FURNITU

RE
History of
Furniture
Ancient Egyptian chair Ancient Greek couch
 During the 17th century, the Baroque style
had a marked effect upon furniture design
throughout western Europe. Large
wardrobes, cupboards, and cabinets had
twisted columns, broken pediments, and
heavy moldings. In Baroque furniture the
details are related to the whole; instead of a
framework of unrelated surfaces, each detail
contributes to the harmonious movement of
the overall design. The Baroque style was
adopted in the Low Countries in the 1620s
and extended late into the 17th century,
when Germany and England began to
develop it.
(1600-1690)

 The early Jacobean period inspired

much early American furniture. The
period is named after James I, and
covers the right of both James I and
Charles I (1603-1649). The middle of
the Jacobean period is known as the
Commonwealth Style (1649-1660). The
late Jacobean (1660-1688) is called the
Carloean , after Charles II.
 Early American furniture, furniture
made in the last half of the 17th century
by American colonists. The earliest known
American-made furniture dates from the
mid-17th century, when life in the colonies
was becoming increasingly settled. Many
of these early pieces were massive in size
and were based on styles recalled from
earlier days in England.
 William III and Mary II reigned
over England, Ireland and
Scotland from 1689. Mary died in
1694, William in 1702.
William and Mary style has
Flemish, Dutch, French and
Chinese influences.
It is characterized by trumpet
turned legs, terminating in a hoof,
claw, or ball feet, padded or caned
chair seats, and Oriental lacquer-
work.
 “Queen Anne style furniture is a style of
furniture design that developed during and around
the reign of Anne , Queen of Great Britain . The
Queen Anne style is a refinement of the William
and Mary style with lighter, graceful, more
comfortable furniture.
 In Britain, the style of Queen Anne's reign is
frequently described as “late Baroque” rather than
"Queen Anne," while in the United States the term
"Queen Anne" describes decorative styles from the
mid-1720s to around 1760, although Queen Anne
reigned earlier.
 American Colonial furniture styles were
influenced by some of the style
characteristics of the William and Mary and
Queen Anne periods.
 ArtNouveau (French for New Art) was an
international movement and style of fine art,
architecture and decorative art that peaked in
popularity at the turn of the twentieth century (1890–
1905). Art Nouveau was in part influenced by the
naturalistic details of the Rococo style and took from
the Art and Crafts movement its reverence of good
craftsmanship.
Classification of
Furniture
Living Room
A living room, also known as sitting room, lounge room
or lounge, is a room for entertaining guests, reading,
watching TV or other activities. The term front room
can also be used to describe a living room, because in
many homes the living room is at the very front.
Bedroom
A bedroom is a private room where people usually
sleep for the night or relax during the day.
Dining Room
A dining room is a room for consuming food. In modern
times it is usually adjacent to the kitchen for
convenience in serving.
By Materials:

Wooden Furniture · Bamboo Furniture · Panel Furniture

· Upholstered Furniture · Wicker or Rattan Furniture ·
Metal Furniture · Plastic Furniture · Glass Furniture 
By Styles:
There are several different types of furniture available
today to suit diverse styles and tastes. The environment
that you live in portrays the person you are. Your
furnishings and the decor that you style your home in
represent your choices as well as your personality
traits. 
Contemporary
Also known as modern, it is created to be comfortable,
solid and more than anything natural. With not too
many trappings, the colours mostly resonate around
black, white, beige, brown and taupe. Polished surfaces,
sleek and geometric designs are often the characteristics
that represent contemporary furniture. Though the
colours are simple, they are used in a bold and vibrant
way for a true contemporary look.
Traditional
The quintessence of traditional furniture is dark woods
with ornate carvings and a majestic appearance. The
final look is busy with floor layouts matching the details
of the furniture. With classic features of form and
ornament, the lines of traditional furniture tend towards
being elegant. Queen Anne, Chippendale, Hepplewhite
etc. are some of the common types of traditional
furniture. 
Urban
The more modern trend, urban leans towards the
minimalist. The woods have either a black finish with
brushed aluminium highlights and glass or light, blond
woods with brushed aluminium and glass. The pieces
are small scaled and designed to fit small apartments. 
Country and Cottage
Lighter shades of woods, muted colours, simple lines
and vintage fabrics make for country and cottage styles.
The most important aspect of this type is comfort and
colour. Furniture is sometimes painted or decorated and
furniture lines are simple and graceful. Textures include
baskets, bead-board walls, natural fibres in floor and
window coverings, and weathered finish on wood
furniture. 
Rustic
This style of furniture represents lots of exposed woods,
walls, columns and beams, simple lines and a practical
feel. Often wood panelling and stone are also used.
Rustic furniture looks tough and durable while the
accessories are primitive and somewhat minimized. 
Art Deco
Art Deco is both, geometric and streamlined with bright
colours, strong vertical lines and rounded corners.
While often Art Deco pieces are made of exotic woods,
the use of use of Bakelite and Formica also abound.
Juxtaposition of opposing elements is common to this
style - for instance, rare and expensive jade and
inexpensive Bakelite.
Colonial
It simplifies the look of European furniture and leans
greatly towards Queen Anne and Chippendale styles.
Chairs characterize spindled legs and backs rather than
ornate designs.
Types of
Furniture
There are four major groups of furniture:
Occasional Furniture: are basically non-seating pieces,
includes small odd pieces such as coffee tables,
magazine racks, wagon, desks.
Case Goods the term case goods is used to
refer to bedroom and dining room furniture.
These furniture include box-like pieces like
buffets, dressers, matching chairs, tables and
beds, it also include nursery furniture and
other pieces like chest of drawers. These are
generally grouped and sold as sets.
Upholstered Furniture Is padded furniture which is
covered with material like sail cloth, chintz, cretonne,
polished cotton, tapestry and velvet, leather or plastic.
Bedding and Sofa Beds are made by bedding
manufacturers. They include mattresses, springs, day
beds, couches, divans and sofa beds all of which require
similar techniques and skills to make.
Furniture Making
Materials Used
Advantages and
Disadvantages
 Types of Materials Used
The choice of material for your furniture depends
on:
 The desires of your living unit
 The mood of the room and
 The amount of money you can afford.

Wood, metal, plastic, glass, upholstery

materials( textiles, hide, etc.), wicker and cane and
MDF , fibreglass or a combination of materials.
 Advantages and Disadvantages
of Materials
Wood
Advantages
 Wood for furniture can be hard wood or soft wood.
 Wood can be easily manipulated.
 Can have different appearances depending on how the grain is
cut.
 Have a smooth finish.

Disadvantages
 Is a very expensive material.
 Plastic
Advantages
 Less expensive than wood.
 Lightweight and sturdy.
 Easy to clean.
 Can be brightly coloured.

Disadvantages
 Lack of strength and durability.
 The absence of completely smooth edges and
flawless surfaces.
 Metal
Advantages
 Stainless steel is durable and tarnish proof..
 can be used for both indoor and outdoor furniture.
 Can be combined with other materials such as wood and glass.
 Aluminium is rust proof, resistant to weather and light in
weight.
 Stainless steel is used mainly in modern furniture with more
formal designs.
Disadvantages
 Rough edges
 Rusting
Wrought Metal
 Glass
Advantages
 Can be used with other materials such as metal and
wood.
 Can be used for table tops, door and china cabinets.

Disadvantages
 Can be easily broken.
 Can have bubbles and scratches on the surface.
 Correct attachment of other types of materials used
in construction.
 Wicker/rattan/bamboo
Advantages
 Wicker furniture made from willow does not require
a finish.
 Can be closely woven or loosely woven.

Disadvantages
 Wicker furniture made from rattan needs a protective
finish or coating.
 Bamboo, which is similar to rattan, is also used but is
not as flexible as rattan so the designs are limited.
 Upholstery
Advantages
 Nylon and wool fabric with a firm weave resist snags and
abrasions and are easy to clean.
 Cotton or blended cotton or acrylic fibres also wear well if firmly
woven and treated to resist spots, stains and grease.
 Vinyl is water, stain and abrasive proof and needs little care.
 Vinyl comes in many grades, colours and surface finishes.
 Upholstery fabric can be of any colour or design.
 Upholstery materials can be easily manipulated(pleated,
smocked, etc.)
Disadvantages
 Leather is a very expensive upholstery material.
 Leather requires special care.
 Upholstery materials need to be replaced after a
time.
 Some upholstery materials can easily tear or rip.
 MDF-Medium-density fibreboard
Advantages
  MDF may be glued, doweled or laminated
 Easy to finish (i.e. paint)
 Has a smooth glossy finish.
 MDF does not contain knots or rings, making it more
uniform than natural wood during cutting and in
service.
 Flexible. Can be used for curved walls or surfaces.
 Flexible and shapes well.
 Easy to finish (i.e. paint)
Disadvantages
 Low grade MDF may swell and break when saturated
with water and thus furniture can be easily damaged.
 Subject to significant shrinkage in low humidity
environments.
 Fibreglass
Advantages
 Fibreglass is that it could be easily be moulded into
any shape.
 Has mechanical strength that is so strong and stiff for
its weight that it can out-perform most of the other
materials. 
 Long lasting
 It can be coloured, shiny or dull.
 It is low maintenance, anti-magnetic, fire resistant,
good electrical insulator and weatherproof.
Disadvantage
 The disadvantages is that it needs to be re-gel coated
about every five years and can result in airborne
fibres which may be an issue to asthma sufferers.
Quality
Furniture
Important points in
Detecting quality
furniture
 Brand/manufacturer
 The finish
 Structural detail
 Corner Blocks
 Dovetail Joints
 Bracing
 The back of case goods and the interior are the best
indicators of high quality furniture.
 Drawers-indication of the quality of construction is
the presence of dust-proof panels between each set
of drawers and at the base of the case.
 High quality furniture side guides of drawers are
commonly constructed using nylon wheels. Other
systems are in use as well. 
 Wood source/type
Basic
Consideration for
the furniture for
different parts of
the Home
Guide lines for arranging furniture.
Traffic areas like doorways and passages should not be blocked
by furniture.
Examine the physical layout of the room to decide on placement
for a center of interest. This could be a cabinet display, a sofa, or
windows.
Decide on the best place for the major furniture pieces in each
room.
Group the small items, such as, tables and chairs in relation to
major items which are usually bigger.
If a room is large consider how it may be subdivided into smaller
areas. A living room could be divided into a television corner and
a conversation area.
The arrangement o furniture in a room must meet certain
criteria. Some of these are: function, efficiency, safety,
beauty and comfort with enjoyment. Below are some
general guidelines for arranging furniture.

 Examine the physical layout of the room to decide on

placement for a centre of interest. This can be cabinet
display, or a sofa, or windows.
 Decide on the best place for the major furniture pieces
in each room. Group small items such as small tables
and chairs in relation to major items, which are
usually bigger.
 If a room is large consider how it may be subdivided
into smaller areas. A living room could be divided
into television corner and a conversation area.
 Ensure that furniture is not in the way of traffic. A
television should not be located where there is
constant traffic to interrupt viewing.
 Balance the furniture pieces according to type. Wood
and plastic can be alternated for a pleasing balance.
 Place wood and upholstery furniture way from the
window where the sunlight can blister the wood and
fade the upholstery.
 Use the principle of design when arranging furniture.
For the long narrow room, use a horizontal
arrangement at the far end, or break the room into
areas by using bookcase and chests.
 Before buying furniture, picture the room in your
mind to ensure that the furniture will fit comfortably
and that it matches the colour scheme of the room.
The Living Room
The Living Room
Generally in a living room it is desirable at alternate
upholstered furniture and wooden pieces. Lamps should
be provided near each sofa or chair.
Before starting to arrange a living room you should
decided on a center of interest.
This could be the windows or a sofa with pictures above
it.
A seating arrangement of chairs is needed for a
conversation area. A L- shaped or a U-shaped area can
both seat several people.
The lighting should be both general and also specific for
some activities such as reading. There should be
enough table space to allow for accessories like flowers
or art pieces.
Space must also be provided for people to set glasses or
plates of refreshment.
Special seating is needed for recreational activities
A table with chairs will provide for games, while four
or five people should be able to watch television
without disturbing traffic or furniture.
A stereo may require special furniture.
The Dining Room
The Dining area
The table has to be near the center of the room to allow
for chairs to be placed around it.
When the dining and living areas are combined the
dining area should be near the kitchen for efficiency.
There should be adequate lighting in the dining area.
A divider in the form of a book case or a buffet can be
used to separate the two areas.
The Bedroom
The Bedroom
A comfortable bed is the most important piece of
furniture in the bedroom. Beds may be placed at right
angles to the wall, but in small rooms it is often desirable
to place them against the longest wall space. Remember
to leave space around the bed to help with making it up.
A night table should be at either side of the bed to hold
items like reading lamp and clock.
Storage space: a chest of drawers for folded clothing as
well as for hanging clothes. A full length mirror as well
as a mirror over a dressing table is convenient.
Points to
consider when
Purchasing
Furniture
Furniture is a very big investment and is supposed to
last for a long time. To get value for money choose
pieces that are durable, that have classic designs, that
suits your pocket.

 Unfinished and unassembled furniture can be

purchased at discount prices.
 Before buying ready-to-assemble furniture, ask to see
model set up.
 Design on a basic design with colour in mind before
purchasing furniture.
 Set a limit on what you can spend, then look for
ways to obtain the maximum amount from your
money.
 Take advantage of furniture sales usually held after
Christmas.
 When buying upholstered furniture, open and close
all zippers to ensure that they close easily. Also look
to see that upholstered fabric is underlined.
 Avoid impulse buying- you may regret this purchase
later.
 Walk with tape measure, in order to buy the correct
size for the available space at home.
 Check to see that furniture rests firmly on the floor
and that chest of drawers open and close easily.
 Sit in chairs and check for comfort and stability.
 Consider maintenance and find out about special
care.
 Buy furniture that will be flexible enough to move in
another home if necessary.
Care of
Furniture
Caring for furniture
Well finished wood furniture that is properly cared for
mellows and becomes richer and lovelier in appearance
as the years go by. The rich appearance of the wood, so
treated is known as its patina.
Daily Care
This is necessary to avoid distortion of wood, since
extreme moisture and heat are difficult for wood to
adjust to, maintaining a fairly constant temperature and
keeping furniture away from sun from positions near
radiators and stove will aid in reducing warping or
cracking.
Dusting
Daily dusting with lint free cloths (chamois or sheer
wool is idea) keeps dust from working into the surface
and marring the beauty of the furniture.
Washing
If furniture has become sticky or figure marked or in the
case of light coloured woods, if the dirt has worked into
the grain, it is desirable to wash the furniture. Furniture
should be washed only when necessary.
Polishing wood surfaces
Woods are best polished with a good wax. For bleached
or light furniture prepared paste wax that will not
darken the wood. A waxed finish aids in preventing
water spots and in preserving the finish of the wood.
Hiding scars and scratches
Although minor marks on the furniture may easily be
hidden by polishing more noticeable scars may need
expert’s attention. Coloured waxes are helpful in hiding
scars.