Furniture Glossary and Terms

Antique finish

Special finish to give the appearance of age. This is mostly done by finishing some part of the furniture is darker and lighter color than the rest.

Armchair

A Typical chair with arm supports attached.

Armoire

Tall storage unit, with drawers. Used to store clothing.

Arts and crafts

Simple and basic deign, construction often able to be seen.

Bi-cast

Split leather with a layer of polyurethane.

Bombé

Style of chests or table that are bulging out, and then curve back in at bottom.

Bomb‚

Style of chests or table that are bulging out, and then curve back in at bottom.

Bonded leather

leather combined with materials such as polyurethane to make it more affordal.

Buffet

A dresser like piece of furniture, used in the dinning room that stores dishes and platters.

Bunk bed

Two beds stacked onto of each other to allow more then one person to share a living space.

Burl veneer

Veneers with decorative irregular mottled pattern. Made from tree's knots.

Butterfly leaf

Table leafs that store them selves inside the table.

California king size mattress

Standard bed size that measures 72" wide and 84" long. Mostly used only in West Coast region.

Camel back

A chair that arches in the middle.

Canopy bed

A bed with tall posts on each corner. Decorative cloth is usually hung between the gaps.

Captain's bed

Beds with storage underneither to save room.

Card table

Table used to play poker or other card games. Some have multi functionality.

Chaise lounge

A chair with a long bottom cushion to put legs up and relax.

Chaise recliner

A chair that allows you to lean back, but also put up your feet.

Chaise sectional

Sectional with a built in chaise.

Channel back

Chair that is upholstered with groves in the back.

Chest

A piece of furniture with drawers united for storage.

China cabinet

Cabinet with shelves that are closed in by doors, normally glass, and sometimes drawers underneath.

Club chair

Chair with a low back. Mostly made from leather.

Cocktail table

Short long table that is normally placed in from of the sofa in the living room.

Console

Thin table used to hold a TV, and/or storage.

Corner blocks

Triangular pieces of Wood used to reinforce drawers.

Crotch veneer

A veneer cut from the branching point or the part near the root. This veneer shows irregular pattern.

Curio cabinet

A glass desplay case normally with mirrored back and lighted top.

Daybed

A twin size bed that can also be used as a sofa. Had footboard, headboard, and rails or panel along the back.

Denim

A durrable material made usign cotton.

Distressing

Wood that is purposely marred to give a rustic look. This is mostly done by creating imperfection in the wood surface or finish purposely.

Drawer glide

A type of track that help the drawer move in and out of the piece.

Dresser

A wide but short piece of furniture with drawers used to store clothing.

Drop leaf

Leafs that are hindged onto table, and expan the length of the table.

Eastern king size mattress

76"w x 80"l

Eight-way hand-tied springs

Coil springs which are hand-tied to keep springs in place. This is done mostly for higher end upholstery.

English dovetail

Type of drawer construction which usually signify a better construction.

Entertainment armoire

A unit used to house your tv and other media products.

Entertainment wall

Large unit used for TV and other media components that also has compartments for storage.

Fiddleback

A chair with a fiddle-shaped back

Finish

A coating applied to the wood that helps protect it. Sometimes may also be coloring.

Footboard

Panel that is attached to foot end of the bed frame or rails.

French dovetail

Type of drawer construction which usually signify a better construction.

Full grain leather

Leather that has not been altered.

Full size mattress

54"w x 75"l

Futon

A special type of sofa that can be converted into bed.

Graining

Painting technique used to simulate wood grain.

Grandfather clock

Tall free standing pendulum clock.

Hand rubbed finish

Painting technique that is used to create an antique look.

Hardwood

Wood from a deciduous tree.

Headboard

Panel that is attached to the head end part of the bedframe or rails.

Highboy

A tall chest supported by four legs.

Hitchcock chair

A chair that has a rush or caned seatand an oval turned top rail. It also has a slightly bend back and often are painted with fruit and flower patterns.

Hutch

A cabinet that is put on top of a desk or a buffet. Has shelves for storage.

Inlay

Wood veneer that is constructed to produce a pattern. Usually consists of different types of veneer.

Knock down furniture

Furniture that needs some minor assembly. This is different from RTA (Ready to Assemble) furniture which require a lengthy assembly process.

Ladder-back

A chair designed to have a back that looks like a ladder.

Laminated wood

Layers of Wood that are fastened together. Usually for lower priced furniture.

Leather match

Vinyl is dyed to match the leather, and used on sides and backs of upholstered furniture. The Real leather is used on the cushions.

Left-facing

We determine what is left facing by standing directly in front of a the foot of the chaise, if the arm is on the left side, it is left facing.

Leg table

A table held up by four legs, one on each corner.

Loose back sofa

A sofa whos back and cushions are not attached.

Love seat

Seating made for two people.

Low profile foundation

A thin boxspring used instead of regular boxspring when mattress is think to provent bed from beeing too tall.

Lowboy

A short table with one or two drawers.

Microfiber

Stain resistant fabric made from extremely thin fibers.

Modular furniture

Furniture that is designed to allow user to be able to make different combinations to suit there needs.

Motion furniture

Furniture designed with the ability to be used in different positions, and be able to move.

Nail-head trim

Decorative nail head or nail head strip usually used in sofa.

Night stand

Small table placed at the side of the bed, it may have drawers.

Occasional furniture

Smaller furniture used as accent pieces.

Ottoman

Footrest which is usually part of living room or sofa collection.

Panel bed

a bed that uses a panel of wood(or other materials) for the headboard and foot board.

Parsons chair

An upholstered chair with a high back and upholstered sea t.

Parsons table

A rectangular table with straight legs at the corners.

Pedestal table

Table held up with a support structure directly in the middle

Pillow top

padding attached to seat or arm, and to top of mattress.

Platform beds

Bed that had a flat bottom to eliminate need of a box spring.

Polystyrene

A man-made synthetic used to simulate Wood. Often used to reproduce expensive Wood trim. Can also be used to make frame parts or entire frames.

Polyurethane

Man-made synthetic foam used for filling and for cushions. Rigid polyurethane can also reproduce Wood trim or make entire frame.

Queen size mattress

60"w x 80"l

Rail

The horizontal piece of the bed structure that attached headboard to footboard.

Recliner

Chair, Sofa, or Sectional that can recline. The footrest will pop up and the back of the item can recline back.

Right-facing

We determine what is right facing by standing directly in front of a the foot of the chaise, if the arm is on the right side, it is right facing

Rocker

Any chair which tips back and forth in place

RTA

Ready to Assemble. Furniture that is delivered unassembled.

Secretary desk

A unit with drawers and a writing surface that can drop down.

Sectional

A set of furniture that combines to make one big unit. Sometimes attached with brackets.

Semi-attached back sofa

Cushions are attached at the back but not all around.

Sideboard

Wide piece of furniture with drawers used in dining rooms for further storage and serving food.

Slat back chair

A chair with vertical and wide supports.

Sleigh bed

Bed designed to resemble a sleigh, headboard is taller than footboard and often featured scroll design.

Slipcovers

Removable piece of fabric designed to protect the furniture.

Sofa

Seating area for 3 or more people.

Sofa bed

A sofa that can fold down, or pull out to be an additional bed.

Sofa table

A narrow table that is taller then a cocktail table that is long and is designed to sit against the back of a sofa.

Split foundation

Two boxsprings used for one large mattress.

Split leather

Leather that is left when the top grain leather is removed.

Stain

Used to alter the color of the wood.

Theater seating

Reclinging chairs that can be attached at the arm, used to screen veiwing.

Theater sofa

A curved sofa that is deigned to have good visibility of the home theater for all who sit on it

Top grain leather

The uppermost layer and highest quality part of a hide, used for fine Upholstery Leather.

Triple dresser

Three or more drawers side by side to store clothing.

Twin size mattress

39"w x 75"l

Varnish

A protective finish that is transparent.

Veneer

A thin decorative layer of Wood which is applied to underlying Wood solidsto match and balance grain, create inlay and banded effects.