Some simple definitions of terms rolled up into the Seattle Wood Glossary for a variety of furniture types.  It is a great tool to use when checking terms, and finding ways to be inspired.

Every piece of custom furniture is unique and details such as types of wood and structural designs deserve consideration of the different. Whether it’s a shelf, table, or chair, we take great pride in using the best materials and design techniques to create beautiful and functional pieces of furniture.

• Entertainment center – A furniture piece designed to hold and display electronic devices such as TVs, gaming consoles, and sound systems.
• Home bar – A piece of furniture that provides storage and space for mixing and serving drinks.

Storage

• Baker’s rack – A freestanding piece of furniture that typically features shelves and is used for storing and displaying kitchen items such as dishes, cookbooks, and baking supplies.
• Bookcase – A furniture piece designed to hold and display books, often featuring shelves and sometimes glass doors.
• Cellarette – A small cabinet designed to hold bottles of wine or liquor.
• Chest – A furniture piece designed to store clothing, linens, or other items, often with a hinged lid.
• Chest of drawers or dresser – A furniture piece with multiple drawers used for storing clothing and other personal items.
• Coat rack – A piece of furniture designed for hanging coats, hats, and other outdoor clothing.
• Credenza – A long, low cabinet with shelves or drawers, often used for storage or as a decorative piece in a dining room or office.
• Cupboard – A cabinet with doors and shelves, typically used for storing dishes, food, or other household items.
• Curio cabinet – A furniture piece with glass doors and shelves, designed for displaying decorative items such as figurines, collectibles, or art objects.
• Filing cabinet – A furniture piece designed for storing files and documents, often with drawers that slide horizontally.
• Floating shelf – A shelf that attaches to a wall without visible brackets or supports, giving the appearance that it is “floating.”
• Hall tree – A furniture piece designed for storing coats, hats, and other outdoor clothing, often featuring hooks, mirrors, and a bench for sitting.
• Hope chest – A chest traditionally given to a young woman in anticipation of marriage, often used to store linens, clothing, and other household items.
• Hoosier cabinet – A free-standing kitchen cabinet that typically features a flour bin, spice rack, and other compartments for storing kitchen items.
• Liquor cabinet – A piece of furniture designed for storing and displaying bottles of liquor and other bar accessories.
• Nightstand – A small table or cabinet typically placed next to a bed, used for holding a lamp, clock, and other items needed at bedside.
• Ottoman – A padded, upholstered piece of furniture used for sitting or as a footrest.
• Pantry – A room or closet used for storing food and kitchen items.
• Pie safe – A furniture piece used for storing baked goods, often with punched tin or wire mesh doors to keep out pests.
• Plan chest – A large, flat file cabinet used for storing architectural or engineering plans.
• Plant stand – A piece of furniture designed to hold potted plants, often with multiple levels or shelves.
• Shelving – A general term for furniture pieces or structures designed for holding and organizing items, such as books or decor.
• Sideboard or buffet – A furniture piece with cabinets and drawers, often used for storing dishes and linens or as a surface for serving food.
• Umbrella stand – A furniture piece designed to hold umbrellas, often featuring a drip tray to catch water.
• Wardrobe or armoire – A free-standing cabinet used for storing clothing and other personal items, often featuring hanging space and shelves.
• Wine rack – A furniture piece designed for storing bottles of wine, often featuring individual slots for each bottle.

Tables & Desks

• Coffee table: a low table designed for use in a living room, typically placed in front of a sofa, to hold drinks, books, and other small items.
• Dining table: a table around which meals are served and eaten.
• Drop-leaf table: a table with a hinged leaf on each side that can be raised and fastened to the horizontal position to increase the tabletop area.
• End table: a small table, typically with drawers, designed to be used at the end of a sofa or beside a chair.
• Game table: a table designed for playing games, often with a felt-covered top and storage for game pieces.
• Gateleg table: a type of drop-leaf table where the leaf is supported by a swinging leg that folds out like a gate.
• Trestle table: a table with a horizontal board or boards supported by two or more trestles, often used for outdoor dining or as a work table.
• TV tray table: a small, portable table used for holding food or drinks while watching television or working on your computer.
• Wine table: a small, usually round table with a central pedestal or three legs, designed for holding wine glasses and bottles.
• Sewing table: a table designed for sewing or other needlework, often with drawers for storage and a fold-out top.
• Workbench: a sturdy table used for woodworking, metalworking, or other manual work.
• Desks: a piece of furniture with a flat or sloped surface for writing or working, often with drawers and other storage compartments.
• Computer desk: a desk designed specifically for use with a computer, often with space for a keyboard, mouse, and monitor.
• Davenport desk: a small writing desk with a sloping top and drawers.
• Drawing board: a large, flat board used for drawing, often with a parallel ruler or other tools attached.
• Kneehole desk: a desk with a recessed area beneath the top to accommodate the legs of the person sitting at it.
• Pedestal desk: a desk with a central supporting column or pedestal instead of legs.
• Secretary desk: a desk with a hinged, slanted writing surface and often with drawers or shelves above and below.
• Writing desk: a desk designed primarily for writing, often with a sloping top and drawers for storage.

Seating + Sleeping (Chairs, stools, sofas beds)

• Chair: A piece of furniture designed for one person to sit on, typically having a back and four legs.
• Lift chair: A type of chair that has a motorized lifting base that tilts forward, helping people with mobility issues to stand up from the seated position.
• Stool: A seat without a back or arms, often used for seating at a bar or counter.
• Bar stool: A type of stool designed for seating at a bar or high counter.
• Footstool or ottoman: A low upholstered stool or cushioned bench used to support the feet.
• Tuffet: A small low stool or seat.
• Bench: A long seat for several people, typically made of wood or metal.
• Monks bench: A bench with a hinged seat that lifts up to reveal storage space underneath.
• Bunk bed: A type of bed in which one bed frame is stacked on top of another.
• Canopy bed: A type of bed with posts at each corner that support a frame of fabric or curtains above the bed.
• Four-poster bed: A type of bed with four vertical columns, one at each corner, that support an upper panel.
• Murphy bed: A bed that can be folded into a wall or cabinet when not in use.
• Platform bed: A type of bed that features a low platform frame, typically without a headboard or footboard.
• Sleigh bed: A type of bed with a scrolled or curved foot and headboard.
• Daybed: A type of bed that doubles as a seating area during the day.
• Futon: A type of sofa that can be converted into a bed.
• Headboard: A board that attaches to the head of a bed frame for decorative purposes.
• Infant bed (crib, cradle): A small bed designed for infants and young children.
• Toddler bed: A small bed designed for toddlers who have outgrown their cribs but are not yet ready for a larger bed.

Wood Joints

• Mortise and tenon joint – a joint where a tenon is fitted into a mortise cut into the receiving piece of wood. It is commonly used in furniture, doors, and timber framing. This table has the base and top mortised.
• Dovetail joint – a joint where the end of one piece of wood is shaped like a dove’s tail and fits into a corresponding notch on the other piece of wood. It is commonly used in furniture and cabinetry.
• Butt joint – a joint where the end of one piece of wood is simply butted up against the end of another piece of wood. It is commonly used in framing and construction.
• Lap joint – a joint where one piece of wood is overlapped onto another piece of wood. It is commonly used in framing and cabinetry.
• Tongue and groove joint – a joint where a protruding tongue on one piece of wood fits into a corresponding groove on another piece of wood. It is commonly used in flooring, paneling, and cabinetry.
• Dado joint – a joint where a slot is cut into one piece of wood to receive the end of another piece of wood. It is commonly used in cabinetry and shelving.
• Bridle joint – a joint where a mortise and tenon are cut into the same piece of wood, creating a sort of “U” shape. It is commonly used in furniture and timber framing.
• Box joint – a joint where two pieces of wood are notched and fitted together like interlocking puzzle pieces. It is commonly used in cabinetry and boxes.
• Scarf joint – a joint where the ends of two pieces of wood are cut at an angle and overlapped, creating a longer piece of wood. It is commonly used in boatbuilding and timber framing.
• Finger joint – a joint where two pieces of wood are notched with interlocking teeth, creating a strong connection. It is commonly used in furniture and cabinetry.
• Miter joint – a joint where two pieces of wood are cut at a 45-degree angle and joined at the corner. It is commonly used in framing and cabinetry.
• Half-lap joint – a joint where two pieces of wood are notched halfway into each other to create a flat surface. It is commonly used in framing and cabinetry.
• Dowel joint – a joint where wooden dowels are used to connect two pieces of wood together. It is commonly used in furniture and cabinetry.
• Tapered sliding dovetail joint – a joint where the dovetail is wider at one end and narrower at the other, allowing the joint to slide into place easily and then become locked in place. It is commonly used in woodworking for items like table legs and chair arms.
• Mortise and haunch joint – a joint where a tenon is fitted into a mortise, with a portion of the tenon remaining uncut to form a “haunch” that strengthens the joint. It is commonly used in timber framing.
• Cross-lap joint – a joint where two pieces of wood are notched halfway into each other at a right angle. It is commonly used in furniture and cabinetry.
• Halving joint – a joint where two pieces of wood are notched halfway into each other to form a flush surface. It is commonly used in framing and cabinetry.
• Lock mitre joint – a joint where two pieces of wood are cut at a 45-degree angle and joined at the corner using a locking mechanism. It is commonly used in cabinetry and trim work.
• Rabbet joint – a joint where a groove is cut into one piece of wood to receive the end of another piece of wood. It is commonly used in cabinetry and trim work. g
• Tongue and fork joint – a joint where a protruding tongue on one piece of wood fits into a corresponding fork-shaped notch on another piece of wood. It is commonly used in timber framing.
• Stub tenon and groove joint – a joint where a short tenon is fitted into a corresponding groove on another piece of wood. It is commonly used in furniture and cabinetry.
• Edge-to-edge joint – a joint where two pieces of wood are joined together with their edges flush. It is commonly used in tabletops and panels.
• Dowel reinforcement joint – a joint where wooden dowels are inserted into one piece of wood and then into the other to reinforce a weaker joint. It is commonly used in furniture and cabinetry.
• Blind lap joint – a joint where one piece of wood is notched into another piece of wood, but the joint is hidden from view. It is commonly used in furniture and cabinetry.
• Birdsmouth joint – a joint where a V-shaped notch is cut into one piece of wood to fit snugly over the rounded end of another piece of wood. It is commonly used in roof framing.
• Splice joint – a joint where two shorter pieces of wood are joined together to create a longer piece of wood. It is commonly used in construction and furniture making.
• Through dovetail joint – a joint where the tails of one piece of wood extend through the pins of the other piece of wood. It is commonly used in furniture and cabinetry.