If you’re working with a professional interior designer or embarking on designing your own home, familiarizing yourself with industry terms can help you comfortably navigate the world of interior design. Many terms may be new to you, from design styles to product definitions. Read on for your go-to interior design terms glossary.
Bespoke: Whether it’s a piece of furniture, art, pillows, or upholstery, a bespoke piece means something custom-made for an individual.
Bouclé: This luxe, heavy textile is made of textured, looped yarn and woven wool. Boucle furniture pieces, such as chairs, are a cozy and inviting spot to lounge and add visual depth to a space.
Case goods: Case goods are types of furniture that are designed to provide storage, such as dressers, bookshelves, desks, chests and more.
Chair rail: Chair rail is a piece of horizontal wall molding in the middle of the wall. This molding is where the top of a dining room chair would hit when pushed against the wall when a person is standing up from the table.
Chaise: A chaise lounge is an upholstered piece of furniture with a similar length to a sofa, with the shape of a chair.
Chinoiserie: Chinoiserie is a European design style that mimics elements of East Asian art. It’s often represented by blue and white color schemes, pagodas, birds, floral patterns and more.
Console table: A console table is a long, slim table typically in a home’s entryway and is the surface for decorative elements. A console table is also often found behind a sofa, to hide the back of the sofa and to delineate the space.
Enfilade: An enfilade is a series of rooms that are connected by doorways that align with one another, creating the visual illusion of a tunnel.
Etagere: An etagere is a freestanding piece of furniture with open shelves that displays trinkets or other decorative objects.
Feng shui: Feng shui brings harmony between the people who occupy the home and the surroundings. It’s a traditional Chinese design method based on energy. Examples of feng shui are positioning the bed to view the door, allowing light and air to come in, and having a welcoming front entrance, among others.
Focal point: Every room should have a focal point — the primary structure or object the eye is drawn to. Once the focal point is established, all other decorative elements can be layered in.
Kelvin: Kelvins are units of measurement on a light bulb that indicates how warm or cool the light is. Lightbulbs with 3,000 Kelvin temperatures are ideal for a home. Going lower will create a more ambient, softer atmosphere while going higher will create bright blue-white light.
Patina: Patina is how a surface beautifully ages over time and is typically found on antique pieces such as metal or wood. It also applies to marble, such as marble countertops.
Window treatments: Window treatments are an encompassing term that refers to the type of window covering that provides privacy, insulation and beauty. This includes drapery, shades, and shutters, among others.
