FURNITURE STYLES

LEGS: CAMBRIOLE

STYLE - Ladder back, simple, structural lines

SHAKER

A sofa with square back and arms at a lower level than the back.

UPHOLSTERED PIECES: LAWSON

CHAIR BACKS: LYRE

DECORATIVE FEATURE: REEDING

Parallel lines of rounded molding

Associated with Sheraton

CASE GOODS: BUFFET

FEET: PAD

TABLES: PEDESTAL

A table with a single center support

CHAIRS: WINDSOR

A large sideboard with drawers and cupboards

CASE GOODS: BUFFET

LEGS: TURNED

Circular leg sometimes with decoration

Elaborate associated with Victorian

Simple associated with• Early American

CHAIRS: WING

A standing closet used for clothes

CASE GOODS: WARDROBE/ARMOIRE

CHAIR BACKS: SHIELD

A chair with a slat of wood in the middle of the chair back.

CHAIRS: SPLATBACK

FEET: PAD

Simple rounded carved foot

Associated with• Queen Anne

DECORATIVE FEATURE: TURNING

FEET: BALL AND CLAW

Carved claw grasping a ball

Associated with •Chippendale

A table with one or two drop leaves that are supported when in use by a hinged leg swung out from the frame

TABLES: GATE-LEG

FEET: BRACKET

UPHOLSTERED PIECES: CAMELBACK

A back with a hump-shaped curve on a sofa or other piece of furniture

CHAIR BACKS: SPLAT

UPHO L STER ED P IECES: TUXEDO SOFAS

An upholstered sofa with slightly curved arms that are the same height as the back

DECORATIVE FEATURE: PEDIMENT

A low upholstered seat, or footstool, without a back or arms that typically serves also as a box, with the seat hinged to form a lid

UPHOLSTERED PIECES: OTTOMAN

TABLES: PEDESTAL

STYLE - Lyre back, splayed legs, laurel leaves

DUNCAN PHYFE

A tall chest of drawers on legs

CASE GOODS: HIGH BOY

CASE GOODS: WARDROBE/ARMOIRE

CASE GOODS: SECRETARY

A writing desk fitted with drawers, one of which can be pulled out and the front lowered to provide a flat writing surface.

UPHOLSTERED PIECES: CAMELBACK

STYLE - Ball and claw foot, ears, Chinese influence- black lacquer Japanning, camelback couch

CHIPPENDALE

CHAIRS: SIDE

An upright wooden chair without arms

CHAIRS: SPLATBACK

STYLE - Square back, tapered legs

SHERATON

DECORATIVE FEATURES: FINIAL

LEGS: CAMBRIOLE

Curved leg in the shape of an animal’s leg

Associated with • Queen Anne

DECORATIVE FEATURE: REEDING

STYLE - cabriole leg, pad foot, shell motif, wing chair

QUEEN ANNE

DECORATIVE FEATURE: FLUTING

May use one or more materials in construction—glass, wood, metal and plastics, textiles

MODERN/CONTEMPORARY

FEET: BUN

STYLE - Shield back, tapered legs

HEPPLEWHITE

CHAIRS: ARM

LEGS: SPLAYED

Leg with a concave shape

Associated with • Duncan Phyfe

TABLES: GATE-LEG

STYLE - turned legs, square, blocky with plank seat or cane seat

EARLY AMERICAN

UPHOLSTERED PIECES: LAWSON

LEGS: TURNED

CHAIRS: SIDE

DECORATIVE FEATURE: TURNING

An ornamental element of furniture produced by rotating a wood dowel on a lathe, and shaping the dowel with cutting tools

UPHO L STER ED P IECES: TUXEDO SOFAS

LEGS: TAPERED

Straight leg gradually decreasing in width

Associated with• Sheraton• Hepplewhite

FEET: BUN

Rounded foot, flatter than a ball foot

Associated with• Early American• Queen Anne

FEET: BRACKET

Angular curved foot, usually used with case pieces

Associated with • Early American• Chippendale• Hepplewhite

CASE GOODS: SECRETARY

CHAIR BACKS: LYRE

Lyre-shaped central splat

Associated with Duncan Phyfe

CHAIR BACKS: LADDER

Chair back with equally spaced horizontal flat slats, either straight or curved

Associated with• Shaker

LEGS: TAPERED

CHAIR BACKS: SPLAT

The vertical central element of a chair back. It may be carved, vase, or fiddle shaped

Vase shaped associated with Queen Anne and Chippendale

CHAIRS: LADDERBACK

CHAIR BACKS: SHIELD

Shield shaped chair back

Associated with Hepplewhite

DECORATIVE FEATURES: FINIAL

Decorative turning affixed to the tops of case furniture, and chair and bed posts

Associated with• Early American• Queen Anne• Chippendale• Shaker

CASE GOODS: HIGH BOY

LEGS: SPLAYED

DECORATIVE FEATURE: PEDIMENT

Ornamentation typically found on top of case goods

Could be broken, scroll

Associated with Chippendale

DECORATIVE FEATURE: FLUTING

Carved or molded vertical channels

Associated with • Hepplewhite• Sheraton• Duncan Phyfe

UPHOLSTERED PIECES: OTTOMAN

CHAIRS: WINDSOR

A wood chair whose back and sides consist of multiple thin, turned spindles that are attached to a solid, sculpted seat

CHAIRS: WING

A high-backed armchair with side pieces projecting from the back, originally in order to protect the sitter from drafts

FEET: BALL AND CLAW

CHAIRS: ARM

A comfortable chair, typically upholstered, with side supports for a person’s arms

CHAIR BACKS: LADDER

STYLE - Very ornate, tufting, elaborate carvings on wood parts

VICTORIAN

CHAIRS: LADDERBACK

A chair with a back consisting of two upright posts connected by horizontal slats