History of European furniture

Furniture has been a part of the human experience since the development of non-nomadic cultures. Evidence of furniture from antiquity survives in the form of paintings, such as the wall Murals discovered at Pompeii; sculpture, examples of which have been excavated in Egypt; and extant pieces, such as those found in tombs in Ghiordes, in modern day Turkey. The furniture of the Middle Ages was usually heavy, oak, and ornamented with carved designs. Along with the other arts, the Italian Renaissance of the fourteenth and fifteenth century marked a rebirth in design, often inspired by the Greco-Roman tradition. A similar explosion of design, and renaissance of culture in general, occurred in Northern Europe, starting in the fifteenth century. The seventeenth century, in both Southern and Northern Europe, was characterized by opulent, and often gilded Baroque designs that frequently incorporated a profusion of vegetal and scrolling ornament. Starting in the eighteenth century, furniture designs began to develop more rapidly. Although there were some styles that belonged primarily to one nation, such as Palladianism in Great Britain, others, such as the Rococo and Neoclassicism were perpetuated throughout Western Europe. The nineteenth is usually defined by concurrent revival styles, including Gothic, Neoclassicism, and Rococo. The design reform of the late century, introduced the Aesthetic movement and the Arts and Crafts movement. Art Nouveau was influenced by both of these movements. The first three-quarters of the twentieth century are often seen as the march towards Modernism. Art Deco, De Stijl, Bauhaus, Weiner Werkstatte, and Vienna Secession designers all worked to some degree within the Modernist idiom. Postmodern design, intersecting the Pop art movement, gained steam in the 1960s and 70s, promoted by designers such as the Italy-based Memphis movement.

FURNITURE is the collective term for the movable objects which may support the human body (seating furniture and beds), provide storage, or hold objects on horizontal surfaces above the ground. Storage furniture (which often makes use of doors, drawers, and shelves) is used to hold or contain smaller objects such as clothes, tools, books, and household goods.

Chairs

Quality construction is the hallmark of Best Home Furnishings products. Our Chairs feature hardwood frame construction, high quality foams that have exceeded rigorous testing standards and premium cushioning fibers. Special attention is added at each step of construction and every chair is individually upholstered by an experienced craftsman.

Many chairs offer special features such as coil springs, button tufting, hand carved wood accents and glider mechanisms made especially for Best Home Furnishings by industry leader Leggett & Platt®.

Recliners

Quality and comfort have been synthesized in our recliner product line to create simply the best lineup of recliners in the business. Premium cushioning fibers provide unparalleled comfort and durability. Hardwood frames and rugged construction make our recliners the standard in stability and durability. Special features such as removable backs and proprietary Leggett & Platt ® mechanisms are featured in every recliner.

Dresser and Mirror

Classic Shaker design with hand crafted accents. Matches other Shaker styles for bedroom decor. Drawers boxes are birch and are dovetail front and back. Dresser back is panel construction like sides.The two bottom drawers are made to look like four drawers. Dresser can be ordered with optional Shaker Mirror (39 3/4"Wide x 38 1/4" High). Shown in lightly figured curly cherry, it is available in all woods with other custom made bedroom furniture to match.

Description
Dimensions: 62" W x 18" D x 39"H

Materials: Curly Cherry

Finish: Catalyzed lacquer

poster bed

The simple straight lines associated with Shaker styling are self evident in this beautiful bed. The bed is shown with shaker style pegged slats. In this configuration the box spring is eliminated, although it can be ordered for the box springs. I will ask you for the thickness of your mattress and box spring so I can adjust the height of the headboard accordingly. The bed runners are solid wood Doweled in with hidden bolts Shown in lightly figured curly cherry, it is available in all woods with other custom made bedroom furniture to match.

Dimensions: 76" W x 80" D Posts are 80"

Materials: curly cherry

Finish: Catalyzed lacquer

bedroom chest

This bedroom chest is a classic shaker design with hand crafted accents. Matches other Shaker furniture pieces for bedroom decor. Drawers boxes are birch and are dovetail front and back. Chest back is panel construction like sides. The two bottom drawers are made to look like four drawers. Shown in lightly figured curly cherry, it is available in all woods with other bedroom furniture to match.

Description
Dimensions: 46" W x 21" D x 48H

Materials: Curly cherry solid wood

Finish: Catalyzed lacquer

High Point Market Guide – Crisp contemporary

Contemporary is moving toward cleaner, simpler lines. Natural and organic colors in base cloths, straight from the outdoors, form the background for pillows that provide bursts of color. Fabric and leather combos continue to gain steam. And for those with a more modern bent, there's always something new and curvy. In wood, look for Asian influences and bright, interesting colors

20th Century Classics

More recently, the designs of Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh have caught the eye of Mission enthusiasts. For the first 10 years of this century, Mackintosh designed buildings and furniture incorporating Mission’s rectangular lines and grids, softened by curved floral motifs adapted from Art Nouveau.


A landmark 1998 exhibition of Mackintosh’s work in Glasgow and New York helped bring this artist/designer back to public awareness. Now his influence can be seen in the work of many contemporary furniture designers. While Mission styles are usually executed in dark-stained oak, Mackintosh designs lean to lighter tones and more tightly grained woods. This lighter feeling is more compatible with the late 20th century taste for light-to-white color schemes.

The last decade of the 20th Century has enjoyed a renewed interest in the great furniture styles of the last 100 years. Despite their differences, the spotlight has shown equally on Modernist and Mission design. Both styles continue to inspire today’s furniture manufacturers. Both were equally groundbreaking styles, with lines pared back to essentials. And both are sure to have their fierce partisans and collectors far into the foreseeable future.

The Firs Great 20th Century Design

There’s something about Mission furniture that speaks strongly to the American sense of style. This early 20th century look has made a huge comeback in the last few years, perhaps because of its integrity and unpretentious dignity.

Mission style grew out of England’s late 19th Century Arts&Crafts movement, most closely identified with philosopher/ designer William Morris (whose wallpaper and fabric designs remain popular and in production).

Morris and his allies believed England’s Industrial Revolution was undermining not only traditional craftsmanship, but the quality of everyday life. They struck out against cheap materials, shoddy workmanship and the excessive ornamentation of late Victorian furniture.

Decorating Tips

Making a competent color choice for a room or home requires a plan for using color to systematically warm and highlight the prevailing theme being used as your home décor. By establishing a plan for color usage, you can easily guide and coordinate selections in order evolve a consistent color scheme that is pleasing to the eye while minimizing costs of changing fabrics, wall coverings, window coverings, floor coverings, accessories and furniture.

To begin the process of interior design, first develop a written plan whereby each room embodies an individual "theme" consistent with design and architecture of your home or living space. Make sure you carefully study the specific style, color scheme and carefully coordinate colors the colors of each element of your design. Be consistent in your choice of colors, styles and materials so as to avoid a "patchwork" that is indicative of bad planning.

By and large, interior design professionals and decorators seek to coordinate the entire design of the home project on paper. The idea is to place as much emphasis on planning as possible so as to make cost effective design determinations. Once the overall "style" theme has been determined, color scheme is developed, with its respective accents, fabrics, wallpapers (reproduced samples), accessories and furniture selections for the final design project. Increasingly, computer aided design programs available on the Internet are used to cost effectively allow the consumer to undertake interior design on their own, for a educational enrichment, entertainment and a richly rewarding development experience that avoids months researching books and decorating magazines.

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A magnificent formal dining room chair with eye catching beauty, elegance and seating comfort. Spiral arms with accents of chestnut-colored heartwood inlay.
Both classical and fascinatingly modern, The Vanya Chair is resplendent with a wealth of interesting detail and pure luxury.