Furniture & Interior Design Glossary Terms - E

Early Renaissance: Early 1500's, the transitional period between Gothic Arts and the Classical Revival. Characterized by arch form, ornament and detail in style and decoration, high relief carving with diamond shapes and architectural pilasters, and ornamented with olive, laurel and acanthus leaves. Pieces usually featured no hardware.

Eastlake: Charles Eastlake designated the Eastlake period and was popular in both England and America in the late 19th Century. Eastlake furniture had a medieval styling with a Gothic and Japanese decoration. The favorite woods were cherry wood and other fruitwoods. Panels were sometimes adorned with tile and metal for an added decoration.

Ebeniste: An ordinary term for a French cabinet maker.

Ebonize: A painting effect where an object is treated with color to make it look like ebony.

Eclectic: A style of decorating combining furniture and accessories of various styles and periods.

Egg & Dart: A classic design of alternating oval and dart shapes, commonly applied to cornices.

Eggshell: An oil-based paint that has a low-sheen satin finish.

Egyptian: This is arguably the first "influential" style of design dating from 4000 to 300 B.C. Pieces were very colorful and highly decorated. Carvings featured papyrus, lotus, and human and animal forms. Seating was usually of leather or cane and loose cushions were common. The most popular woods of choice were sycamore, cedar, yew and olivewood. Royal pieces were normally further decorated with inlaid ivory, gold and jewels. Egyptian styling has also been a huge influence on craftsmen of later eras.

Egyptian Cotton: Fine lustrous long staple cotton. Several varieties - usually brown in color. 1-2/5" average. Used in U.S. for thread and fine fabrics.

Eight-Way Hand Tied: Springs used in upholstered furniture, in which each spring is tied in eight directions by hand securing the springs inside of the frame.

Elizabethan: A large furniture style of severe form that emerged during the reign of Elizabeth I in England during the latter half of the 1500's. Elizabethan pieces are characterized by heavy carving and massive size.

Embossing: A technique to impress or stamp a design onto a piece of furniture; mostly used on wood pieces to resemble carving.

Embroidery: Ornamental needlework consisting of designs worked on fabric with either silk, cotton, metalized, or other threads, either by hand or machine.

Empire: A style inspired by the Napoleonic Empire, which features heavy looking classical designs and combines straight lines and curves, sleigh beds are a good example of this styling.

Emulsion: A water-based paint that's mainly applied to walls and ceilings.

Encarpa: A festoon of fruit and flowers traditionally used to decorate friezes and other flat spaces.

Encoignure: An 18th-19th Century casework piece similar to a corner cabinet. Its front is typically rounded or diagonal, and it rests on three or four feet. Often, the top portion contains shelves in graduated sizes.

End Matching: Two adjacent pieces of veneer, which are joined end to end to form a continuous pattern.

Endive: A carved leaf design following the lines of the endive plant.

English Regency: Often referred to as the English version of the French Empire, this period (1810-1830) reflected the general European interest in antiquity and return to classic forms, rich ornamentation. Furniture was small-scaled, well-proportioned; combining curves and straight lines.

English Style: The period distinctions of English furniture are somewhat indefinite owing to the variety of labels according to monarchs, designers, typical woods and external influences. Changes were happening so rapidly that primarily the type of wood used distinguished the boundaries of the English style.

Ergonomic: Term that relates to furniture design and function for the human form; very commonly found in home office furnishings such ergonomic chairs for example.

Escritoire: A writing desk with a fall front that lowers to form a writing surface. The English word "secretary" was derived from this term.

Escutcheon: The shaped metal fitting/backing behind a drawer pull or surrounding a keyhole. The term can also apply to a tiny plate that hangs over a keyhole to stop drafts from coming in. The term can be further applied to a shield upon which a coat of arms or other devices are emblazoned.

Espagnolettes: A long bolt sometimes found on French windows. It consists of a handle that sends the bolt into the top and bottom of the wall.

Etagere: A freestanding set of open shelves commonly used for displaying accessories. Term also applies to a small work table consisting usually of shelves or tray sets one above the other.

European Style: Sophisticated style with great attention to detail and ornamentation.

Evolute: A recurrent wave motif for a band, frieze or cornice.

Eyeball Spots: Semi-recessed lights set in the ceiling, which can be adjusted to shine in different directions.

Eyelet: A small hole in a piece of fabric designed for a cord to be thread through or used for decoration (as in embroidery).