CHAPTER
15
Housing and Interior Design
by Carolyn S. Turner
Furniture Styles and
Construction
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Objectives
• Analyze various furniture styles.
• Evaluate quality furniture construction.
• Summarize consumer protections for
buying furniture.
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Furniture Styles and
Construction
• The first two steps in furnishing an interior
space are
– choosing furniture styles
– evaluating furniture construction
• Design has three characteristics, including
– function
– construction
– aesthetics
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Choosing Furniture Styles
• Choosing furniture styles is a matter of
personal preference
• Analyzing the various styles can give you a
good idea of which styles are pleasing and
fit the design plan
• Furniture style refers to design only
– not the cost or the quality of construction
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Furniture Styles
• Furniture styles can be documented
throughout history
– The Ancient Egyptians in 3000 B.C. were the
first to document furniture styles
bedframe
leg of a stool
continued
chairs (for rich & powerful)
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Furniture Styles
– Fine quality Oriental furniture dates back to
300 B.C.
1100 furniture
furniture from 1527
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Furniture Styles
– Styles of Ancient Rome can be documented
from 700 B.C.
Roman Dining Couch (for rich and powerful)
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Furniture Styles
• Ancient Greek styles date back to 1100 B.C.
•
Klismos - chair designed primarily for women
Kline – used for sleeping and dining – high enough for
table to fit under it.
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Furniture Styles
• Fine furniture making began its recovery in
the 1200s with the emergence of Gothic art
in Western Europe
• Many furniture
styles used today
are influenced by
traditional design
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Traditional Furniture Styles
• Traditional, or period, furniture styles are
designs created in the past and are still in
use today
• Most furniture styles are named after the
rulers of the era or the craftsman who
actually created them
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Traditional Styles from France
• Furniture styles were grand and formal
while Louis XIII was King of France (16101643)
– Rich inlays, carvings, and classical motifs
were typical
continued
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Traditional Styles from France
• Louis XIV ruled France from 1643-1715
and built the Palace of Versailles
– The furnishings had heavy ornamentation and
gold overlays
continued
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Traditional Styles from France
• These characteristics in the Palace of
Versailles mark the influential French
Baroque period (1600-1800)
continued
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Traditional Styles from France
• Louis XV (1715-1774) furniture styles (Rococo
period) had smaller proportions and were
more delicate
– Curved lines and soft colors were dominant
continued
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Traditional Styles from France
• Popular furniture styles when Louis XVI and Marie
Antoinette ruled France (Neoclassical Period 1774-1792)
included
– simple, straight lines and such classic motifs as fluted
columns
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Traditional Styles from France
• The Empire style became popular when
Napoleon ruled France, and included
– large, heavy furniture
– ornamentation with Napoleon’s initial and
military symbols
– Egyptian, Greek, and Roman motifs
continued
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Traditional Styles from France
• During the 17th and 18th centuries,
artisans copied styles that were popular in
the court at Paris
– The French Provincial style was practical,
functional, and comfortable
– The furniture copies used local wood and
simplified decorations
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Traditional Styles from England
• Jacobean furniture became popular during
the reigns of James I and Charles I
• The decorative features in heavy oak
furniture included
– turning
– fluting
continued
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Traditional Styles from England
• Turning is made by rotating wood on a
lathe to create a spiral effect
• Fluting is made by carving parallel grooves
into the wood
continued
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Traditional Styles from England
• During the reign of Queen Anne, there was
an Oriental influence in furniture
• Furniture details included
– graceful carved fans and shells
– cabriole legs with a gentle S-shaped curve
that ends in a decorative foot
continued
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Traditional Styles from England
• Georgian style became popular during the
reigns of Kings George I, II, and III
• The style names reflected their designers
and included
– Thomas Chippendale
– James and Robert Adam (brothers)
– George Hepplewhite
– Thomas Sheraton
continued
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Traditional Styles from England
• The Chippendale
design had Gothic
and Chinese
influences, including
– splat-back chairs
– chair backs with
curved top edges
– S-shaped legs with
claw and ball feet
©Mountain Light Studios/Shutterstock.com
continued
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Traditional Styles from England
• Robert and James Adam designed
furniture that
– complemented their architectural designs
– was classic and symmetrical
– had designs with
• simple outlines
• rectangular shapes
• tapered, straight legs
continued
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Traditional Styles from England
• George Hepplewhite is most famous for his
graceful chair designs
– The chair backs had shield, oval, and heart
shapes
• Thomas Sheraton use characteristic
straight lines with such features as
– motifs of urns, swags, and leaves
– disappearing drawers, folding tables, secret
compartments, and other mechanical devices
continued
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Traditional Styles from England
• The Regency furniture style reflected
– interest in the ancient cultures of Greece,
Rome, and Egypt
– bold, curved lines
• The Victorian furniture style included
– excessive use of ornamentation
– massive proportions
– dark colors
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Traditional American Styles
• Early American furnishings were
– built by the first European settlers
– sturdy and practical
– made from native woods
(maple, pine, and oak)
• Ladder-back and Windsor
chairs, and canopy beds
were common
©Perry Correll/Shutterstock.com
continued
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Traditional American Styles
• The wingback chair was popular during the
colonial period, and featured
– a high back with winglike sides, graceful lines,
and S-shaped legs
• The Federal style became popular after the
American Revolution, and featured
– patriotic symbols, such as eagles, stars, and
stripes
continued
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Traditional American Styles
• Duncan Phyfe was a major furniture
designer of the Federal period
• His designs included
– brass-tipped dog feet
– curved legs
– rolled top rails on chair and sofa backs
continued
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Traditional American Styles
• The Shakers gained recognition for their
use of the circular saw in making furniture
in the early 1800s
– The furniture was very plain in design, but
often painted in bright colors
– Shakers are best known for their side chairs
and rockers
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Twentieth-Century Furniture
Styles
• At the beginning of the 20th century,
designers wished to create furniture
designs that reflected a modern lifestyle
– They designed furniture with simpler lines and
forms
• The primary characteristic of Modern
furniture was the use of abstract form
• The ability to mass-produce machine-made
furniture was a strong influence
continued
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Twentieth-Century Furniture
Styles
• International designs also had a significant
influence on the Modern period, including
– Art Nouveau
– De Stijl
– Bauhaus
– Organic
– Art Deco
– Modern Scandinavian
• Many architects influenced this style
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Art Nouveau
• The Art Nouveau style began as a revolt
against historical revival styles
– The term is French for New Art
– The movement began in the 1800s and lasted
until the early 1900s
• The style reflected an interest in the
decorative arts
continued
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Art Nouveau
• Features of the
Art Nouveau style
included
– Japanese motifs
– curved lines
reflecting natural
growing forms of
plants (blossoms,
vines, and stalks)
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De Stijl
• De Stijl began as an art movement around
1917 in the Netherlands
• It was led by Dutch architect and furniture
designer, Gerrit Rietveld, and featured
– geometric forms, such as rectangles
– an abstract art influence
– three primary colors─red, blue, and yellow
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Bauhaus
• The German Bauhaus movement strongly
influenced the direction of furniture design
in the early 1900s
– Architect Walter Gropius established the
Bauhaus school of design in Germany in 1919
continued
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Bauhaus
• “Form follows function” was the Bauhaus
philosophy
• Typical Bauhaus furniture designs were
very simple
• Chair designs by Marcel Breuer and Mies
van der Rohe became popular during this
period
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Arts and Crafts
• The Arts and Crafts movement
– began with John Ruskin and William Morris
– protested the shoddy industrial production of
goods in Victorian design
– urged a return to creative, quality handwork by
craftsman who used materials honestly and
with less-elaborate detail
– was shortened to “Craftsman” after a
magazine published by Gustav Stickley
continued
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Arts and Crafts
• Gustav Stickley was a famous furniture
designer whose designs were also called
– Mission or Golden Oak style
• His furniture designs were simple,
functional, and sturdy with emphasis on
– the details of the art of joining pieces of wood
– a handmade appearance, including tenon and
key joints, exposed tenons, and visible dowels
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Organic Design
• The furniture designs by American architect
Frank Lloyd Wright and his followers
signified an organic style
• His designs
– complement their natural surroundings
– work within the natural terrain
– take advantage of sunlight and breezes
– use wood, masonry, and glass
– use geometric shapes, flat surfaces, and slats
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Art Deco
• Art Deco was the most popular
international decorative style in the 1920s
and 1930s and
– supported the public’s interest in fast-moving
trains, ocean liners, and cars
– used unusual combinations of industrial
materials and traditional luxury materials
– was influenced by mechanical, Native
American, and African art
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Modern Scandinavian
• Modern
Scandinavian design
began in the late
1920s in Denmark,
Norway, and Sweden
• Chair designs had
molded wood seats
and arms
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continued
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Modern Scandinavian
• To achieve the molded technique
– veneers of wood are shaped by applying
steam or heat
– white birch was typically used because of its
hard surface, firmness, and unusual pliability
• Scandinavian style features
– were clean, simple lines, of natural wood
– used simple fabrics of wool, cotton, or linen for
upholstery
continued
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Modern Scandinavian
• The furniture style was also popular
because it was
– warm
– natural
– easy to maintain
• The smaller scale of the pieces worked
well in apartments and smaller homes
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Late Twentieth-Century Styles
• The Retro style of the 1950s and 1960s
used many popular elements from the early
1900s, including
– triangular, boomerang, and rhomboid shapes
• Some retro armchairs feature forms that
hug the body, such as
– the butterfly chair designed by Harry Bertoi
continued
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Late Twentieth-Century Styles
• The simple chrome molded-plywood chair
designed by Charles Eames was a very
important piece of this period
• Modular furniture units evolved during this
period
continued
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Late Twentieth-Century Styles
• Radical Modern design popular in the late
1960s, featured
– inexpensive and serviceable furniture
– furniture that conforms to the body, such as
the beanbag chair
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continued
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Late Twentieth-Century Styles
• The Postmodern design style of the late
1900s used
– traditional shapes constructed of different
materials and finishes
• Architect Robert Venturi designed a Queen
Anne chair of bent plywood, resulting in
– light-hearted reinterpretations of historical
design
continued
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Late Twentieth-Century Styles
• The goal of the Postmodern movement
was to
– remove furniture design from a factory process
– return it to the realm of art
– design furniture that machines could not
produce
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Twentieth-First Century
Furniture Styles
• There are five dominant furniture styles
popular in the United States, including
– Contemporary
– Traditional
– Casual
– Country
– Eclectic
• The styles are available in many different
price ranges and levels of quality
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Contemporary
• Contemporary furniture styles are the latest
introductions to the market, and
– take advantage of the newest materials and
manufacturing methods
– use of plastics, metals, wood, and glass create
an endless range of visual effects
– use simple lines, forms, and geometric shapes
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Traditional
• Traditional furniture continues to be
inspired by the early designs of the French,
English, and American periods, and
includes
– symmetry and graceful, carved curves
– rich fabric colors
– wood finishes are dark with a polished sheen
• This style conveys a sense of elegance
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Casual
• Casual style furniture emphasizes comfort
and informality, including
– an overstuffed look in sofas and chairs
– carefree fabric designs
– use of pine, ash, oak, and maple
• The beginnings of this style do not date
back to any single historical period
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Country
• Country style traces is
origins to the lifestyles of
rural areas, including
– American, English,
Italian, French, and Irish
Country influences
• Characteristics of the
style vary among
countries
©James Marvin Phelps Shutterstock.com
continued
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Country
• Country style furniture uses
– painted or distressed wood finishes
– natural pine, cherry, and oak
– plump and comfortable chairs and sofas
– fabric designs that appear timeworn
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Eclectic
• Eclectic style can mix different ethnic,
historical, and international influences
• Effective use of the principles of design
helps create a unified look
– Furnishings should be in proportion to one
another and relate in mood
– Textures and colors may also help unify the
design scheme
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Antiques, Collectibles, and
Reproductions
• Contemporary, Casual, Country,
Traditional, and Eclectic are the dominant
styles in furniture
• Antiques, collectibles, and reproductions
continue to be popular choices, and
– can mix well with many styles of furniture
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Antiques
• Antiques are pieces of furniture made over
100 years ago in the style of the period
– Quality pieces are hard to locate
• Furniture that is very old and reflects good
construction can be costly
• The finest antiques are
– museum quality, very rare, and expensive
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Collectibles and Reproductions
• Collectibles are highly valued furnishings
less than 100 years old, no longer made,
and will become antiques if kept long
enough
• Reproductions are copies of antique
originals
– Determining whether a furniture piece is
authentic or a reproduction requires careful
inspection and research
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Evaluating Furniture
Construction
• Furniture materials can be used alone or in
combination with other materials
• The furniture you select for a design
scheme depends on the
– desires of the household
– mood of the room
– money available to carry out the design
continued
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Evaluating Furniture
Construction
• In order for a design to be successful, the
functional quality of furniture needs to be
evaluated for
– usefulness
– convenience
– organization
• The aesthetic value of furniture needs to
have a pleasing appearance or effect
continued
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Evaluating Furniture
Construction
• Furniture should be safe, durable, and use
materials that meet industry standards
• Understanding furniture construction can
– help you choose
the highest-quality
furniture for the
money available
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Wood in Furniture
• Wood is the most common material used in
furniture construction
• A case good is a furniture piece in which
wood is the primary construction material,
including
– tables, desks, dressers, headboards, and
chests
continued
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Wood in Furniture
• Wood for furniture construction can be
classified according to
– type and quality of wood grain
– hardwood versus softwood
– solid versus bonded wood
– type of wood joints
– finished versus unfinished wood
• These factors affect furniture quality
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Grain
• A wood grain, or pattern, forms as a tree
grows
– Stump wood forms a beautiful grain from the
twisted and irregular growth of the tree’s roots
– Crotch wood forms a special grain when
branches grow out from the trunk of a tree
– Burls are a woody, flattened outgrowth with a
unique and highly prized grain
• Lumber is cut to show off the grain
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Hardwood and Softwood
• Hardwood comes from deciduous trees, or
trees that lose their leaves
– Walnut, mahogany, pecan, cherry, maple, and
oak are used for quality furniture
– Hardwood does
not dent easily
– It is stronger and
more costly than
softwood
continued
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Hardwood and Softwood
• Softwood comes from coniferous trees, or
evergreens that do not shed their leaves
– Softwood dents easily
and does not have as
beautiful a grain as
hardwood
– Cedar, redwood, pine, fir,
and spruce are the most
common softwoods used
for furniture
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Solid Wood and Bonded Wood
• Solid wood means that all exposed parts of
a furniture piece are made of whole pieces
of wood
• Bonded wood is the application of glue and
pressure to several layers of wood,
including
– veneered wood
– pressed wood
continued
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Solid Wood and Bonded Wood
• Veneered wood, or plywood, has three,
five, or seven thin layers of wood bonded
to one another, to a solid wood core, or to a
pressed wood core
– Outside layers are fine woods
– Inside layers are inexpensive woods
• Veneering makes fine woods available at a
moderate cost
continued
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Solid Wood and Bonded Wood
• Pressed wood is of shavings, veneer
scraps, chips, and other small pieces of
wood
• Other names for pressed wood include
– particleboard, wafer board, or composite
board
• Pressed wood is often used on parts of
furniture that do not show
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Wood Joints
• Mortise-and-tenon joint forms by gluing the
tenon into the mortise, or hole
– It is one of the strongest joints
– This joint uses no nails or screws
• Double-dowel joints form by fitting glued
wooden dowels into drilled holes in both
pieces of wood
continued
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Wood Joints
• Dovetail joints use tightly fitting flaring
tenons and mortises to interlock two pieces
of wood at a corner
continued
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Wood Joints
• Tongue-and-groove joints form by fitting a
tongue cut on one edge of a board into a
matching groove cut on the edge of
another board
• Butt joints involve gluing or nailing one
board flush to another board
• Corner blocks are small pieces of wood
attached between corner boards to support
and reinforce the joint
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Finished and Unfinished Wood
• Most furniture pieces are already finished
• Finishes include
– water and oil based stains to bring out the
natural beauty of woods
– sealers to help furniture resist moisture
– waxes to preserve and finish the wood
– paints to hide unattractive surfaces
continued
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Discuss
• Untreated wood surfaces appeal to those who
enjoy finishing furniture themselves
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What factors should people consider before
deciding to finish furniture themselves?
Why?
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Finished and Unfinished Wood
• When buying wood furniture, consider the
quality characteristics
• Labels on furniture offer
– information about the finishes
– the purpose of the finishes
– the care they should receive
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Plastic, Metal, Rattan, Wicker,
Bamboo, and Glass Furniture
• Evaluate all materials for quality when
buying furniture, including
– plastic
– metal
– rattan
– wicker
– bamboo
– glass
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Plastic
• Plastic furniture is
lightweight, sturdy,
and easy to clean
• The best use of
plastic furniture is in
modern and
contemporary
settings
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Metal
• Metal is popular for both indoor and
outdoor furniture
• Wrought iron, steel, cast aluminum, and
chrome are all used in furnishings, and are
often combined with
– wood
– fabric
– glass
– marble
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Rattan, Wicker, and Bamboo
• For casual or informal settings, rattan,
wicker, and bamboo furniture combine
natural wood frames with woven stems or
branches
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continued
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Rattan, Wicker, and Bamboo
• Construction of wicker furniture requires
loosely weaving thin branches around a
frame, and features
– paint, lacquer, or varnish finishes
– a natural gloss, and is lightweight, durable,
water-resistant
– Wicker furniture can be used indoors or
outdoors
continued
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Rattan, Wicker, and Bamboo
• Bamboo furniture uses various woody
grasses with strong hollow stems
– The stems form the frame of the furniture
• When evaluating rattan, wicker, and
bamboo furniture, be sure the
– strands are smooth and unbroken
– joints are well wrapped and secure
– finish is a high quality
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Glass
• Glass is popular for tabletops and cabinet
doors, and features
– tempered glass for safety and durability
– a design that holds the glass firmly in place
– surfaces that should be free from bubbles,
scratches, and other defects
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Upholstered Furniture
• Upholstered furniture is another name for
chairs, sofas, and other pieces of padded
furniture
• The fabric covering hides the inner
construction details
– Choosing good-quality upholstered furniture
can be difficult because the inner details
cannot be seen
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Upholstery Fabrics
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• Good-quality
furniture has
durable, welltailored upholstery
fabric
• Upholstery fabrics
come in many
attractive colors
and textures
continued
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Upholstery Fabrics
• When choosing upholstery fabrics,
consider
– woven fabrics with close weaves, because
they are tighter and better quality
– flame-resistant fabrics because they are safer
– stain-resistant finishes because they are
easier to clean
– labels on fabric that give content and care
information
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Upholstery Tailoring
• Evaluate the tailoring details when buying
furniture, such as
– seams, filling material, and inside casing of the
cushion cover for quality sewing
– secure and trimmed threads
– fabric that is smooth, tight, and free from
puckers
– curved shapes and corners that are smooth
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Frames, Springs, and
Cushions
• Upholstered furniture frames are made of
wood or metal
– The joints should be secure, utilizing screws
and corner blocks
• Springs are a part of the inner construction
– The number of springs help determine the
quality
continued
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Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Frames, Springs, and
Cushions
• Coil springs have a spiral shape without
padding and covering
– They support and enhance durability in
heavier furniture
• Flat springs are flat, S-shaped springs that
may have metal support strips banded
across them
– They are used in lightweight furniture
continued
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Frames, Springs, and
Cushions
• Cushions should fit snugly into the
furniture to give proper body support
• Cushion materials should be durable,
lightweight, and resilient
– Some cushions
contain
biodegradable
soy-based
materials
©bonsay/Shutterstock.com
continued
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Frames, Springs, and
Cushions
• Cushions come in many shapes, sizes, and
degrees of firmness
• Comfort is an important consideration
when choosing upholstered furniture
– Sit on a sofa or chair as you would at home
– Check the height and depth of the seat
– Check the height of the back and arms
– Be sure it fits your body’s proportions
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Beds
• Choosing the best bed you can afford is
important
• A bed includes a mattress, frame, and
springs
• The only way to determine a bed’s comfort
is to lie on it
• Check for support and durability in samples
– Illustrations or miniature mattresses and box
springs are available for inspection
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Mattresses
• An innerspring mattress contains a series
of springs covered in padding
• The springs vary in number, size,
placement, wire thickness (gauge), and
whether they are individually pocketed
continued
©Evskaya Daria Igorevna/Shutterstock.com
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Mattresses
• Good-quality innerspring mattresses
feature
– at least 300 firmly-anchored, heavy coils
– good padding and insulation placed over and
between coils
– a tightly woven cover with a border that does
not sag
continued
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Mattresses
• Foam mattresses are made of latex or
polyurethane foam, and
– are lightweight, less durable, and less costly
than innerspring mattresses
• People with
allergies often
prefer a foam
mattresses
©John Kasawa/Shutterstock.com
continued
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Mattresses
• A memory foam mattress molds to the
body during sleep, but returns to its original
shape once a person gets up
– NASA originally developed this foam for use
by astronauts in space
©bygermina/Shutterstock.com
continued
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Mattresses
• A waterbed has a mattress consisting of a
plastic bag or tubes filled with water, and
conforms to the body, giving firm support
– Hard-sided water beds have a heavy-duty
plastic water bag contained by a wood frame
– Soft-sided waterbeds have a firm foam frame
that surrounds the water-filled mattress that
sits on a platform
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Springs
• Bedsprings have three basic forms: box,
coil, and flat
• Box springs have a series of coils that are
attached to a base and covered with
padding
• The coils in the mattress should line up
with the coils in the springs when buying a
matched set
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Frames
• A metal frame is the most common type of
bed frame
• Electric bed frames allow the frame to be
adjusted up and down
• Some bed frames have a dual purpose
– A futon or sofa bed can be used for seating or
sleeping
– With a sofa bed, pulling out a concealed
mattress converts a sofa into a bed
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Consumer Protection
• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
monitors advertising for truthfulness
• The Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC) oversees product safety
• Federal laws also provide consumer
protection
– The Textile Fiber Products Identification Act
prohibits the sale of highly flammable fabrics
for apparel and home furnishings
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Recap
• Furniture styles are ever-changing
• Many styles link to a country or historical
period
– Traditional designs have enduring qualities that
make them popular yet today
– Modern and Traditional styles are in opposition
• Current furniture styles include
– Contemporary and Traditional
– Casual, Country, and Eclectic
continued
Image shutterstock.com
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Recap
• Understanding furniture construction and
materials makes it easier to evaluate
furniture and recognize quality
• Special joints hold together furniture
consisting of wood and wood veneers
• Plastic, metal, rattan, wicker, and glass are
other materials used in furniture
• Knowledge of upholstery fabrics and
construction details helps in making choices
continued
Image shutterstock.com
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Recap
• There are many types of mattresses
available, including
– innerspring
– foam
– memory foam
– water bed─plastic bag or tubes filled with water
– air
continued
Image shutterstock.com
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Recap
• Most conventional beds have springs to
support the mattress, either box, coil, or flat
• Many types of bed frames exist and vary in
expense
– Some bed frames serve a dual purpose for
seating and sleeping
• Government agencies and federal laws
about consumer goods and textiles protect
the consumer’s furniture investment
Image shutterstock.com
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.