Furniture Glossary A-Z
- Armoire
- Tall cabinet used for storing clothes or linens
- Bespoke Furniture
- Custom-made pieces tailored to specific requirements
- Chaise Lounge
- Long upholstered seat for reclining
- Dovetail Joint
- Interlocking wood joint used in high-quality drawers
- Eames Chair
- Iconic mid-century modern molded plastic chair
- Futon
- Convertible sofa that folds into a bed
- Gloss Finish
- Shiny, reflective surface coating
- Hardwood
- Dense wood from deciduous trees (e.g., oak, maple)
- Inventory Liquidation
- Sale to clear out warehouse stock
- Joiner
- Craftsman specializing in wooden joints
- Kiln-Dried
- Wood dried in a kiln to reduce moisture
- Lumbar Support
- Lower back reinforcement in seating
- Mid-Century Modern
- 1950s-60s design style with clean lines
- Nesting Tables
- Set of tables that fit underneath each other
- Ottoman
- Upholstered footrest or seat
- Patio Furniture
- Weather-resistant outdoor seating
- Queen Anne Style
- 18th-century design with curved legs
- Recliner
- Chair with adjustable backrest
- Sectional
- Modular sofa configuration
- Tufting
- Buttoned upholstery technique
- Upholstery
- Fabric/materials covering padded furniture
- Vanity
- Dressing table with a mirror
- Wainscoting
- Wood paneling on lower walls
- X-Frame
- Chair/table with crossed legs
- Yard Sale
- Residential sale of used goods
- Zero Gravity Chair
- Recliner simulating weightlessness
- Accent Chair
- Decorative secondary seating
- Buffet
- Sideboard for dining room storage
- Credenza
- Low cabinet for storage or display
- Distressed Finish
- Intentional aged/worn appearance
- Ergonomics
- Design optimized for human comfort
- Faux Leather
- Synthetic leather alternative
- Gaming Chair
- Ergonomically designed for long sitting
- Headboard
- Panel at the head of a bed
- Inlay
- Decorative pattern set into wood
- Japandi
- Hybrid Japanese-Scandinavian design
- Knock-Down Furniture
- Flat-pack furniture for assembly
- Loveseat
- Small sofa for two people
- Murphy Bed
- Wall-bed that folds into a cabinet
- Occasional Table
- Small table for flexible use
- Parsons Table
- Simple square/rectangular minimalist table
- Quilted Upholstery
- Diamond-pattern padded fabric
- Rattan
- Natural woven material for outdoor furniture
- Slipcover
- Removable fabric cover for furniture
- Trestle Table
- Table supported by horizontal beams
- Upcycled
- Repurposed materials into new furniture
- Valet Chair
- Chair with built-in clothing hanger
- Windsor Chair
- Wooden chair with spindle back
- X-Brace
- Crossed support under tables/chairs
- Yoga Ottoman
- Multi-functional storage footrest
- Zabuton
- Japanese floor cushion
- Bar Stool
- Tall stool for counter-height seating
- Cane Weaving
- Woven rattan/rush material
- Davenport
- Antique term for a sofa
- Eco-Leather
- Environmentally friendly synthetic leather
- Floating Shelf
- Wall-mounted shelf with hidden brackets
- Gateleg Table
- Drop-leaf table with hinged legs
- Hutch
- Cabinet above a base unit
- Institutional Furniture
- Durable designs for schools/hospitals
- Jacquard Fabric
- Intricately woven patterned textile
- Kneehole Desk
- Desk with open space for legs
- Lazy Susan
- Rotating tray for corner cabinets
- Mission Style
- Arts & Crafts-era simple wood designs
- Nailhead Trim
- Decorative metal stud detailing
- Overstuffed
- Plush, heavily padded furniture
- Pembroke Table
- Small drop-leaf table
- Quatrefoil
- Four-lobed decorative pattern
- Rolltop Desk
- Desk with flexible tambour closure
- Sleigh Bed
- Bed with curved head/footboards
- Tête-à-Tête
- S-shaped sofa for face-to-face seating
- Underbed Storage
- Drawers/space beneath beds
- Veneer
- Thin wood layer over composite base
- Wingback Chair
- High-backed chair with side panels
- X-Bench
- Cross-legged upholstered bench
- Yoke Back Chair
- Chair with horizontal top rail
- Zen Style
- Minimalist, nature-inspired designs
- Accent Lighting
- Decorative lights highlighting furniture
- Balloon Shade
- Fabric window treatment with gathers
- Camelback Sofa
- Sofa with arched backrest
- Directoire Style
- Late 18th-century French neoclassical
- Empire Style
- Early 19th-century ornate French design
- Fluting
- Vertical decorative grooves in wood
- Grecian Couch
- Ancient-inspired reclining sofa
- Hepplewhite
- 18th-century delicate English style
- Intarsia
- Wood inlay creating pictorial designs
- Jardinière
- Ornamental plant stand
- Klismos Chair
- Ancient Greek curved-leg design
- Loo Table
- Round 18th-century card table
- Marquetry
- Intricate wood veneer patterns
- Neoclassical
- 18th-century revival of classical motifs
- Ormolu
- Gilded bronze decorative mounts
- Papasan Chair
- Round bowl-shaped cushioned chair
- Quarter-Sawn
- Wood cut radially for stability
- Rococo
- Ornate 18th-century European style
- Settee
- Small upholstered bench
- Tansu
- Japanese modular storage cabinetry
- Urn Stand
- Small table for displaying vases
- Vitrine
- Glass-fronted display cabinet
- Whatnot
- Open shelving unit for curios
- Xylophone Bench
- Decorative slatted seat