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 : Glossary of terms |
Scroll through the list of terms or click on a letter to go to that part of the Glossary.
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Acanthus
A type of leaf used as a carving motif since ancient times, acanthus leaves have a curved shape and somewhat ruffled edges making it very decorative.
Adhesive
A chemical formula that affixes surfaces to each other in a permanent fashion. Adhesive is used between layers of veneer and between veneer & MDF. It is also used between layers of veneer that are glued and then bent into curved shapes (for door or drawer fronts). Adhesive is also used with dowels to joint parts and panels within a piece of furniture.
Applied Carving
Pieces of solid wood that have been hand-carved or shaped by machine and glued onto a piece of furniture. Resin/plastic shapes are sometimes used as imitations for applied carving.
Armoire
Another name for a tall wardrobe with doors, and sometimes a few drawers that is used to store clothing. If the inside is fitted for electronics, it is an entertainment center. Another name for an armoire is a clothes press.
Ash
Light, creamy-colored hardwood that sometimes has a wavy or curly grain pattern. Ash burl has a more pronounced circular and wavy grain pattern and is cut from the tree stump or where limbs intersect the trunk.
Back panel
The piece of wood that covers the back of a case piece. The best back panels are wood, and are affixed to the back of the furniture with screws. Back panels also add to the structural integrity of a piece of furniture by holding the sides and back in alignment.
Ball & claw
A type of carving used as the foot of a chair, table or small chest that looks like a sphere grasped by a bird's foot. The original inspiration for this carving is Chinese and is said to resemble a dragon's talons clutching a pearl.
Bail
The loop or the U-shaped part that the fingers grasp on the hardware pull on a piece of furniture.
Banding
Decorative veneer edging on case goods that usually has its grain running perpendicular to the edge of the piece of furniture. Banding also refers to layers of veneer inside a veneered piece between the core and the face veneer.
Bead
This molding is small in size and is a round dowel shape cut in half lengthwise. It is often used to frame drawers or doors with a decorative edge.
Beveled edge
Similar to a chamfer, a beveled edge slopes from thick to thin and is often used as a shape for the edge of a mirror.
Bombé
Convex sides and front on a chest that are shaped in a curved fashion. The sides of a bombe chest bulge in a decorative way.
Book matched veneers
Thin sheets of wood cut from the same log are separated in a way that's like the opening of a book. The pieces that are placed next to each other are aligned so that the seam where they're matched joins adjacent areas of the original log.
Bow front
Convex, elliptical shaping on just the front of a chest or case piece
Bracket Foot
A two-sided foot where the sides meet at a right angle and are shaped like a bracket at the open end.
Brass
Copper & zinc alloy that is stronger than copper alone, and more golden in color than copper
Brocade
Fabric with an interwoven design of flowers or figures throughout the fabric, emphasized by contrasting surfaces and colors.
Bronze
Copper & tin alloy sometimes used as a decorative element on furniture.
Bun foot
Circular shaped carved foot that has the appearance of being flatted a little so that it looks more like a bun - or the shape of a jelly-filled doughnut.
Burl
Growths on a tree that produce small amounts of beautifully grained wood or stumps and areas of the tree where limbs intersect with the trunk and grains move in many directions. Burl is prized as a decorative veneer.
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Capital
The top of a column that is often decorated with a carved scroll or other ornamental element.
Case goods
Originally used as a term for wood furniture that offered storage, case goods now refers to virtually any furniture not used as a seat or chair.
Cathedral
Shape of the wood grain in some straight cut veneers that has the appearance of an oval arc.
Chamfer
A shaped, sloped edge.
Chenille
Fabric woven from a fuzzy yarn so that the finished fabric has a soft, wooly texture.
Chest on chest
A storage piece that has two sections placed on top of one another - and each section has the appearance of a chest of drawers.
Chintz
Printed cotton fabric with floral or figure designs and a glazed finish.
Corner Blocks
Triangular shaped pieces of wood that are affixed to the underside of a chair seat to stabilize and strengthen the seat. Corner blocks are also used in the corners of drawers, cabinets, tables and in places where additional strength is desired.
Contemporary
Modern style of furniture design featuring straight and some curved lines and very little ornamentation.
Cornice
A top treatment for a window, usually constructed of wood. Covered with fabric it becomes an upholstered cornice.
Cross banding
Borders of veneer often used as a decorative edge, where the grain of the veneer is perpendicular to the edge it decorates.
Damask
A reversible fabric distinguished by the design in its weave, made from silk, cotton, linen, wool or man-made fibers. The patterns tend to be large and formal so it works well for reproduction upholstery and full- length curtains. The patterns show to advantage on a large flat area and so they work well when stretched on walls. Damask curtains are always heavy and need extra- strong fixings.
Dovetails (English)
A type of furniture construction joinery where triangular shaped edges fit together in an interlocking pattern.
Dowels
Small cylinders of wood that are used like pegs glued into holes, to join the parts in a piece of furniture. Dowels give a measure of solid strength to the joint that makes it stronger than glue alone.
Drawer Guides
Strips of convex and concave shaped wood strips that fit together smoothly in a track. The convex shape is affixed to the bottom of a drawer and the concave strip is fastened to the chest or dresser. The guide keeps the drawer centered and allows it to be opened and closed smoothly. Some drawer guides are also made of metal.
Dust proofing
Pieces of wood affixed between drawers in a dresser or chest that protect items in drawers from dust and critters. Wooden dust proofing is the best quality, and it contributes an additional measure of structural integrity to a piece of furniture.
Dye Lots
A batch of fabric dyed in a color. Since dyeing conditions may vary slightly, color may vary slightly from one dye batch to the next.
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Ebony
A very hard and dense wood with jet-black coloration that is often used as a slim line in veneer or marquetry patterns.
Eclectic
A style of decorating that selects "favorites" or "bests" from different design styles and mixes them together in a unique fashion.
Emperadora marble
Hard, crystalline limestone with brown, black and white colorations and dramatic vein patterns. Polished to a high sheen for use as a top for a chest or dresser.
End panels
The sides of a chest, dresser or armoire
Fan veneer
Veneer cut in wedges or triangular shapes resembling an open fan.
Face veneer
The outermost piece of veneer seen on the exterior of a veneered piece of furniture.
Fancy Face Veneers
A face veneer that has a special grain pattern or decorative design inlaid in it.
Faux finishes
Decorative paint finishes that imitate marble, wood-graining, stone, etc.
Fiberboard (MDF)
Medium density fiberboard is comprised of small wood pieces glued and pressed into a flat board. MDF has no grain and is a strong and stable core for veneered panels and tabletops.
Finial
Decorative end of a curtain pole which also prevents rings and curtains from sliding off. Finial can also describe a piece of decorative hardware that attaches a lamp shade to a lamp.
Flitch
A log cut into thin (1/16") slices for veneers. A sheaf of veneer slices or an entire log in slices is referred to a flitch of veneer.
Fluting
Rows of concave grooves or channels cut into a post as a decorative element. Fluting is the opposite of reeding.
Frame
A square or rectangular border for end panels on a cabinet, armoire or chest. A frame is also the structure that holds the glass in a mirror or the pieces that hold the mattress and box springs on a bed. Sometimes the skeleton of a case piece is referred to as a frame.
French Dovetail
Shaped in a triangular fashion like an English dovetail, the French version functions more like a tongue and groove joint and is used for interior construction in case goods.
French pleats
Hand-sewn triple pleats separated by flat areas on a curtain heading. Also called pinch pleats
Fullness
The amount of fabric shirred or pleated into a window treatment, from 2 times the length of the treatment (200%) to 5 times (500%) fullness.
Grain
The pattern of wood fibers in a piece of wood. Some grains are straight and fibers stand close together. Others are circular, curved, wavy or other shapes. Grain in woven fabric refers to the direction of the warp yarns.
Grommets
Circular holes framed in metal often used for wire management in entertainment centers.
Halogen
Gas used in tungsten-halogen lamps which increases lamp life and enhances lumen output.
Hard Wire
A term referring to permanent, traditional electrical wiring methods such as EMT (electrical metallic tubing) and wire (also called pipe and wire) or other methods containing no pluggable or relocatable features.
Hardwoods
Hardwoods come from deciduous trees - those that lose their leaves once a year. Some examples of hardwoods are oak, maple, cherry and sycamore.
Harp
A piece of metal, wire or brass that supports the shade on a lamp, that's typically attached at the top with a finial.
Honed edge
A polished, curved shaped edge on a stone top
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Incised carving
Carving technique that cuts into wood - often in geometric shapes. This type of carving is gouged or chipped out to leave an interior design.
Inlay
Veneer designs inserted into larger veneer pieces or wood so that the surface of the inlay is flush with the surface of the piece. Metal, mother of pearl and other materials are sometimes used as inlay.
Interlining
A soft layer of cloth placed between the face fabric and lining to provide insulation and also improve the way the curtain or drapery hangs.
Jabot
A folded fabric that cascades down to a point and is used between swags or cascades in a window treatment.
Kiln Drying
A process by which pieces of lumber are dried in a large (often room-sized) oven to remove some of the moisture present in freshly cut wood. Kiln drying balances the moisture in wood so that it is suitable for manufacturing and finishing.
Lacquer
Clear, cellulose-based finish used as the top coating on some furniture
Laminate
A thin protective covering, bonded to a material.
Laying up veneers
The process of cutting and matching the grain patterns of veneers to achieve the desired veneer design in furniture. Laying up veneer requires expert cutting and matching. The top of the veneer is joined with a special type of paper tape. After the veneer has been glued to MDF, the tape is no longer needed and is removed with gentle sanding.
Marquetry
Contrasting colors of veneer used to create a picture or embellishment with straight and curved lines. Flowers, shells and intricate, curved shapes are examples of marquetry.
MDF - Medium Density Fiberboard
Manufactured material made from compressed wood fibers and glue that is often used as a core for veneered products. MDF has no grain, which makes it an excellent core material because it does not expand or shrink. MDF is also heavier and denser than solid wood since it is made from compressed wood fibers.
Mitered
A 45° angle cut in two straight pieces of wood allowing them to form right angles as they join. A miter joins the corners of a mirror.
Moldings
Decorative strips of wood, sometimes carved, that frame doors, drawers, tops, sides and fronts of some case pieces.
Mortise & Tenon
A type of furniture construction joinery where a large rectangular tab of wood (tenon) fits into a slot that is the same shape (mortise).
Mullions
Vertical bars of stone or wood dividing the lights (or panes) of a window.
Ogee Edge
A shape (also known as a profile) made from two S curves that is often used for moldings or feet on furniture pieces.
Overlays
Carved pieces of wood applied to a case piece before finishing. (Faux or imitation overlays are made from resin or plastic)
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Parquet
Veneers placed in a geometric pattern where each edge is a straight line, is an example of parquetry. It often appears as a mosaic or checkerboard pattern.
Passementerie
Trimmings used on curtain, blinds, pelmets, bed hangings and cushions to give definition and add decorative detail.
Patina
The aged look that a wood finish or leather develops when used over a period of time. Fine finishes can give the look of patina without the wear of aging.
Pattern Repeat
The distance between any given point in a design to where that point is repeated
Pinch Pleats
Regularly spaced triple pleats, used for curtain, drapery, or valance headings. They can be formed by hand or using a decorator tape that either pulls up with cords or has pockets for special pleater hooks. See French pleats.
Pleat
A fold or crease, either pressed or stitched in place
Ply
A thin (usually 1/16") slice of wood used for veneering. In veneering the core counts as one ply and each layer of veneer is added to the count. i.e. a 5-ply veneer has a core and 2 plys on each side of the core.
Pocket doors
Door construction often used in entertainment centers when outer doors fold and slide back into the cabinet so that they are hidden from view.
Post
Column of wood, often shaped and carved, used on the corners of a bed, or as a decorative element on a case piece.
Primavera
Light-colored wood with pink and yellow tones that is often used as a decorative veneer or for edge banding.
Print Fabric
Fabric that is woven as uncolored cloth (greige goods) and then printed with color patterns
Profile
The cross-section shape of a piece of molding or a turning.
Quarter-sawn
A method for slicing wood in which the log is cut lengthwise in quarters. These quarters may be sliced again into quarter-sawn plys of veneer, by cutting lengthwise slices down the straight edge of a quarter.
Racking
A twisting, wobbly motion made by a piece of furniture that is not cut and assembled well. Structural integrity is compromised, allowing the furniture to shake when moved.
Radial cut veneers
Rectangles of veneer are cut in the shape of an isosceles triangle and are fitted together in a circular or semi-circular pattern that looks like a starburst pattern.
Rails
The horizontal wood pieces of a cabinet, or the side pieces that join the headboard and footboard of a bed.
Reeding
Strips of side by side, convex, half-circular shaping - often on the post of a bed. The opposite of fluting.
Relief Carving
A type of detailed carving in solid wood, where the background of the carving is removed leaving a raised design. (Sometimes an overlay looks like relief carving, but the overlay will have a point of demarcation between the overlay and the background wood)
Resin
Polymer (plastic) substance that can be molded into intricate shapes and applied to furniture as a less expensive alternative to carving.
Return
The part of a panel of drapery that is needed to cover the rod projection from the wall or window.
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Season Cracks
Openings that appear within the grain of solid wood pieces that have been improperly dried before manufacturing or that have been subjected to changing heat and humidity conditions. Season cracks often diminish when furniture is in warmer and more humid surroundings.
Selvage
The tightly woven edge on a width of fabric.
Sleigh bed
The headboard and footboard of a sleigh bed have a curved, scrolled shape that looks like an old-fashioned, horse-drawn sleigh.
Slipper foot
Shaped foot on a bed, table or case piece that resembles the curved, pointed toe of a lady's shoe, and its sole.
Soft woods
Another term for wood from evergreen trees - pine, fir, cedar.
Structural integrity
Building furniture with materials, design, joinery and glues that make the furniture strong and substantial.
Swag
Semicircular draped fabric top treatment, also called a festoon.
Tapered leg
A leg that becomes slimmer as it reaches the floor
Tongue & Groove
A type of furniture construction joinery where a long convex piece with a curved shape to its edge (tongue) slides into a groove shaped to fit. This joinery is often used in hardwood floors.
Traditional
Historic pieces of furniture and well-known design elements are the inspiration for traditional furniture. Complex carvings, moldings and bold shaping on case pieces are indicative of the traditional style as are fancy face veneers, polished finishes and embellished hardware.
Transitional
Clean lines of Contemporary furniture softened with shaping and carving elements of more traditional furniture are indicative of transitional design. Wood colorations tend to be lighter colors with satin rather than high sheen finishes.
Travertine
Stone with a creamy beige coloration often used for decorative tops to chests and dressers.
Truss
A bracket that gives additional support to two pieces of wood being joined in a perpendicular fashion. A truss system used in bed construction holds multi-ply slats on edge and secures them to the bed frame for strength and structural integrity.
Turning
Shaping a three - dimensional piece of wood by rotating it while cutting away the edges with sharp blades. The shape of a turning is referred to as its profile and is usually curved in convex and concave ways. Turned pieces are used for bed posters, legs of case pieces, spindles of chairs and other pieces that require a rounded shape.
Valance
A fabric top treatment in a window treatment. Types include swags and cascades, shirred and pleated and bloused valances.
Veneer
A thin slice of wood, often with a fancy or decorative grain pattern used to decorate the outside of furniture.
Woven Fabrics
Typically the yarns are dyed before the fabric is woven on a loom, so that a pattern is woven into the fabric as it is constructed. Woven fabrics can also be solid colors. Fabrics made from undyed yarns that are printed with color after the cloth is made are referred to as "prints"
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