 Furniture styles are identified by the time period constructed.  Period pieces are named after the king or queen in power when built.  Other pieces named after designers or general design movements of the time.

 Changes in taste  Influences by lifestyle, fashion and needs  Changes in materials and building methods  New manufacturing techniques available  Lifestyle changes:  18 th century formal living: elegant furniture  21 st century living: Anything goes

 Style Periods Overlap  Transitional-furniture incorporating designs from 2 periods.  Periods begin simple, then become more decorative, when people grow tired of design, new cycle begins.  Formal and informal  Style dependent on function

 Styles of American furniture based off English Style.  French, Italian, German and the Netherlands influenced.  Colonists adapted foreign styles to make furniture that was practical for everyday use.

 Jacobean (Jak-hu-Bee-uhn)  James I (King of England)  Stools and benches more common than chairs  Pieces usually heavy, geometric and rectangular.  Straight back chairs and plank seats  Pieces had carvings and spindles.

 Influenced by Dutch, French court and Asian  Straight lines replaced by curved.  Intricate designs and fine carvings  Seats made of rush (more comfortable than planks seats of 17 th century)  Veneer-thin layer of wood glued to less expensive wood

 Graceful, curved lines  Cabriole (KAB-ree-ohl) leg curves out in middle, tapers inward above ornamental foot.  Common piece: upholstered wingchair-armchair with high back and sides

 Thomas Chippendale was popular cabinet maker in England.  He published the first ever furniture book  Emphasized symmetry of line and proportion  Mahogony wood  “S” shaped chair  Table legs ending in claw and ball  Camelback sofa has curved back and sides  Fretwork-fancy, open-cut patterns

 Styles of furniture influenced by the delicate, balanced lines of classical styles of ancient Greece and Rome.  This overall style was also referred to as Neoclassicism (New Classic)  The two most basic styles predominated this time in America were Federal and Empire.

 Classical styling  Straight-lined, uncluttered  Designers-George Hepplewhite and Thomas Sheraton simplified Adam’s designs.  Slender, tapered legs  Decorative backs  ”Reeding”-Carving of vertical lines resembling thing reeds (stems of tall grass)

 Elaborate and detailed compared to Federal style  Duncan Phyfe most famous American designer  Curved legs  Brass feet  Carvings of swans, eagles, leaves

 Shaker style was based off of their faith toward God-very simple styling, no details.  Became popular style much later than was introduced-still used in America today.

 Japanning-Glossy black laquer finish

 Elaborate details  Curving lines, inlaid floral patterns, rich upholstery  Late Victorian Era  Arts and Crafts Movement: Removed carvings, kept it visually pleasing and functional

 Many forms of furniture were abstract but did not make any radical break from the Victorian period.  Modern furniture look at form vs. function  Designers were fascinated by the growing possibilities offered by machines.

 Early styles went from using wood to metals and other materials.  This style has a distinctive machine made look.

 These styles are renowned internationally for their innovative, contemporary, and streamlined qualities.  Used a mix of different materials on products.

 The contemporary style is open to many different modern culture designs.  Uses many materials in products  Designed for the human form

 Form vs Function- piece has to work but it has to look good too!  Eclectic, fun inspired pieces

 Antique-Old piece/furnishing in working condition, very expensive  Reproduction-Something made by reproducing an original copy. Less expensive- same look