Ten More Furniture Terms to Know

by Nick, Digital Specialist | March 30, 2021

Our first article about furniture terms was so successful, that we decided to write another one! Check out these terms to know before you go shopping.

Our first article about furniture terms was so popular that we wanted to share ten more terms that we think you should know before you go shopping. Make sure you know these terms so you’re not feeling left out while you’re having a discussion with your salesperson!

1. Chaise: This is the long piece that sticks out at the end of a sectional (or sometimes, a sofa). You can sit on this piece with your feet up. Most chaises stick out a little more than five feet, but longer ones can jut out seven feet or more.

2. Manual recliner: The opposite of a power recliner, a manual recliner does not use electricity to power its motion. Manual recliners usually have a handle or a trigger on the side to open it, and then you’ll need to push down with your feet to close it. Manual recliners do not need to be plugged in.

3. Down: The opposite of up. (Just kidding...want to make sure you’re paying attention.) Down filling in a sofa cushion is just like down filling in a jacket- it’s a layer of feathers. When used in sofa cushions, it’s usually put in a bag on the top of the cushion (above a layer of foam...the whole cushion isn’t feathers!) so the feathers don’t move around as much. You’ll sink down more in a down cushion, but beware- sometimes a cushion with down can look a little more wrinkly because of this.

4. Innerspring coil: The metal spring that goes on the inside of a mattress to give you support when you sleep at night. These are how most “traditional” mattresses are constructed, even though memory foam and hybrid mattresses are becoming more popular. Most of the time, coils are individually wrapped, meaning that each coil has a piece of fabric around it- this reduces motion transfer.

5. Ladderback chair: a dining chair that features multiple horizontal slats across the back, giving the appearance of a ladder. This is a really common style for a dining room chair. Other common styles include the X-back chair (where the back looks like an X), a slat back chair (where the back has vertical slats), or splat back (where the back features a vertical piece in the center, usually carved in a curved shape).

6. Storage bed: this is a bed that has drawers for storage at the bottom of the bed. Drawers can either be found along one or both sides (side storage), or at the end (footboard storage). Storage beds make great use of the space you have, and usually don’t require a boxspring. However, storage beds tend to be more expensive, and you can’t always use your adjustable base along with it.

7. Corner wedge: in a sectional, the corner wedge is the piece that you put in the corner to give it that 90-degree turn. If you’re replacing a sofa and loveseat with a sectional, the corner wedge would fill the spot where you had the end table in between the two pieces. Corner wedges can be separate pieces of the sectional, or can be built into other pieces of the sectional. They can look like a square, or have a little bump-out to make it a usable seat.

8. Lift chair: a power recliner that also has the capability to help the person stand up out of the recliner. The user can push a button on the chair that slowly lifts the entire chair, bringing them closer to a standing position. This is a great option for someone with mobility issues.

9. Financing: this is where your payments are split into smaller ones over the course of time, usually a set number of months. Furniture purchases tend to be large, so many retailers offer financing to make it a little more affordable. Many times, financing is offered without interest, but this is not true all the time. There may also be minimum purchases you need to make in order to qualify.

10. White-glove delivery: Retailers can call this a variety of things, but this is the kind of delivery where your furniture is brought into your home. Make sure you ask questions- this may or may not include setup and assembly of your furniture, if necessary. Sometimes, this type of delivery only goes into the first room of your house and not the room it’s going into!