moiré and it is modeled after silk that has dried.
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Molding: The decorative embellishment or trim around the walls of a room or a piece of furniture.
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Motion furniture: Items that have multiple positioning capabilities or allow for movement, such as a recliner, incliner, swivel or glider.
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Nailhead trim: The use of decorative nail heads around the edges of upholstery pieces.
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Nap: The pile or surface texture created by the yarns of a textile. Generally used to refer to a soft or fuzzy characteristic.
Nubuck: Leather created with a slight nap by abrading the top layer of hide. More serviceable and durable than suede, though similar in appearance.
Nylon: 1- A synthetic yarn derived from polymers usually petrochemical in origin. 2- The textile made from nylon yarns. Admirable characteristics: excellent abrasion resistance, dyes well, lightweight and lustrous.
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Occasional table: Generally refers to a table used with a sofa or chair. Could also refer to an accent table used independently and intermittently.
Olefin: A man-made fiber from a hydrocarbon source. Admirable qualities are strength and stain resistance.
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Ottoman: 1-A piece of furniture designed to support the feet. From the ancient Eastern empires where such pieces were easily portable and used for seating. 2- An upholstered piece with no arms or back. 3- A cloth with a small and tight cording construction.
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Padding: The soft materials used between the frame and cover of an upholstered piece to create comfort and shape. Foam, fabric and fiber are common elements of padding.
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Parsons leg: A simple, straight, square leg that is the same dimension from top to bottom. From the Parsons School of Design.
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Patina: The surface appearance of an object that is the result of age or use.
Pigment: A substance used to provide or carry color.
Pilling: The small balls of yarn on the surface of a fabric resulting from use or abrasion.
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Piping/welting: A cord of paper, fiber or plastic, wrapped in fabric or leather and used to trim upholstered items and/or to secure a seam. Many Norwalk upholstered pieces feature piping/welting.
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Polyester: 1- A synthetic resin, polymer-derived fiber often used in a blend with wool, cotton or rayon. Admirable characteristics: lightweight, strong, soft hand, durable and wrinkle resistant. 2- Fabric woven from polyester fibers.
Printed warp: The threads or yarns that run perpendicular to the weft or fill yarns in woven goods and provide the foundation for the fabric. A printed warp provides more color options and enhancement to a textile. See Weft.
Provincial: 1- Generally, relating to the countryside, rural, pastoral, simple and unsophisticated. 2- Often used to refer to rustic and hand-crafted furnishings and design from the French provinces outside of Paris and particularly from the southern region of Province.
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Queen Anne style: Furniture and architectural styles developed during the reign of Queen Anne, often exhibiting curved legs and simple ornamentation.
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Railroad center: Term for fabric pattern direction in which the design is oriented across the width, and runs perpendicular to the selvage or edges. See Selvage.
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Railroad match: Term for fabric pattern direction in which the design is oriented across the width, runs perpendicular to the selvages or edges and would require matching. For instance, a plaid or large check would be laid out across the roll, not down the length. See Selvage.
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Railroad random: Term for fabric pattern direction in which the design is oriented across the width, runs perpendicular to the selvages or edges and is indistinct enough to not require matching. See Selvage.
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Rattan: 1- Plants of the climbing palm family. 2- The material harvested from the rattan plant. 3- Products made from the rattan material.
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Rayon: A man-made fiber derived from the cell wall of plants. Admirable characteristics: luster, soft hand, pilling resistance and absorption of dyes.
Reeding: Parallel grooves carved into wood, stone or metal to resemble the slender stems of water plants.
Retro style: A reference to designs inspired by objects from the period and movements of the first 60 years of the 20th century: Bauhaus, Deco, Jazz, Internationalism, Cubism, Modernism, etc.
Revival: The reintroduction of designs from an earlier period, for instance, Renaissance revival or Greek revival.
Ribbon band: A narrow trim of fabric around the edge or base of a sofa, chair or table skirt, a pillow or drapery.
Rococo style: A design style originated in France in the 1700s using heavy ornamentation of leaves, animals and scrolling. Seen in architecture and objects.
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Rolled arm: Refers to the shape of an upholstered arm in which the top portion is rounded and larger than the supporting post underneath. Padding and fabric are then pulled over the top, then attached, creating a rolled profile.
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