Familiarize yourself with certain names that designers have given to

pieces of furniture. Those names reflect the way the piece is constructed,
more than the way they are decorated or finished.

A coffee table is
a low table, often
placed in front of
a sofa for
magazines,
beverages, etc…
regardless of
furniture style.
Director’s Chair: wood frame with
canvas seat and back
Morris Chair:
has loose
cushions and
a movable
back

Arm and Side Chairs:

dining chairs

Barcelona
Chair:
stainless
steel
frame

Bentwood
Chair: made Club Chair:
from steam-bent heavily Wing Chair:
wood pieces upholstered projecting sides
 Small upholstered
footstool: also known as
a hassock or ottoman

Trundle Bed: low bed

on casters under a full
height bed

Armoire (ärm-wär‘):
A large wardrobe
cabinet

Bombe Chest:
A commode with a
bulging sides, front, Breakfront: Large china hutch
or both with a center section that extends
beyond the side sections
 Chaise Lounge: Loveseat: small sofa for
backless couch with one 2 people
high side for reclining
Hutch: chest or
cabinet with an
open shelf above

Library table: Occasional table: small

rectangular table; table, sometimes with
Pedestal table: has 1 Parson’s table is simple shelves or drawers; may
or 2 center support and does not have a serve as a lamp table or
posts instead of 4 legs drawer coffee table
 Etagère
(ā'tä-zhâr')(last
syllable rhymes
with chair): an
open shelf unit
for small
Davenport: small ornaments
writing desk OR sofa
that makes into a bed

Gateleg or Pembroke table: a drop

leaf table with one or two legs that
swing out to support the raised
Divan: a living room piece with a concealed leaves
bed mattress that pulls out from the seat
 Poster bed: high posts on all 4 corners
Canopy bed: has a cloth topper on a poster bed
Lingerie chest: tall but narrow
chest of small drawers

Settee: small
double-seat that
may have arms and
be upholstered

Sectional: piece of seating furniture

composed of sections that can be
arranged separately or together
 Coffee Table: low table
often placed in front of
sofa for holding
Campaign furniture: has
magazines and drinks
metal corners and handles
like military chests
Commode: low chest
of drawers

Credenza:
storage piece
about chair rail
height, usually
designed for
the dining
room but often
Console: once a shelf found in the
but now a versatile table den
 Ball and
Bun Foot
Claw Foot

Pad Foot
 Feral Foot Feral:
wild and menacing;
a "ferocious dog"

Reeded Brass Foot

Trifid (TRY fid) Foot

Alternative name: Drake
Foot
Club Foot; may be slightly
Paw Foot: may be a 3-lobed end-piece of a
pointed; usually thick and
hairy dog’s paw Queen Anne cabriole leg
substantial
Ogee bracket foot, popular
on Queen Anne and French bracket foot
Chippendale

Spade Foot

Arrow Foot

Hoof Foot
 Bandy Legged
Cabriole Leg with Cabriole Leg with Cabriole Leg
Cabriole Leg
Pad Foot Ball and Claw Foot
 Bulbous Leg

Tapered Turned
Leg Leg

Spiral Legs
H Stretcher X Stretcher

Pediments above;
Pediment with Finial below

Motifs
 Ladder Fiddle
Back Back
Chair Chair

Shield Back Chair Slat Back

Chair

Spoon
Back
Chair

Lyre Back Chair Splat Back Chair

 Eight-way hand-tied springs: considered
the best springs, each coil is hand tied
into place eight ways (front to back, side
to side, and diagonally), allowing the
coils to move independently while still
providing firm, comfortable support

Corner blocks: blocks of wood

used in the corners of the frame
that act as an extra brace,
strengthening the frame
Kiln-dried hardwood frame: the best frames are
made of hardwoods such as elm, oak, birch,
walnut and cherry which have been kiln-dried to
remove moisture, thereby protecting the frame
against warping, splitting, swelling and shrinking
 Mortise and Tenon: a favored means of furniture
assembly where a projection, or tenon, in one piece of
wood fits securely into a groove, or mortise, in
another to make a strong, durable, interlocking joint
The Dovetail Joint, so named for it's
similarity in shape to the tail of the dove, has
been a hallmark of fine woodworking.
Typically, dovetails are use to join two pieces
of solid wood, as in the side and front of a
drawer.

Dowel joints: a traditional method of

construction using dowels (pegs made
Tongue and Groove Construction of wood or steel) that are fitted into
holes to join two pieces of a frame
 High density polyurethane foam wrapped in
Dacron is the most common (and least expensive)
seat core in upholstered furniture. The density of
foam (should be at least 1.8 pounds per cubic
foot) and quantity of Dacron will determine the
softness of the upholstered seat.

Spring-Down cushions consist of innerspring

coils surrounded by foam and wrapped in
Dacron. This whole unit is then inserted into
a muslin bag of channeled down. The springs
give the upholstered furniture support, while
the down gives a luxurious surface feel.
Down cushions offer the softest seat, utilizing a
combination of down and feathers sometimes
wrapped around a foam core and then encased in
a muslin bag. This cushion does not retain its
shape without an occasional fluffing. Back
cushions are primarily filled with Dacron fiber.
Encasing the filling in a bag will help the cushions
keep their proper shape.
 Traditional furniture styles originated during historical periods of time
from the 1500-1900’s, primarily in France, England, and the United States.
The European styles came about in two ways: either the ruler of the
country decided what their own preferences were and then
commissioned the cabinet makers to produce the designs OR a
cabinetmaker themselves developed a particular style that others liked.
 1840 Victorian- English
1810 Empire – French
1795 Directoire – French
1790 Sheraton - English
1780 Hepplewhite - English
1774 Neoclassic - French
1900
1770 Adam - English
1760 Regency - English
1750 Federal - American
1750 Chippendale - English
1730 Georgian - American
-

1723 Rococo - French

1715 Regence - French
1702 Queen Anne - English
1500

1690 Early American - American

1680 William & Mary - English
1660 Restoration - English
1660 Colonial - American
1643 Baroque - French
1643 Cromwellian - English
1603 Jacobean - English
1600 Late Renaissance - French
1580 Elizabethan - English
1553 Tudor - English
Italian and Flemish influence such as bun feet; Henry IV and Louis XII;
furniture was large and upright; walnut, oak, and ebony were preferred;
marquetry was common (wooden inlays used to create patterns in furniture,
sometimes cut into shapes such as geometric shapes or flowers or leaves,
and sometimes used in a variety of woods in interesting grains and colors);
tall, slender columns and spiral turnings.
Louis XIV; massive, rectangular, and proportionately heavy furniture; marble
tabletops often placed on elaborately carved, square legs; upholstered chairs
and sofas covered in rich tapestries, brocades, and silks; the cabinetmaker
Andre-Charles Boulle created boulle work which used pewter, brass,
semitransparent tortoiseshell and a lustrous gold allow of copper and zinc
called ormolu for ornamentation
A transitional style between Baroque and Rococo;
cabriole legs were introduced; lighter woods were
used
Louis XV; furniture scaled down to more human proportions; curves, flowing
lines and symmetry; cabriole legs and scroll feet; ornamentation included
designs of shells, foliage, shepherd’s crooks, musical instruments, inlaying,
and marquetry; marble and leather tops were common, as was gold-leafing;
Chinese lacquer and Oriental motifs were introduced

French Provincial was a term given to

much of the furniture during the reigns of
Louis XIV through XVI. Some exposed
wood was painted white with painted
enamel or omalu trim.
Sometimes called Classic Revival, this style returned to straighter lines;
simpler motifs included roses, garlands, ribbons, and Cupid’s bows and
darts; some Greek & Roman influences
 Just after the French Revolution,
furniture production was disrupted;
transition between Neoclassic and
Empire styles; motifs included military
and agricultural forms such as arrows,
spears, drums, stars, and wheat;
some Greek and Egyptian influences
 Napoleon’s reign; masculine furniture with
geometric shapes, absolute symmetry, and
heavy, solid proportions; less carving and what
was used was very military in nature and
included chariots; highly polished veneers,
brass and ormalu ornamentation such as brass
corner protectors
Henry VII & VIII, Edward VI, and Mary; native oak was most popular; simple
carving and inlaying; Tudor rose, coat of arms and arabesques (scrolled
leaf pattern generally symmetrical in design) motifs; overall appearance
was large and heavy

Tudor Rose
 The bulbous form (melon shaped) was
introduced; turned chairs had triangular seats
with thick turnings for back, arms, and legs;
wainscot chairs had rectangular seats with
turned or column legs and carved or inlaid
wooden backs
 James I and Charles I reigns; more slender
bulbous forms; motifs of acanthus leaves
(large leaves used by Greeks in decoration),
intertwined circles, palmettos (resembled a
small, fan-shaped palm branch), ionic
capitals on columns, and romayne work
(caricatures of human heads); split balusters
(short, turned pieces of wood like spindles
split in half and often glued to surfaces);
upholstered chairs gained popularity
Civil War halted all furniture production;
any pieces made were much plainer than
before and relatively undecorated
 Walnut replaces oak as most popular
wood; Charles II and James II reigned;
carvings and spiral turnings till used;
marquetry and gilded metal gained
popularity; oriental lacquers introduced
in England at this time; scrolls and floral
patterns were common; caned chairs;
elaborate cushions with fringes
 Simpler, more elegant, and less
ornate furniture; highly polished
woods; oriental lacquers and
japanning (less expensive but
similar to lacquering); inlaid and
marquetry; bun feet; some metal
decorations; x-stretchers
 Strong oriental influence;
gracefully curved lines; cabriole
leg; motifs included shells and lion
mask; ball and claw foot;
spooned-back chairs; use of
scrolls and finials was common on
top or bottom of pieces
Thomas Chippendale was a
London cabinetmaker; lyre,
pretzel, ladder back,
latticework chair backs;
mahogany; much Chinese
influence
George Hepplewhite featured more slender lines and delicate proportions than
Chippendale; straight, tapered legs with straight, spade, or thimble feet; chairs
had heart, caned, wheel, oval, and his characteristic shield backs; wheat,
ribbons, fluting, and oval carvings; some painted motifs such as the 3-
feathered crest of the Prince of Wales and floral designs
 Robert & James Adam were architects
employing cabinetmakers to make furniture
to complement their architecture;
symmetrical with Greek and Roman designs;
moved from mohagany to satinwood (a
medium brown with less red tone)
Thomas Sheraton designed furniture but left construction
to others; straight lines; rectangular chair backs; legs
and feet like Hepplewhite; motifs included urns, swags,
leaves; porcelain plaques used for decoration; splayed
legs; incorporated mechanical devices for disappearing
drawers folding tables, and secret compartments
 Less originality; reused ancient
Roman, Greek, and Egyptian designs
such as the concave legs on chairs and
symmetrical leaf designs
Queen Victoria reigned; designs borrowed from several earlier styles such
as Renaissance, gothic (the middle ages artwork and architecture) and
Rococo (so sometimes called the eclectic style); mass produced, but
elaborately ornamented objects such as rose carvings; characteristic deep
greens and burgundy velvet and brocades; rosewood
Homes were small and survival was an issue rather
than furniture, so home furnishings were few and
basic; low trunks doubled as seats and slanted-top
bible boxes served as lap desks; trestle tables had
bench seats; drop-leaf table and chair seats were
popular; chairs had slatbacks and cane seats.
 Slatback chairs were replaced by ladder backs for more comfort; split
spindles, turnings, and bun feet; low relief carvings, if any; painted and
stenciled designs often replace carvings; corner hutches; pine, beech, and
ash woods were popular because they were plentiful.
 Boston, Newport, New
York, and Philadelphia
emerged as design
centers, each with their
own distinct styles or
modifications on
traditional European
styles; chairs became
contoured; couches
and upholstered pieces
were popular including
the wing chair; The
Windsor chair from
England was introduced
as a rocker in Boston;
secretary pieces became
popular; highboys and
lowboys were
introduced to replace
chests; brass hardware
 Little change during the American Revolution,
but resumed later; ornamentation was patriotic
and included eagles, cornucopias, fruit, flowers,
lyres, and spiral turnings; designer Duncan
Phyfe used concave legs and ornate mirrors;
Pennsylvania Dutch liked cheerful designs
including colorful stencils of tulips, hearts, birds,
and leaves; animal and human motifs used by
American Scandinavians; Shakers valued clean
lines and frugality
 20th Century styles of furniture are those that originated after the
1900’s. They were inspired by specific designers such as Frank Lloyd
Wright, popular trends such as Art Nouveau or Contemporary, or the
influence of preferences from specific countries such as Scandinavia.
Today’s manufacturers still
create the traditional styles
of furniture, but do not
adhere to strict rules of
design. They “modify” the
designs to suit their client’s
preferences or method of
manufacturing.
Interior designers do not
select all one style of
furniture for any one room
either. They may mix &
match them in an appealing
manner. This is described
by the term “eclectic”.
 As early as 1902, there was a rebellion against ornamentation called Art
Nouveau; designed to work well with mechanization; based on flowing,
natural lines ending in a curve similar to the bud of a plant; beautiful for it’s
artistic merit rather than it’s cost; inexpensive woods
 Frank Lloyd Wright designed and built homes and furniture 1867-1959
with an emphasis on nature, in a manner like he designed his
sprawling ranch style homes in keeping with the sprawling
prairies. He integrated furniture into the structure whenever
possible… these referred to as “built-ins”; geometric
shapes, slats, and flat surfaces with no ornamentation; often
regarded as architectural sculpture
Walter Gropius founded a school known as The
Bauhaus in Germany in 1919 where the guiding
principle was to simplify the design of objects,
and mechanization; tubular steel, canvas, and
leather straps; Bauhaus design focused only on
function
 In Scandinavian design from 1930-1970 the
wood was curved by applying heat and steam
to many veneers (same principle used in
making skis); white birch often used; clean,
sleek lines; upholstered pieces still had
exposed wood arms and legs
 Latest furniture designs, not yet classified or experimental; wood, metals,
plastics, and glass are used; designs inspired from abstract art to everyday
objects; some created simply for the artistic pleasure of the designer, but
most for the middle-class market; mobile society wants lightweight,
affordable, adaptable furniture; modular pieces; folding metal or canvas
chairs, waterbeds, bean bag chairs, etc.
 Name: _____________________
Due Date: __________________
You have already been assigned a drafting
project…to draw a ranch style house floor plan.
Then you were asked to choose one room of that
floor plan, and render it as a shaded, perspective
drawing. Now, we’re ready for furniture selection.
1. On your ranch style floor plan, choose two rooms that you wish to show
furnishings for. Choose two different types of rooms; a living room and a
bedroom perhaps, not two bedrooms.
2. Using magazines or catalogs, find a picture of an individual furniture item
OR a whole room full of furniture, to illustrate the style of furniture you
want in each room. The two rooms cannot have identical furniture styles.
3. Cut out the pictures, and set them aside for now. They will be added to
your final project later on. Identify the furniture styles, and be prepared to
label those later as well.