DIFFERENT STYLES OF FURNITURE THROUGH THE YEARS

INTRODUCTION

Furniture comes in all shapes and sizes, and in many different styles. Many people dont give the actual style of their furniture a second thought, while others base the entire household design scheme around it. Its probably true that many homeowners do gravitate toward a particular style of furniture for their home, but arent really sure of the names. Following are some descriptions of some of the more popular styles of household furniture over the years.

Shaker

The Shaker style of furniture was developed by the religious group called the United Society of Believers, and was prominent in the mid 1800s. Shaker style furniture is admired for its simplicity. Some of the common features include:

Plain appearance No decoration Natural materials Emphasis on function Straight tapered legs

Although any real Shaker furniture you see today will be preserved in some sort of museum, the Shaker design concept is often copied in many modern furniture designs. Any furniture maker, who really wants to show off the materials with plain and simple design, might follow some of the Shaker models for inspiration.

Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau is French for new art and it was also a furniture style common around the start of the 20th century. Art Nouveau is characterized by flowing lines and often incorporates floral designs, leaves or vines.

Art Deco

The Art Deco movement stretched from around 1918 until almost 1940, and was strongly influenced by fashion. After the First World War, more people wanted furniture that was luxurious as well as functional. With the Art Deco movement, each piece of furniture was considered to be a work of art. One school of Art Deco used ivory and amboyna wood to craft pieces for the upper class, the second school used chrome and glass for a more geometric look.

Victorian

Most people have heard of Victorian furniture. This style of furniture was named after Queen Victoria who reigned over England from 1837 to 1901. The Victorian style of furniture relies on more gothic forms with dark finishes, elaborate carving and heavy proportions. Victorian furniture is often recognizable because of the intricate designs carved into the wood, the plush upholstery and ornaments such as tassels or embossing. Victorian furniture was the first style that was mass-produced for delivery to a wide range of people.

American Empire

The American Empire furniture style ranges from around 1820 to 1840. This style of furniture utilized woods such as black walnut, cherry, mahogany, maple, and pale and rosewood veneer. The American Empire style was inspired by the French Neoclassical style of American furniture that first came to be under the rule of Napoleon. A few of the cities that adopted the American Empire style were Baltimore, Boston and Philadelphia. Cabinetmaking was one area that the American Empire style flourished, with features such as: Gilt-brass furniture mounts Decorative inlays Stamped brass banding Individual star or circle shapes

Contemporary

With contemporary furniture, you might find influences from all different styles throughout the ages. New technologies make it possible to replicate virtually any style of furniture, so technically you could have a contemporary piece that looks like one of the styles from the past. With most contemporary furniture, neutral colors are used quite a lot for larger pieces with bold accessories to liven up the overall look. Some examples might include: Bright pillows on a white or plain couch Colorful rug on a concrete or plain-colored floor Colorful cushions on a neutral chair

WHETHER YOU WANT TO FOLLOW CONTEMPORARY RULES FOR FURNITURE DESIGN OR ADOPT A STYLE FROM YEARS PAST BE SURE TO STAY TRUE TO YOUR OWN PERSONALITY AND SENSIBILITIES AND YOULL NEVER GO WRONG.