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Mirror Glossary

A Guide to Common Terms

A-B
Art Deco Style - Decorative style from the early 20th century characterized by geometric designs, bold colors, and the utilization of plastic and glass

Harlow Chest With Optional Mirror by Carolyn Kinder Bathroom Vanity - Those vanities provide a sink, mirror and all the storage necessary for cosmetic activity for a bathroom

Bedroom Vanity - Those vanities provide a desk, mirror and jewelry storage to better realize makeup.

Beech - Lasting hardwood with light grain patterns. This wood is perfect for stained and painted finishes.

Contoured Beveled Mirror by American Mirror Beveled Glass - Glass are characterized by 1/4 inch-thick 'bevel' around the edges of the glass sheet, creating a beautiful soft edge that catches the light.

Birch - Durable close-grained hardwood.

Bleaching - A technique to lighten the overall color of a wood.

Burl - Decorative wood veneer made out of overgrown knots or outgrowth.

C-D
Casting - A process in which metal is melted to be molded in a specific shape.

Casual Style - These tables are usually displayed in a comfortable, warm, relaxing, homey part of the house. Overall, they have simple design, textured elements, soft details, and restful horizontal lines.

Chenille - Extremely soft and bunchy fabric.

Cheval Mirror - This type of mirror are built to stand on the floor; they are often vertical and can be inclined to better reflect its target

Chippendale - Wooden furniture featuring fretwork created by Thomas Chippendale in the 18th century; this is characterized by flowing lines and often rococo ornamentation.

Colonial - Style generated by the colonial interaction between Europe and their colonies.

Console Table - Also called a 'sofa table', this is a long, thin and tall table often located on the side of a sofa or against a wall. This table is used for storage and display of decorative items.

Contemporary Style - This is not quite "traditional," not quite "casual." This style tends to have straight, clean lines and edges, open curvature, and very little carvings or decorative touches.

Country Style - These tables are casual and unpretentious. They will combine simplicity and traditional designs. Almost exclusively light and warm colored woods, this can be thought of having "rustic class".

Demilune - Half-moon tables that are perfect to put against the wall. They usually come with matching mirrors.

Kittery Point Cherry Beveled Landscape Mirror by Chatham Distressing - An aged wood finish created by scratches, dents and wear.

Dovetail - A decorative, durable joint formed by tight interlocking wedges.

E-F
Embossing - Decorative designs molded or carved on the occasional table

Engraving - A printing technique, usually on metal

Etching: Small Grape Mirror by Hillsdale Etching - Similar to engraving, but concerns more complexe graphics and is not as durable.

Fixture Mirror - Mirror that are built-in another piece of furniture as an accent

Frame - The structure around the glass that support the mirror

G-J
Glaze - A finish process of a thin smooth shiny coating to highlight grain characteristics of wood.

Global/Exotic Style - This style is inspired by the materials and design of tropical or far-away places. These pieces are typically non-western and non-traditional in design.

Grain - The pattern of the fibers in wood that create the oval or curvy patterns found in wood furniture.

Hardwood - Durable wood of trees that replace their leaves every year

Hutch - A component with doors or shelves that is placed on top of a base piece.

 Inlay: Dumaine Mirror by Howard Elliott Inlay - Decorative technique that consists of implanting wood, metal, stones, leather, or other materials into a piece of furniture or veneer.

Jewelry Armoire - Those pieces are specifically meant to store jewelry.

K-L
Kiln-Dried Hardwood - Specially treated hardwood to reduce the moisture found in the lumber, thereby ensuring that the frame will not crack, split or warp.

Knot - Knot shapes are carved on wood to bring extra ornament and style, or can be a natural darker area in the grain of the wood.

Laminate - Thin layers of material formed together to create a solid piece to craft into furniture or tabletops.

Landscape - Landscape mirror are longer in length than in height.

Louis XV and XVI - Extremely refined designs inspired from French period of the 18th century, typically utilizing rich fabrics and an abundance of carving and gilding.
M-N
Mahogany versus Oak Mahogany - Durable tropical wood with handsome grain in a reddish color.

Maple - A hard, heavy, and light-colored natural grain wood.

Marquet - Beautiful pattern displayed by inlays of a material (contrast wood, metal, or ivory) into the veneer of wood.

Matte - In contrast to shiny or glossy looks, matte finish displays rough and warm surfaces.

MDF - Medium density fiber board - a man-made material used as a durable alternative to wood.

Mission/Shaker Style - Design philosphy developed in early American furniture-making. A very simple design featuring stripes of wood, mission and shaker furniture and is built on concepts of order, utility and durability.

Modern Style - Clean lines, art, industrial elements and bold color characterize these tables. This style is known for its underlying simplicity of line, shape, form, and attention to practical functions.

Molding - Decorative shape protruding inward or outward from the surface of tables. It results from the use of mold to shape intricate design.

Mosaic Frame - Frame accented with minuscule stone of diverse color to create decorative shapes and effects.

Natural Finish - This finish utilizes the original, light color of the wood as a finish.

O-P
Oak Wood - Durable wood of any of numerous deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs of the genus Quercus, bearing acorns as fruit.

Occasional Table - Category gathering any small tables, but generally concerning coffee tables, end tables and sofa tables.

Ornate: Summer's Dream Mirror by Howard Elliott Ornate Mirror - Those mirrors have frames that spur with ornate designs all around.

Overlay - Decorative layer on surface of a table.

Paint Finish - This implies the use of a decorative color to finish a table. Paints can range from simple monochrome to very complex multi color paintings.

Parquet - Geometric wood patterns put together in a decorative veneer to accent a accent a furniture.

Patina -A fine coating on any metal surface, the result of age and use.

Pine - A soft, durable wood that is light in color with a straight, medium coarse grain; ideal for distressed and rustic, decorative finishes.

Plywood - Layers of wood attached to each other using a cross grain method. This type of material provides flexibility combined with strength.

Polyurethane - A clear plastic overlay.

Portrait mirror - Those mirrors are higher in height than in length

Powder coating - Durable finish achieved by coating metal furniture with electrically charged paint powder that is then baked and fused to the metal surface.

Q-R
Queen Anne - Very famous 18th century style characteristically known for simple designs and soft shapes.

Rattan - Tropical wood that this made of climbing palms that long tough slender stems

Rosette - A round floral designs
S-T
Silk - A fine fabric made of silk filaments from the well known silkworm's cocoon.

Staining - The step in the finishing process that applies color to a piece of furniture while allowing the grain to show through.

Stools - Vanity stools are short and often upholstered to in a tradional fashion

Sunburst Mirror - Those mirrors have frames that have sun burst all around just like a the sun itself

Synthetic Mirror - These mirror frame are built in a synthetic material that reproduce the real material

Tapestry - Decorative fabric that features pictures or intricate designs, often similar to large wall hangings made for castles.

Tempered Glass Teak - Durable tropical hardwood

Tempered Glass - Made to last because it is stronger than regular glass. tempered glass, when broken, is shattered into many small manageable fragments as opposed to large shards.

Traditional Style - Based on historic design models, this style is characteristically ornate, ordered and bold. Straight lines are often contrasted with curved details, brass, iron, and hand painted wood.

Tri-Fold Mirror - Set of 3 three mirror hinged to each other to reflect an elegant reflection effect

Two-Way Mirror - Those mirror relfect from both side (front and back)

U-V
Upholstery - Tables that are covered in fabric, vinyl, leather.

Sample Veneers Veneer - Thin leaf of wood applied onto panel or frame of solid wood. It displays richly grained effects inexpensively. Common veneers are rosewood, maple and mahogany.

Victorian - Traditional style of furniture that is also referred to as: Gothic, Victorian Rococo, or Victorian Renaissance.

W-Z
Wall Mirror - Mirror that are meant to be hung on the wall.

Walnut - European hardwood with dark brown color.

Wax - Finish to add protection and finish to enhance the natural appearance of wood.

Wicker - A flexible plant weawed to create beautiful exotic structure for furniture.

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