Posts Tagged ‘furniture’
Antique & Modern Furniture Styles Defined
There are as many styles in the world of furniture and design as there are tastes to desire them. From the somber dark woods of the Jacobean period to the geometric characteristics of Art Deco, there is something for everyone, and often making a choice is the hardest part. They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it is certainly true in the furnishing world.
Let’s run through some of the more well-known styles, defining and categorizing them so that with a little understanding, we can better analyze our tastes and desires. From rustic to formal, simple to elaborate, furniture creates a mood and shows off personal taste to best effect.
17th Century Furniture – Furniture has come a long way from the heavy 17th century Jacobean influences. This mediaeval-style furniture was typically plain wood with rush seats, straight lines and characteristically dark wood. In later years Early American style evolved, with typical European influence brought by the immigrants to the New World of America. In contrast, Louis XIV was busy creating the splendours and opulence of Versailles, with ornate gold carvings, fine artwork and magnificent craftsmanship in every room.
The later William and Mary style brought trumpet turned legs, ball feet and padded upholstery to English parlours with a new look in oriental lacquer work.
18th Century Furniture – As Queen Anne ascended the English throne in 1702, furnishings became more refined, with graceful cabriole legs, rococo ornate trimmings and shell curves. Tapestry and chintz were popular and this became known as Queen Anne style.
Colonial style American furniture was more conservative than English furniture of the same period, featuring carved pillars and less ornamentation. Following Queen Anne, Georgian style appeared and was particularly identifiable in architecture. In furniture, carved cabriole legs were the fashion, along with S-shaped curves and motifs. In the latter half of the 18th century, Chippendale furniture was in vogue, especially after the publication of Chippendale’s book of designs. His furniture was graceful, delicate and cultured and was further developed by Adam and Hepplewhite who introduced tapered legs, veneers and inlay to great effect.
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From 1780-1820 Sheraton style was the most reproduced style in America during the Federal period, with bow-fronted chests and cabinets. Chairs now had sloping arms and upholstered seats with central splat detail on the backs.
19th Century Furniture – Shaker furniture is still a popular style today. It is defined by the simple, utilitarian furniture approved of by the religious communities in America. It is typically plain and unadorned, as was the architecture and lifestyle of those early immigrants.
Back in England, the Victorian era heralded much heavier and darker furniture than before. It is easily recognizable by its Gothic influence, and heavy substantial proportions. It often had elaborate carving or ornamentation to offset the dark finish of the oak, mahogany and walnut woods.
20th Century Furniture, and Onwards – With the dawn of the 20th century, Art Nouveau was a refreshing change. Furniture made a tremendous departure from what had gone before. Chair backs were balloon-shaped or bentwood. Furniture had curving lines, scalloped fronts and intricate patterns. This morphed into the Art Deco period which featured abstract designs, ornamental motifs, rectilinear shapes and a certain geometric style. It took the world by storm at the Paris Exhibition of 1925 after the dreary days of World War I. The Art Deco style is clearly illustrated in the pastel-coloured architecture of South Beach, Miami and the furniture within.
In furniture the Mid-Century Modern style was progressing, particularly influenced by Charles and Ray Eames, Arne Jacobsen and Gio Ponti, whose mass-produced designs in man-made materials revolutionised furniture in the mid 20th century western world.
From the 1960’s onwards furniture became Contemporary. Scandinavian ideas featured light natural wood, with simple lines, utilitarian design and very little ornamentation. This was later developed still more by such designers as Marc Newson into the Post Modern and Contemporary style which is popular today for modern homes.
This is the story so far, but progress does not stand still. With the advent of new materials, glass furniture and new innovations, styles continue to develop. No doubt by the end of the 21st century, several new terms will have been added to the dictionary of furniture design and style.
From contemporary modern furniture, all the way back to antique furniture – Crawleys Furniture has a wide range of items that can work with your home or office needs.
Crawleys Antique Furniture – has a wide range of items that can work with your home or office needs.
www.OakleyRestoration.com At Oakley Restoration we pride ourselves in our expert workmanship and our “Old World Approach” to refinishing and restoring the fine furniture and antiques our clients send to us. Call Oakley today at (860) 350-6410.
Dining Room Furniture New York: Makes A Difference
Furniture is necessary for the home, offices and all the other public areas as well. Choosing the best furniture is the necessary element. It is because of the reason that, the furniture is helpful in shaping the looks of a place. Therefore you should be conscious in buying the different types of furniture.
If you are choosing furniture for your home then you should keep few things in your mind. The is helpful in the collection of a number of items which are necessary for the dining room. They make things convenient for you as well as for those guests who will arrive at your place.
The is famous because of many reasons. The first reason through which the creates a difference is that, they are providing the best quality material to the customers. Because of it, the feed back of the customers is very good. This helps in increasing the ranking of the furniture store in the New York City.
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The second things about the is that, it consists of a set of furniture items especially designed for the dining halls. These are considered to be the most important one. They give an elegant look to the dining room. They look luxurious but are available at very less prices.
The third thing about the is that this furniture store has collected a number of the staff. All of these salesmen are well educated and trained. They know about the ethics and the rules and regulations of the desired furniture store. These salesmen have a very soft attitude towards the people. They help in selling a number of items to the customers.
The staff of this furniture store in New York City helps a lot in getting the product on a special type of discount. The bargain power matters a lot. Thus, if you want to buy the special type of fashionable or antique furniture then it is widely available over there.
Sometimes people use to prefer the internet for the purchasing of these furniture products. The details about the dinning room furniture in New York are mentioned on the internet. This will be helpful in guiding you about a number of things. Therefore you should try this furniture store for at least once. This will definitely give you a good experience. You will buy the furniture items from this store as and when required
It is not difficult to take the customer reviews about a desired product. The customer satisfaction is found because of the versatile furniture of dinning room furniture in New York. This is because of the reason that they are not only providing you the fashionable and trendy furniture, but the antique one as well. Many people use to prefer the antique furniture for their dining room. It gives a look of a good taste of individual for the interior decoration.
Allen reev is an author of Classicsofabed, One of the best Furnitures company. He is writing articles on <a href =”http://www.classicsofabed.com”>dining room furniture New York </a>since long time.
18th Century American Furniture
18th century American furniture is known best for its many new designs and its increase in prominence throughout American households. The vertical nature of 18th Century American furniture is perhaps most obvious in the tall secretaries of Newport which can reach nearly eleven feet in height. The prices for extremely high quality exact reproductions of 18th century American furniture is going up and up all the time and Potthast was one of the top makers and is heavily collected.
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Furniture of the 18th century is highly admired by historians and craftsmen alike. “During the 18th and early 19th centuries, the cabinetmaker’s art in America flourished at an extraordinary height of excellence, creating a great national heritage which is now referred to as traditional American furniture. Although cabinetmaker’s pattern books and furniture imported from England were the primary source of inspiration for American craftsmen, their furniture was not a slavish copy of English designs. 18th century furniture designs and styles are still very popular today in the 21st century. Many fine antique reproduction furniture makers focus on this period for their quality, handmade reproduction antique furniture.
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Rocking chairs were a cornerstone of 18th century furniture and were a must for any house that had a porch. The majority of rocking chairs had no finish, while others were painted to match other outdoor furniture. They were also known for comfort as compared with other outdoor furniture of the time. Oftentimes all that is remembered about 18th century furniture is the rocking chair. However, there is much more to 18th century furniture than the rocking chair.
Amongst the many new styles of furniture that were introduced in this era, two of the better known were Chippendale and Neoclassic. Chippendale furniture was named after designer and cabinet maker Thomas Chippendale. He published his furniture designs during 1754 in a book entitled, The Gentlemen and Cabinet Maker’s Director. While the Chippendale style of furniture can be classified into three distinct types, American furniture was primarily based on that influence by Queen Anne.
Neoclassical furniture was also dominant during the 18th century. This type of furniture reflected the of the Greek and Roman furnishings. While the borders of Roman furniture were often lined with jewels, neoclassical furniture may only have a few strategically placed stones.
I hope you have enjoyed this introduction to an overview of 18th century American Furniture. There are many books that you can read that will give you a deeper insight into this period of American Furniture and its makers.
Dr Robert Baker owns and operates, together with his daughter Aimee, www.circasomething.com . Circa Something! acts as agents for the sale of Fine Art by artists such as Wiggins , Davis, Henri, Whistler, Cole, Picasso, Cezanne, and Troyan, as well as South Sea and Tahitian Pearl Jewelry, Fine Estate Jewelry, Fine Art Glass, Porcelains, Orientalia, 18th and 19th Century American Furniture and Vintage Christmas. You can reach Circa Something! at 631-803-6706.
Why solid oak furniture is better than veneer
Furniture that has an oak veneer is still legally classed as oak furniture, but the differences between furniture with an oak veneer and solid oak are glaringly obvious. Oak veneer is made by placing a piece of genuine oak on top of another type of wood. Although the finish is oak and can be extremely attractive, underneath a softer, less durable wood is used. It is also far cheaper than choosing solid oak alternatives, but it can be a false economy. Read on to see why solid oak is always better than oak veneer.
There is a place for oak veneer furniture. On furniture that is rarely seen and rarely used, a veneer can work extremely well. It is cheap to purchase and can make very cheap materials such as plywood, MDF or chipboard look like oak. The difficulty is that veneers are simply not strong or durable. They can warp or bubble and gradually over time the wood starts to look shabby and will eventually need replacing. Solid oak furniture does not suffer from this blight. It will last decades, even lifetimes. Solid oak antique furniture often gets passed down from one generation to another because it continuously outlasts it owners! Antique shops today house oak furniture from hundreds of years ago that still looks as good as ever. Rather like a bottle of wine, oak gets better with age which is another reason it is so valuable.
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Solid oak doesn’t fade or wear away of suffer from everyday use. It is such a hard, dense wood that it withstands anything, even water. Because it is so water resistant it can even be used in the bathroom. Oak furniture will never need replacing. The same cannot be said for oak veneer however which will likely need replacing between 5 and 10 years after purchase. Although the initial cost of solid oak furniture is greater, the fact that is lasts makes it in the long term a better investment. Furthermore as it ages it even gains value. There is little value in furniture made from plywood with an oak veneer – antique shops in years to come will not be stocking this.
You can tell a product is solid oak rather than a veneer just from sight and feel. Solid oak is very heavy because it is such a dense wood. Furniture with a veneer is much easier to pick up and move around. Having a good look at the furniture you will be able to see the different woods being used, especially if there is just a part veneer. Opening the drawers or peering underneath will usually provide the signs. Make sure you buy your furniture from a reputable seller for reassurance that the item you are buying is in fact solid oak and not a partial or full .
When solid furniture is present in a room, it provides an instant style and elegance that is often absent from other timbers or materials. If you want your home to look its best then there is no doubt that oak furniture will make that happen. It is very versatile and comes in a range of colours. For smaller or more modern homes, a lighter tone will work best. Larger or more traditional rooms work best with darker shades.
although more expensive is the very best type of material to use for furniture. It outlasts oak veneer by decades and provides an unparalleled style and elegance in the room. Whether it is Mobel oak furniture you choose, Cuba oak or another style altogether you will be pleased you made the right choice and will continue to enjoy your furniture for many years to come.
Kathryn Dawson writes articles for Oak Furniture Solutions, one of the best places to shop for solid oak furniture online in the UK. Oak Furniture Solutions carries hundreds of products for you to choose from. The Mobel oak furniture collection boasts a clean, crisp contemporary style and durable finish and features exceptionally high quality construction throughout, whereas the Cuba oak range combines fashionable style with excellent value for money.
Furniture Stores: As Varied as the Merchandise
If you are like most people, you don’t place furniture stores anywhere near the top of your ten favorite places to browse. When you enter a store, you usually have an idea of what you want to buy. From that idea, you generally narrow your options to the room for which the furniture is intended and the decorating style or look you want to project.
Both full-service retail furniture stores and rent-to-own stores usually offer a variety of couches, chairs, tables, beds, dressers and accessories for every room in your house. You could choose to coordinate color, material and style, lending continuity from your living room to your dining room to the bedrooms. You could individualize each room, giving each a unique appearance, feel and personality.
Specialty furniture stores provide a selection of specific furniture and nothing else. Futon stores, for instance, offer different types and styles of futons, but you probably won’t find an elegant dining room table there. Bedding stores supply a great selection of bedroom furniture and often in several different materials and styles, but they usually don’t offer any couches or stuffed chairs.
Antique furniture stores specialize in furniture usually older than 25 years. Some stores, however, offer antique-looking furniture. Selections can be quite limited, and if you have any doubt if a piece in question is truly an antique, the proprietor should have on hand verification of its authenticity. When you find an original piece by a known master, you have reason to celebrate. The value of those pieces usually only increase over time–diametrically opposed to normal used-furniture values.
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If you want to carry a theme or a look throughout your house, you might consider shopping at a full-service furniture store for continuity. You may be able to complete the look you want by finding individual pieces at different stores, but with the convenience of all the room furniture under one roof, you can easily coordinate and confirm similar styles and shades as well as the uniform furniture material–oak, pine or maple, for instance–much more easily.
Some people like the lower prices of furniture assembled at home instead of the fully assembled options in stores. Self-assembled furniture is rarely of the same material quality, but the convenience and cost savings are high incentives for their selection. Some stores provide self-assembled furniture and display a complete model on the showroom floor. Office supply stores, discount department stores and specialty furniture stores are the top merchant types to offer these lower cost items.
You can order furniture online as well as from a brick-and-mortar store. Be sure to note the merchant’s damage policy and return policies before ordering, though. Delivery costs are often fairly high due to the weight of the furniture and sometimes the distance between the shipping and delivery points.
Consider cost, furniture type and decorating needs when choose what furniture you choose as you decorate or redecorate your home. Consider possible assembly difficulties, time and effort, as well as delivery costs if included, before you automatically choose the lower price tags over well-made, fully assembled furniture. Whichever you choose, buy the best you can afford: Sturdy, attractive furniture can last a lifetime.
Jacob Miller writes about different home improvement ideas and furniture store trends out of Chicago. Always looking for the highest quality materials and statement decor pieces, he tends to end up shopping at http://www.TheRoomPlace.com more often than not.
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