Furniture Glossary
Armoire
Adaptations: Furnishing that capture the flavor of the original but are not authentic.
Antique: An object 100 or more years old.
Armoire: A tall, freestanding wardrobe devised by the French in the 17th century; originally used to store armor.
Banquette: A long benchlike seat, often upholstered, and generally built into a wall.
Barcelona chair: An armless leather chair with an X-shaped chrome base; designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1929.
Bergere: An armchair with upholstered back, seat, and sides and an exposed wood frame.
Breakfront: A large cabinet with a protruding center section.
Cabriole: A style of furniture leg where the top curves out, the center curves in, and the foot curves out.
Case goods or case pieces: Furniture industry terms for chests and cabinets.
Chaise lounge: Pronounced shez long; literally, a "long chair," designed for reclining.
Chippendale: Name applied to Thomas Chippendale's 18th-century furniture designs, including the camelback sofa and wing chair.
Commode: French word for a low chest of drawers, often with a bowed front; in Victorian times, it referred to a nightstand that concealed a chamber pot.
Console: A rectangular table usually set against a wall in a foyer or dining room; a bracketed shelf attached to a wall.
Credenza: A sideboard or buffet.
Down: The fine, soft fluff from the breasts of geese or ducks; considered the most luxurious filling for seat cushions and bed pillows.
Drop-leaf table: A table with hinged leaves that can be folded down.
