Furniture Style Guide

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Furniture Style Guide
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Periods

• Colonial Period 1600-1780
• Postcolonial Period 1780-1840
• Victorian Period 1840-1900
• Modern Period 1901-present

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Colonial Period 1600-1780

• Jacobean (1600-1690) An English style of
  furniture, which is medieval in appearance with
  straight lines, rigid designs, sturdy
  construction, ornate carvings and a dark finish.

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Colonial Period 1600-1780

• Early American (1640-1700) Rudimentary
  utilitarian furniture made from local woods. It
  was brought from or modeled after European
  furniture styles, particularly from England,
  France, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and Spain.

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Colonial Period 1600-1780

• William and Mary (1690-1725) trumpet turned legs
  terminating in a ball or Spanish foot, padded or
  caned chair seats, and Oriental lacquer-work.
  Examples gate-leg table, and highboy.

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Colonial Period1600-1780

• Queen Anne (1700-1755) a refinement of the
  William and Mary style with a moderately
  proportioned, graceful appearance. It is
  characterized by cabriole legs terminating in a
  pad or drake foot, fiddle-back chair back, and
  bat wing shaped drawer pulls.

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Colonial Period 1600-1780

• Colonial (1700-1780) Combined the furniture style
  characteristics of William and Mary, Queen Anne,
  and Chippendale. Colonial furniture tended to be
  more conservative and less ornate than English
  and European furniture of the same style period.

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Colonial Period 1600-1780

• Georgian (1714-1760) Georgian furniture is a more
  ornate version of Queen Anne. It is characterized
  by heavier proportions, elaborately carved
  cabriole legs terminating in a pad or
  ball-and-claw foot, ornate carvings, pierced back
  splats, and the use of gilding.

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Colonial Period 1600-1780

• Pennsylvania Dutch (1720-1830) A simple,
  utilitarian American country style of furniture
  with Germanic influences. It is characterized by
  colorful folk painting on case pieces.

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Colonial Period 1600-1780

• Chippendale (1750-1790) The Chippendale style can
  be classified into three types French influence,
  Chinese influence, and Gothic influence. In the
  United States, the Chippendale style was a more
  elaborate development of the Queen Anne style
  with cabriole legs, ball-and-claw foot, and
  broken pediment scroll top on tall case pieces.

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Colonial Period 1600-1780

• Robert Adam (1760-1795)furniture designed with
  classical details that would fit the character of
  his classically designed homes. The Adam style
  was limitedly reproduced by cabinetmakers in the
  United States. Adam interior millwork and
  woodwork was reproduced in South Carolina.

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Postcolonial Period1780-1840

• Hepplewhite (1765-1800) It is characterized by a
  delicate appearance, tapered legs and the use of
  contrasting veneers and inlay.

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Postcolonial Period1780-1840

• Federal (1780-1820) Combined the neoclassic
  furniture style characteristics of Hepplewhite
  and Sheraton. It is characterized by graceful
  straight lines, light construction, tapered legs,
  and the use of inlay, and contrasting veneers.

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Postcolonial Period1780-1840

• Sheraton (1780-1820) It is characterized by
  delicate straight lines, light construction,
  contrasting veneers and neoclassical motifs and
  ornamentation.

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Postcolonial Period1780-1840

• Duncan Phyfe (1795-1848) It is characterized by
  carved or reeded legs and neoclassic motifs.

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Postcolonial Period1780-1840

• American Empire (1800-1840) Patterned after
  French Empire with classical influences. It is
  moderate in proportion with classical
  ornamentation, coarse carving, and a dark finish.

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Postcolonial Period1780-1840

• Shaker (1820-1860) It is characterized by
  straight tapered legs, woven square chair seats
  and mushroom shaped wooden knobs.

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Victorian Period 1840-1900

• Victorian (1840-1910) The Victorian style draws
  its influence from gothic forms with heavy
  proportions, dark finish, elaborate carving, and
  ornamentation. The Victorian period was the first
  furniture style of mass production.

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Modern Period 1901-Present

• Arts and Craft (1880-1910) Arts and Craft
  furniture is characterized by simple utilitarian
  design and construction. Arts and Craft style
  furniture is also referred to as Mission.

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Modern Period 1901-Present

• Art Nouveau (1890-1910) A naturalistic style
  characterized by intricately detailed patterns
  and curving lines.

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Modern Period 1901-Present

• Scandinavian Contemporary (1930-1950) A simple
  utilitarian design style in natural wood
  popularized by Danish and Swedish designers.