If you want to give your home a whole new look, that means learning all about interior design. However, your lessons can only take you so far if you don’t speak the language!
Here at Ivy Interiors, we’ve got you covered. We’ve prepared a quick and easy guide to design terms with some of the most popular interior design style terms!
“Antiquing” can be one of the more confusing interior design style terms at first, but it’s mostly self-explanatory. This is any technique used to make a surface appear older, giving it a look of classic style.
“Bonded leather” is a popular design material. It is a composite that is made of 17% genuine leather, and the rest of cotton, polyester, and polyurethane. The result is a material that looks and feels like authentic leather but does not carry the high price tag.
If you’re renovating your home, casters are your new best friend and for sure make our guide to design terms. These are the small wheels that are fixed to the bottom of furniture, making it easy to move around. Next time you need to move heavy furniture, use casters and your back will thank you!
A “club chair” is a fancier term for an upholstered chair that has a low back and arms. They are comfortable while still being formal, making them ideal for places like dining rooms.
Corner blocks are an essential element of wood furnishings. These blocks are typically triangular and reinforce joints to reduce strain and help your furniture last that much longer.
“Crown molding” is a special kind of trim typically found on the top of certain furniture. It is designed to echo classic architectural molding, and it makes everything from dressers to chests look elegantly adorned with a classic finish.
“Distressed finishing” is a form of antiquing. It helps to give your furniture a “shabby chic” look, making it an ideal way to disguise any actual wear or damage to your favorite furniture.
Without dovetails, your drawers would never be complete. These are wedge shapes that interlock to help join drawers together and add stability and endurance. The use of dovetails echoes English design principles, making this vintage design concept still suited for modern construction.
Elastic webbing is a modern alternative to springs and coils. It is made of synthetic and nylon-blended strips woven together to form a foundation for upholstered furniture. Without this webbing, furniture cushioning all over the world would be far less comfortable.
An inlay is a decorative design that is set into wood and made of a contrasting material. These can be made of tile, stone, or wood with a different tone, as all of these create an attractive addition to surfaces such as tabletops.
An overly is the opposite of an inlay. It is any kind of decorative trim that is applied to the top of a flat surface, as opposed to being set inside like an inlay. A new overlay can be added to any existing furniture surfaces for a low cost by using veneers.
“Tufting and buttoning” sounds very fancy, but the idea behind it is quite simple. This refers to fastening stuffing to upholstery through a special process. Material is pulled through fabric in regular intervals and then secured via upholstered buttons. In addition to being a practical way to secure stuffing, this technique can make chairs, sofas, and other furniture look like something out of Victorian England.
A veneer is a cosmetic enhancement you make to existing furniture. It is a small sheet of wood that can create inlays as well as give a surface the appearance of wood grain. Ultimately, veneers have a well-earned reputation for being a great, and stylish, way to renovate your furniture.
Now you know a variety of useful guide to design terms, but do you know where to find furniture with all the style you deserve?
At Ivy Interiors, we can add style and class to every room in your home. To see the style we have to offer, come browse our furniture today!