Glossary



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Acanthus Decorative woodcarving based on the acanthus leaf.
All wood All components are made of wood. May include a combination of solid and engineered wood.
American Made Furniture Furniture made in the United States.
Anthemion Common Greek ornament featuring honeysuckle or palmettes. Used singly on antefixes (ornamental blocks concealing tile-ends at the edges of a roof), or as a running ornament on friezes.
Apt Sofa / Sleeper Smaller version of a sofa or sleeper, typically made up of two seating cushions to accommodate two people. (See Loveseat)
Apron Part connecting legs, directly under table tops, chair seats, cabinet bases. Also refered to as a "skirt."
Armchair Chair with side structures to support the arms or elbows.
Armoire From the French, a cabinet originally used for storage of armor; now a large, moveable cupboard with doors and shelves for storing clothing, also commonly used as an entertainment cabinet.
Art Deco Was a popular international design movement from 1925 until 1939, and is based on mathematical geometric shapes. It was widely considered to be an eclectic form of elegant and stylish modernism, being influenced by a variety of sources.
Art Moderne Sometimes classified as the later phase of Art Deco. Art Moderne is a horizontal design, emphasizing movement and sleekness.
Art Nouveau The French "new art" that took bold in Europe and America in the 1890's. Art Nouveau is characterized as sinuous, organic, and sensuous lines.
Artificial Laminate Surface of plastics, foil, or paper printed with a wood grain pattern and bonded to a composite such as particle board or MDF.
Arts and Crafts Seen as a revival of medieval and other primarily functional designs, the Mission style was the major American expression of the Arts and Crafts style that had evolved in England.
Ash Type of hardwood, Ash is rather lighter colored than oak, but is sometimes used in connection with it. It is less likely to split.
Asian Hardwood A wood derived from trees indigenous to Asia, very similar to American Oak.
Attached-Back Pillow Pillow which cannot be removed from the upholstered piece of furniture.
Bachelor's Chest Chest with drawers on one side and a door or doors on the opposite side.
Baffling A baffled construction has fabric walls sewn between the top and bottom of a comforter cover, which both prevents the down from shifting and allows the down to fully loft.
Bail Reverse arch handle or drawer pull hanging downward from pins attached to a backplate.
Baize Wool fabric resembling felt usually green and used on gaming tables.
Baker's Rack Open or slatted back shelving unit, used for storing goods in the kitchen.
Ball Foot End of turned leg, shaped round, and with a hooded effect.
Baluster Leg Shaped like a baluster (vase-like), predominatly a shape used on chairs and upholstered items.
Bamboo Turning A wood turning to simulate natural bamboo that originated during the 18th Century.
Banding Veneer cut into narrow strips and applied to create a decorative effect, sometimes used on chairs, but usually found around the edges of tables and drawer fronts. It provides a color/grain that contrasts with the surface it decorates.
Baroque A European style of architecture and decoration which developed in the 17th cent. the term "Baroque" was initially used with a derogatory meaning, to underline the excesses of its emphasis, of its eccentric redundancy, its noisy abundance of details, as opposed to the clearer and sober rationality of the Renaissance.
Basic Freight doorstorefurniture.com term that signifies a curbside or first dry area delivery.
Barrel Chair Rustic shaped chairs, which were originally made from half a wine barrel, back is usually upholstered in vertical ribs.
Batting Cotton, wool, or synthetic fiber used for stuffing furniture and mattresses and for lining comforters.
Bauhaus The Bauhaus style became one of the most influential currents in Modernist architecture and modern design. One of the main objectives of the Bauhaus was to unify art, craft, and technology. One of the most important contributions of the Bauhaus is in the field of modern furniture design. The ubiquitous Cantilever chair by Dutch designer Mart Stam, using the tensile properties of steel, and the Wassily Chair designed by Marcel Breuer are two examples.
Beading Classic ornamentation using small, half-round molding.
Bed Skirt A piece of material laid on top of the box spring on a bed and used to decorate the base of the bed and hide the space underneath the bed.
Bedside Chest Nightstand or small commode, bed-high chest with drawers.
Bentwood Wood softened by steam for bending into curved shapes.
Bergére A French armchair with closed upholstered sides and back.
Biedermeier An early 19th-century German furniture and decoration style(1815-1848). An unaristocratic, clear and simple style, mainly Empire and classic in line, but rendered "homey" and "bourgeois" with painted details in black and gold to simulate carving.
Bird's Eye Markings or small spots that resemble bird's eyes often found in sugar Maplewood prized as a decorative feature in a veneer.
Blanket Chest Colonial storage chest often used as a bench.
Blend Yarn of a fabric that is made up of more than one fiber.
Blockfront Chest Chest of drawers in which the center is curved inwards and the end panel are curved outwards.
Bombé A surface that swells outward; typical of French chests and commodes of Louis XV.
Bonnet Top A broken-arched pediment that covers the entire top of the piece from front to back.
Bowfront Chest Chest of drawers with a convex front chest of drawers with an outward-curved front.
Box Spring A rigid box, usually constructed of wood and covered with fabric, that forms the foundation for the mattress; placed beneath the mattress; necessary for most beds, with the exception of platform beds and some children beds.
Bracket Foot Right angled foot, with each inner end curved.
Brocade Originally heavy silk with an elaborate pattern in silver or gold threads has an embossed appearance.
Buffet French term that refers to a sideboard for china, silver, linens, with a top surface used as serving counter.
Bun Foot Flattened ball, or bun shaped, foot with a slender ankle above.
Bunching Furniture pieces that fit flush with each other to create unified wall arrangements.
Bureau Low chest of drawers usually for a bedroom, often with a mirror, originally a desk or table with drawers.
Burl Beautiful mottled veneer, produced by slicing cross-sections of abnormal tree growths.
Bycast Leather A combination of natural leather hides processed and bonded to a man-made surface covering and then coated with a thick layer of polyurethane. In addition to the highly desirable “shiny” look, the coating helps prevent scratching, gives it a higher resistance to sunlight fading and is an excellent dirt-repelling surface.
Cabinet Storage chest or space with one or more doors.
Cabinet Wood Fine quality wood that is used for exterior surfaces.
Cabriole Leg An S-shaped curve, bowing out at the knee and in at the ankle.
Camelback Sofa back that is irregular in the shape of a large, central hump.
Campaign Chair From British chairs used by officers, a sling seat supported by a collapsible scissor structure.
Campaign Chest From originals used on fields of battle, a fairly low, small chest with metal corners and flush hardware.
Canape Type of French settee with padded back and seat, open arms, and a decorated frame.
Cane Used to cover chair backs and seats, a material of split rattan.
Canted A piece with an oblique surface, slanting backward at the sides from the central section.
Canterbury Small, portable magazine rack.
Case Furniture Furniture that includes chest, coffers, bureaus, and cupboards.
Casegoods Non-upholstered furniture such as tables, dressers and bookcases.
Cassone Italian chest often highly decorated.
Caster Rolling wheel that increases mobility of furniture.
Casual Furniture A style of furniture more informal than a traditionally styled pieces, including simple details, textured elements of upholstery, and minimalist horizontal lines; furniture is large in scale and selected for comfort and utility with less emphasis on intricate details.
Cedar Chest Rectangular storage chest made of solid cedar or cedar veneers to prevent moth damage on woolens.
Chaise Often seen attached to a loveseat to create a sofa set a loveseat or sofa with only one arm; the back usually doesn't reach the end of the cushion.
Chambray A plain-woven fabric that can be made from cotton, silk, or manufactured fibers, but is most commonly cotton. It incorporates a colored warp (often blue) and white filling yarns. Pronounced "sham-bray"
Chamfer Corner or edge that is cut at an angle, or beveled.
Channel Back Sofa or chair with vertical section of cushioning in the back design.
Chenille Plush, fuzzy yarn used to create upholstery fabric.
Chesterfield Deep-buttoned sofa with arms and a back at the same height.
Chest-on-Chest A chest of drawers in two sections, usually a smaller one on top.
Cheval Mirror Free-standing mirror swung between footed posts.
Chiffonnier A piece of furniture usually found in the bedroom consisting of a tall narrow chest of drawers; sometimes also referred to as a semanier.
Chinoiserie Western imitation, generally inaccurate, of Oriental art and motifs, Chinese-style or Chinese-like decorative motif.
Chintz Fabric with a GLAZED or "polished" surface.
Chofa A combination of a sofa with a chaise, that can be easily repositioned on either end of the sofa.
Claw-and-Ball Foot A bird or dragon claw grasping a ball.
Club Foot A flat, round pad, usually at the bottom of a cabriole leg; also known as a spoon or pad foot.
Club Sofa Upholstered piece of furniture who's arms are lower than its level back.
Cocktail Table A short-legged table usually positioned in front of a sofa or within an arrangement of chairs and a sofa or loveseat.
Coffee Table Long, low table used in front of a sofa.
Commode A low, small chest, usually with drawers or doors.
Console Table intended to stand against a wall or between windows.
Core The center layer of a veneered wood.
Corner An item of furniture designed with a 90 degree angle at the back so as to fit into a corner. Also can be a corner in a modular upholstered item.
Couch 17th and 18th century term for a daybed.
Credenza In the home office, a long piece used behind the desk with a knee hole space; often used for a computer and monitor.
Crossband Layer of wood between the core and the face ply of a veneer. Its grain is at right angles to the grain of the face ply in order to strengthen the veneer.
Curbside Delivery Product delivery to the street curb in front of a person's home, office, etc.; often the least expensive form of delivery for large furniture items.
Damask Silk with elaborate floral design woven in flatter than brocade and reversible.
Davenport Small writing desk.
Daybed Seating piece can also serve as a bed, futon.
Deck The surface directly under the cushions of an upholstered chair or sofa.
Director's Chair Named for its long use by Hollywood directors, a folding armchair with sling seat and back.
Distressing A treatment sometimes called antiquing, designed to make new woods look old by means of markings.
Dobby Weave A decorative weave, usually geometric, that is woven into the fabric structure.
Double-doweled Method of joining two pieced of wood which uses tow dowel pins instead of one to ensure no shifting.
Dovetail Interlocking joint on A piece of furniture.
Dowel Headless pin usually made of wood used in wood construction.
Down Natural feathers used to fill cushions of pillows, bedding, and upholstery.
Dowry Chest Made to store the trousseau of a prospective bride blanket chest, bench.
Drape The way a fabric hangs; this influences its ability to shape well, particularly in an upholstery skirt.
Drawer Guide Strip of wood, plastic or metal under a drawer that serves as a guiding track for opening and closing.
Drawer Lining Term referring to the side of a drawer.
Dresser A chest for the storage of cosmetics and clothing, long, low chest of drawers used for storing clothes.
Drop Leaf Built with hinged extension leaves which lower when no in use.
Drop-lid Desk Desk with a hinged panel that covers the inner compartments drops to become writing surface.
Dry Sink a low, Early American two-door cupboard with a sink or with an open top lined with zinc or copper.
Dumb Waiter Dining room stand with normally 3 circular trays in creasing in size towards the bottom type of elevator that brought food up from the basement to the kitchen.
Duvet Covers A giant pillowcase-like covering that fits over a duvet. It is open on one end, typically closed by buttons, ties, Velcro, or a zipper.
Duvets A duvet is similar to a comforter and/or a quilt in that a duvet is also composed of two layers of fabric with an insulation substance between. However, the difference between a duvet and a comforter and/or quilt is that the duvet is to be placed inside a duvet cover. A comforter and/or quilt can be used as independent bed covers.
Egg-and-Dart A classic carving motif of ornamental molding in which an egg shape alternates with a dart.
Egyptian Cotton Cotton grown exclusively in Egypt and the longest fiber staple in the world. This means less linting, more durability, more luster and a softer feel, frequently used to make sheets and other bedding materials due to its softness and high quality.
Embossing A technique used to decorate furniture through the imitation of wood carvings; involves compressing wood around a decorative, raised area during the manufacturing process.
Engineered Wood Wood made from slices of lumber (plywood) or the chips and fibers that remain after a tree is milled into lumber (particleboard, fiberboard).
Escritoire Cabinet with a fall front that lower to form a writing surface.
Etagere A 2 or 3 tiered table intended for displaying objects or serving food.
European Sham A large pillow case used as an accent in bedding sets; usually contains additional fabric surrounding the standard pillow case and commonly included as a part of bedding/ comforter sets.
Faceted Decorative surface cut into sharp-edged planes in a criss-cross pattern to reflect light.
Fall Front The flap of a bureau or secretaire that pulls down to provide a writing surface.
Feather Banding Two narrow bands of veneer laid in opposite diagonals.
Feather Bed Feather-filled sacks made to fit under or on top of the fitted sheet.
Fiberboard Sometimes known as Particleboard, a board made of compressed wood fibers and glue and often utilized as an inexpensive substitute for solid wood.
Fiddle-Back Chair splat shaped to a violin's contour.
Figure The pattern or design in wood created by the growth of the tree; abnormal growths produce unusual figures.
Fill The material used to stuff items such as pillows and upholstered items. Natural down and man-made synthetics are examples of fill materials.
Fill Power A measure of how many cubic inches one ounce of down will loft and expand to fill an empty space. Fill power usually ranges from 500 to 800 cubic inches, with 625 or greater considered excellent. A higher fill power means that the down will loft more, insulate better and provide greater warmth and comfort.
Filling A finishing process in wood furniture manufacturing - wood pores are filled with a substance that causes the surface to be smoother and flatter when complete.
Finial Terminal decoration used on upright posts, often of metal.
Flare The outward curving shape of a furniture leg.
Flat Packed An industry term referring to furniture that is shipped unassembled and packed into a flat container (usually reinforced cardboard boxes).
Flexible Polyurethane Foam Synthetic foam used in all upholstered furniture the higher the density of the FPF, the more durable the cushion.
Flitch Any part of the log which is sliced into veneer.
Fluting Parallel channels, usually cut vertically; used for columns and legs.
Footboard The portion of a bed that forms the end of the bed, near where the sleeper places his/her feet.
Four Poster Bed Colonial bed with posts extended upward may or may not hold a canopy.
FPF Flexible polyurethane foam.
Frame The underlying structure supporting the mattress and box spring.
Free Shipping All items labeled with our Free Shipping Icon are shipped directly from our manufacturer to your home via UPS, Fedex or Common Carrier. Some of these items will arrive unassembled and it is up to you, the consumer to have the items assembled. If after receipt of your item you are in need of need assistance with an assembly and are in our local delivery area contact our customer service department via email at service@doorstorefurniture.com or call at 201-864-6669 and for a fee, we can arrange for some one to come out and assemble your merchandise. All Free Shipping items are shipped free of charges to you the consumer, but in the event that you do not accept the merchandise or the item is returned for any reason other than a shipping or a manufacturer damage, you will be charged the return freight plus a 30% restocking fee. In the event of a shipping or manufacturer damage you must contact our customer service department and request a return authorization. You will not pay any return shipping charges and we will work diligently to get a new like item out to you ASAP.
Freight Delivery doorstorefurniture.com term that signifies a full in home delivery that includes assembly, removal of debris and placement of furniture.
French Bed Bed in which the ends roll outward no posts.
Fretwork Decorative trim on furniture consisting of pierced or interlaced components.
Futon Thin mattress of tufted cotton batting or similar material, placed on a floor or on a raised, foldable frame. A couch where the back drops, creating a bed.
Gallery Wood or metal border around the top edge of a table.
Gesso A plaster-like material used to make a raised design on furniture; it is often painted or gilded.
Gilding Used frequently in traditional furniture; a thin layer of gold or gold colored coating.
Gingham A plain woven cotton and/or synthetic fabric. Most common patterns include checks, stripes or plaids. Available in a variety of colors and pastels against a white or ecru background.
Glaze A part of the wood furniture finishing process, a color development step during which the piece is blended to highlighted to show the grain characteristics of the wood.
Grain The fiber arrangement in wood, giving the appearance of markings.
Gueridon Small, elaborated carved stand or table.
Hampton (Style) Furniture modeled after the American Colonial Style or after the European 15th Century.
Hand The way a fabric feels, refers to its resilience, drapability and flexibility.
Hand Distressing A technique used to create a marred or distressed surface, which lends an aged look to furniture.
Hardwood A general term for wood from broadleafed trees.
Hardwoods Trees that lose their leave in the winter oak, ash, cherry, maple, walnut, and poplar.
Harvest Table Narrow rectangular table with hinged drop leaves.
Headboard The complete head section of a bed, forming the top portion of the bed nearest to the head of the sleeper.
Highboy Very high chest of drawers, taking its name from "haut bois" meaning "high wood" in French.
Hope Chest Cedar chest, dowry chest, blanket chest, bench.
Huntboard Light, portable sideboard used for serving food and drinks.
Hutch Enclosed structure often raised on uprights, an enclosed structure of more than one tier.
Inlay A design is cut out of the surface and a piece of another material cut exactly the same size is inserted.
Jacquard Weave A weave structure that creates a variety of patterns, such as damasks, florals, and geometric. Jacquard weaves have a varying drape ability and durability depending on which fibers are used.
Jewelry Armoire A small armoire specifically designed to hold jewelry, and usually placed in the bedroom.
Keeled Sharp edge frequently found on the corner of cabriole legs.
Kneehole Desk Desk with a recessed central cupboard.
Knock-down (KD) A furniture industry term referring to furniture that is shipped in multiple pieces and assembled at the point of use.
Lacquer A cellulose-based, clear material applied as top coats in furniture; provides protection to the furniture piece and often shine.
Ladder-Back Chair-back in which horizontal cross tails, used instead of a spat, give a ladder effect.
Laminate The process of bonding or gluing together layers; the final product may also be referred to as a laminate.
Lamination Method of gluing together sheets of wood with the grain in different directions to produce a material that is thinner and lighter than solid wood.
Lattice Open work wood decoration in a crisscross, diagonal, or square pattern.
Left as Facing The left hand side of a piece of furniture when looking at the item from the front.
Left as Seated The left hand side of a piece of furniture when looking at the item while seated or oriented in the same direction as the item.
Linen A fabric made from linen fibers obtained from inside the woody stem of the flax plant. Linen fibers are much stronger and more lustrous than cotton.
Linenfold A carved motif that looks like a scroll of linen.
Linen-press Cupboard with shelves for storing linen and clothes.
Lingerie Chest A term used to describe a tall chest of drawers used to store lingerie; most frequently found in the bedroom.
Linkspring A spring mechanism used in daybeds in place of a box spring, provides support for the mattress; provides enough height below the mattress to allow a trundle unit or storage drawers to fit underneath.
Long Staple Cotton Cotton fibers are typically .5 inches to 2 inches long. The longest staple fibers, longer than 1.5 inches, including the Pima and Egyptian varieties product the highest quality cotton fabrics.
Loose-pillow Back Pillow which can be removed from an upholstered piece.
Loper Pullout arm used to support the hinged fall of a bureau.
Loveseat Smaller version of a sofa, typically made up of two seating cushions to accommodate two people.
Low Relief A form of decoration in which the design is only slightly raised from the surface.
LTL Shipping Less-Than-Truckload' shipping; a freight industry term used to describe a shipping method in which an individual order does not fill an entire truck.
Man-Made fibers This term refers to all synthetic fibers.
Marquetry A decorative pattern made by inlaying unusual woods, mother of pearl, etc., into a veneered surface.
MDF Highly durable, medium density fiberboard is a type of hardboard that is made from wood fibers glued under heat and pressure. dense, flat, stiff, and it has no knots. It also does not have easily recognizable surface grain. usually finished in paint, veneers, or laminates.
Melamine Melamine is a marvelous and durable material used in furniture laminates that is easy to clean and maintain. Plastic made from the white, crystalline organic base C3H6N6.
Microfiber Microfiber specifically refers to any synthetic fiber that weighs less than one denier per filament. To illustrate this nearly microscopic scale, consider that a filament of this fiber more than five miles long weighs less than one gram. Such filaments are much, much finer than a human hair. Because of the size of this fiber, many can be woven closely together to create a very tight, dense fabric. This density allows for more resistance to wear and staining.
Modern Style The modern movement in furniture design began in the late 19th century with the emergence of the Arts and Crafts movement in England and Art Nouveau in France. During the 1920s, two important decorative styles evolved, Bauhaus and Art Deco, which reflect, in part, radical innovations in painting, sculpture and furniture design.
Modular Seating Upholstered seating units which can be joined and rearranged with other units to form different seating arrangements.
Modular Storage A furniture industry term used to refer to flexible storage solutions that are changeable/adjustable by the end user to create multiple customized configurations.
Modulars or Modular System A collection of multi-purpose units.
Molded Components Sections of furniture such as decorative panels or legs that have been molded of plastic.
Molding or Moulding A narrow, decorative strip, recessed into or projecting from, a flat surface.
Mortise-and-tenon construction A hole, usually square or rectangular, is chiseled into one member and a tongue shaped to fit this hole is chiseled into the other. A peg is then placed through both pieces to secure them together, forming the joint.
Motion Furniture Furniture containing a mechanism or mechanisms which allow it to adjust to your body for increased comfort e.g. recliners or extending footrests.
Motive or Motif The theme or dominant feature of a design.
Mule Chest Chest with drawers in the base.
Muntons/ Muntins/ Muttons/ Muton Dividers over glass panels in windows and china cabinets.
Natural Fibers All fibers that occur in fiber form in nature.
Neck roll Pillow A small, oblong accent pillow commonly found in bedding/ comforter sets.
Nesting Tables Set of occasional tables, in graduating sizes so that one slides under another.
Nightstand A small table placed beside a bed and usually used to for a small lamp, books, or a clock.
Occasional Tables Coffee tables, sofa tables
Ottoman Upholstered footstool
Over The Threshold Delivery A transportation industry term referring to a type of delivery service in which the delivered items are brought 'over the threshold' of the building to which they are delivered, usually a residence or office, into the first dry area of the building.
Overlay Decorative veneer that is appliqued rather than inlaid.
Paperboard Layers of ply combined together to creature a light-weight alternative to wood.
Particleboard Chips of wood coated with glue and pressed together under heat, creating a light-weight alternative to wood.
Patina Soft, mellow color and texture of a wood surface resulting from age, wear or rubbing.
Pattern A design found in fabrics, often in multiple colors; in furniture, patterns are commonly found in upholstered items such as sofas and chairs.
Pedestal Desk Flat desk, usually with a leather top stand on two banks of drawers.
Pedestal Table Top supported by one or more heavy, wide-based columns.
Pediment Often found on case goods, an ornamental, usually triangular crown used as a decorative finishing element.
Pembroke Table Small, 2-flapped table that stands on four legs.
Pencil-post Bed Bed with four slim posts used alone or with canopy.
Percale Smooth fabric - a smooth-textured closely woven cotton or polyester fabric used for bed sheets and clothing. It sometimes has a glazed finish.
Pie Crust Table A small table with carved or molded scalloped edges.
Pile A fabric with a surface of upright ends, cut or looped, like velvet.
Pima Cotton A generic term for extra long staple cotton.
Pique A crisp medium-weight fabric, either knit or woven, with raised dobby designs. Pronounced 'pikay'
Plain Weave A weave structure that has horizontal and vertical threads woven in a simple over under pattern with no variations such as twists or knots.
Platform Bed A low profile bed originating from European-influenced design, normally does not require a box spring below the mattress and usually has a footboard that is level with the area the mattress rests upon, thus creating a platform.
Plywood 3-5 thin slices of wood glue together like a sandwich under high pressure.
Polyester A manufactured fiber. It is second only to cotton in worldwide use. Polyester has high strength, excellent resiliency, and high abrasion resistance. Low absorbency allows the fiber to dry quickly.
Proof Of Delivery A document signed at the point of delivery, by the recipient, evidencing that goods were delivered to the final destination.
Quilt Created by placing a layer of cotton or some other fill between two layers of fabric. Held in place by stitching or sealing in a regular, consistent, all-over pattern.
Rail The lateral components of a bed that run between the headboard and footboard and form the supporting components for the box spring and mattress.
Rayon A manufactured fiber composed of regenerated cellulose, derived from wood pulp, cotton linters, or other vegetable matter.
Ready-to-Assemble (RTA) Furniture that is shipped in a disassembled format, often 'flat packed' into boxes, and assembled once it arrives at its point of use.
Reeding Close, parallel rows of convex moldings. The opposite of fluting.
Right as Facing The right hand side of a piece of furniture when looking at the item from the front.
Right as Seated The right hand side of a piece of furniture when looking at the item while seated or oriented in the same direction as the item.
Rolled Arms Arms which flare out and then down to meet the sides of a chair or sofa.
RTA "Ready to Assemble"
Rubber Wood A high quality hardwood indigenous to Asian countries, similar to American Oak.
Rule Joint Type of joint on furniture contrived in such a way that, when open, no separation shows between the two joined parts.
Runners Strips of wood on which doors slide.
Scroll Spiral-shaped ornamentation.
Seat Rail Framework that supports the seat of a chair and holds the legs together.
Secretary Combination slant front desk and bookcase.
Secretary/ Secretaire Writing cabinets with a fall from that lets down to provide a writing surface often has bookshelves above and drawers below.
Sectional Sofa that has several segments segments, that may be used in combination or separately in a room like modular seating.
Serpentine Front Chest, dresser, etc., with undulating front surfaces.
Settee The forerunner of today's sofa, a long seat with side arms and back, sometimes upholstered.
Side Chair Chair without arms, designed to stand against a wall.
Skirt Piece of fabric at the bottom of a sofa, loveseat, or chair that hangs for decorative purposes.
Slat System Horizontal supports used in beds and daybeds that attach to or lay on the rails, and provide support for the box spring and mattress.
Sleeper A sofa which can be converted into a bed.
Sleigh Bed Bed in which the head and footboards are scrolled.
Slub A thick, uneven nub in yarn for a textured effect.
Snaps and Straps A pair of straps sewn to the seat deck; on the end of each is a metal lock snap. This fits into a ring on a cushion to hold it in place.
Sofa Long seat with back and arms.
Sofa Table Rectangular table with two hinged flaps at the ends designed to stand in front of a sofa.
Softwood A general term for the wood of trees that remain green all year.
Spade Foot Rectangular, tapered Foot separated from the rest of the leg by a slight projection.
Spat Middle piece of the back support of a chair.
Squab Cushion Loose, flat cushions on the seat of a chair.
Stacking Furniture Pieces designed so they work together and can be super-imposed on each other for unified wall systems.
Staining The application of colored dye to wood furniture; used in the furniture finishing step to provide a deeper, richer look.
Stirs A streaked or striped effect produced with yarns of varying tones.
Stretcher Crosspiece connecting and bracing legs of tables, chairs, chests, etc.
Synthetic fiber Used to create upholstery fabric acetate, acrylic, nylon, rayon, and polypropylene.
Synthetic Fibers Manufactured fibers resulting from chemical synthesis.
Table Lamp A smaller lighting fixture that is used on top of a table, typically 10" to 3' in height.
Tester Canopy of ceiling over a bed.
Texture The feel and appearance of a surface; also refers to the grain of wood.
Thread Count Measured by counting the number of threads per inch in the woven fabric in both directions of the weave (these directions are referred to as warp and weft). Generally, the higher the thread count, the silkier and lighter the sheets.
Ticking A tightly woven, very durable fabric, usually made of cotton, and used for covering mattresses, box springs and pillows.
Trestle Table Long, narrow table with two uprights joined by a single stretcher.
Tripod Table Small table with a round top support by a three-legged pillar.
Triptych Large, 3-part hinged mirror, panel, or screen.
Turning An ornamental or structural part of furniture made by rotating a cylindrical piece of wood on a lathe and shaping it with cutting tools.
Tuxedo Arms Slightly flared arms that are the same height as the back.
Veneer Thin sheets of wood applied to a core for decorative effect core might be solid wood or engineered wood.
Vitrine China or curio cabinet with glass doors.
Wainscoting An application of wood molding up to the middle or lower half of a wall; sometimes also found on ceilings.
Wall Mirror Any type of mirror that's designed to be hung on a wall.
Wall Unit Large free-standing or wall hung units which can have drawers, shelves, cabinets, desks, entertainment centers or other features.
Wardrobe Large cabinet or cupboard for hanging clothes.
Wardrobe A tall upright cabinet with a door or doors. Designed for storing clothing.
Warp In woven fabric, the yarns that run lengthwise and are interwoven with the fill (weft) yarns.
Waterfall Skirt A skirt on an upholstered piece of furniture that falls from the top of the base below the cushion line to the floor without interruption.
Weft In woven fabric, the filling yarns that run perpendicular to the warp yarns.
Wellington Chest A tall, narrow, relatively plain type of chest named after the Duke of Wellington.
Welt A strip of fabric, resembling a cord, sewn between two pieces of upholstery fabric to give a more finished appearance to the seam; usually made by covering a cord with a tube of fabric.
Welting Cord wrapped in fabric which is used to trip the upholstery seams and places where the fabric meets exposed wood.
Wenge A very dark, almost black, wood finish; sometimes referred to as espresso finish.
Whatnot Mobile stand with open shelves.
White Glove Delivery Area doorstorefurniture.com term that signifies a full in home delivery that includes assembly, removal of debris and placement of furniture.
Windsor Chair A country-style chair with a solid, shaped seat connected to the legs and chair back with round or flat shaped spindles.
Wing Chair A fully upholstered chair with wings at the sides to protect sitter from drafts.

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