As you slowly settle back into our routine after some quality time spent amongst family and friends, you find yourself mulling over your “2010 To Do List” and wonder how you failed, once again, to complete it in the 365 days!
Scrolling down your familiar list, you come across “Replace the dining room furniture”. Looking around, you realize that once again, you hosted your family and friends with the table and chairs that you bought at a garage sale during your first year at college, many, many moons ago. Although they have served you very well, it is time to pass them on to a new college student, before your own kids need them for their first apartment!
As you search the Internet for dining room furniture chair styles, you are sure of one thing, make that two: you want wood chairs and a wood table and you know nothing about furniture styles!
To help you in your selection, or to at least, so that you can appear to know what you are talking about, here are a few definitions:
Colonial:
This American furniture style is from the 1700s until the Revolution. Both formal and simple styles of colonial furniture exist. Mahogany, cherry and walnut are used in the formal furniture, whereas pine, oak and maple distinguish the simpler version. Colonial furniture is typically high backed, large and informal. Chippendale and Queen Anne styles are often included when speaking of colonial furniture.
Early American:
This American furniture design is from the late 17th and early 18th centuries. This style is distinguishable by its straight lines and minimum decoration. Chairs from this style typically have ladder and slat backs.
Mission:
This style of furniture, popular in the early 20th century, was a response to the excessive and grandiose Victorian furniture. Mission style features heavy, dark-oak style furniture with spare, rectangular lines.
Reproduction:
New furniture that is a replica of an antique piece.
Settee:
Can be very practical at the end of a dining room table! This bench with a back and arms, typically seats two people.
Shaker:
A combination of functionality and beauty, shaker furniture has its origins from an American religious sect in the 18th and 19th centuries that lived simply. Shaker chairs display straight, tapered legs along with woven-strap seats.
Upholstery:
Fabric-covered chairs; layers of padding and fabric cover the chair seat and sometimes, the back. Upholstery
Victorian:
Named after Queen Victoria, this furniture style is typically made out of walnut and mahogany and often features detailed floral designs carved into the wood. The chair backs from the Victorian era are usually oval.
While this list is not complete, it may at least give you an idea of what you like and dislike. Certain wooden chair manufacturers will be able to combine different styles and reproduce wood chairs from the different eras. Newport Furniture Parts has been manufacturing and designing wood components for companies in the furniture industry since 1963. A Vermont based furniture parts supplier at the leading edge of today’s technology, Newport Furniture Parts is a one-stop design and production facility. Contact Newport Furniture Parts.
http://www.homesandantiques.com/glossary
http://countryworkshops.org/Glossary.html
