Furniture Glossary for Furniture Shoppers - D

Dado Joint: A rectangular groove across the width of a board or plank that another piece of wood fits into.

Dado Rail: A Wooden rail or molding that's fixed horizontally along a wall, usually about a third of the way up from the floor.

Damask: A heavy reversible fabric featuring a pattern that’s distinguished from the background by contrasting luster.

Daybed: A seating piece that can also serve as a bed. Find a daybed.

Deboss: To depress a design in leather, paper, or composition board.

Decoupage: A method of decorating walls and objects with paper cutouts.

Denim: Heavy cotton twill woven from coarse yarns.

Density: Normally used as a measure of weight per cubic volume, which is usually expressed in pounds per cubic foot. An important quality of foam used in upholstered furniture. Greater density in foam is generally equated with better quality and durability. Density can also be used to refer to the number of coils per given area in a mattress.

Dentils (or Dentil Molding): Rectangular tooth-like blocks spaced at equal intervals along a cornice molding.

Design: The art of conceptualizing the appearance of an object or space. The term also refers to the style, appearance, or characteristic of an item such as a modern lamp or rustic bench.

DeStijl: A 20th century style originating in the Netherlands. As with other Dutch furniture of the period, DeStijl furniture is characteristically simple and clean-lined.

Dhurrie Rug: A flat woven wool or cotton rug featuring beautiful designs. Find a rug.

Diamond Tufting: An arrangement of tufted buttons which yields a diamond shaped pattern on the back of an upholstered piece of furniture.

Dinette: A small dining set, which is often used in the kitchen. Find a dinette set.

Dining Room: Traditionally a formal room dedicated to the serving of meals. Find dining room furniture.

Directoire: The Directoire period of furniture (late 1700’s to early 1800’s) was a result of French reign under five directors. Styling was controlled by a Jury of Arts and Manufactures. All emblems of royalty and aristocracy in furniture design were abolished. Classic decorations including griffins and caryatids are familiar in Directoire furniture. This period is influenced hugely by Greek, Egyptian, and Roman styling. Simple elegance characterizes this period.

Distemper: Paints made by mixing pigment with water and bound with casein, glue or egg. Widely used before the arrival of emulsion.

Distressed (or Distressing): A furniture trait where pieces are purposely dented or otherwise marked to render an antique or rustic appearance.

Dormer: A window set vertically in a structure projecting through a sloping roof.

Double Bed (or Full Size): Refers to a bed for a mattress that measures 54"x75". Was once the standard or most popular size bed. Sometimes referred to as a full, double or standard. Find a mattress set.

Double Extra Long (or Full Extra Long): A double/full mattress that measures 54"x80". Find a mattress set.

Dovetail: Joint construction made by cutting pins in the shape of dovetails, which fit between dovetails upon another piece. Commonly found in drawer construction.

Dowel: A headless wooden pin used in furniture construction.

Down: Soft breast feathers from ducks or geese.

Dragging: A paint effect that produces fine stripes on a surface, usually done by dragging a dry brush or through a glaze.

Drapery: A draped fabric window treatment. Find draperies and curtains.

Draw Draperies: Curtains or drapes mounted on a horizontal traversed rod so they can be open and closed with a pull cord. Find draperies and curtains.

Drawer Guides (or Glides): Term referring to the track or runners allowing a drawer to move freely and evenly in a piece of furniture such as a dresser. There are many types of guides including wooden center guides, metal glides with rollers, and metal ball bearing guides.

Dresser: A long chest of drawers used to store clothes. Find a bedroom dresser.

Drop Front: The hinged front of an upright desk that drops down to provide a surface for writing.

Drop Handle: A pear-shaped handle made popular in the late 17th century.

Drop-In Seat: An upholstered seat frame that sits in the main framework of a chair.

Drop-In Spring Unit: A coil spring assembly (much like a mattress coil unit) used in upholstery to simulate an eight-way-hand-tied feel and support.

Drop Leaf: A dining or occasional table with hinged leaves that can be lowered. Find a drop leaf dining table.

Drop Lid Desk: A desk with a hinged front that covers the inner compartments. Find home office furniture.

Drum Dyeing: Maximum dye penetration of leather by immersing it in a dye solution in a tumbling drum.

Dry Brushing: A paint technique in which a brush is worked over a glaze to create a cloudy effect.

Duck: A closely woven heavy durable material.

Dumb Waiter: A type of furniture with a central shaft and circular trays, which often revolves to enable those who are dining to help themselves to additional plates.

Duncan Phyfe: A furniture style popular in the late 1700’s to early 1800’s. Duncan Phyfe pieces are characterized by feet that gracefully curve outward on both tables and sofas. Duncan Phyfe seating pieces often have lyre-shaped backs, rolled top rails and arms.

Dupioni: A lustrous silk woven from two different colors of threads so that it shimmers or changes color in the light.

Dust Cover (or Cambrick): A non-woven cloth that covers the bottom of an upholstered piece of furniture such as a sofa or box spring. Also referred to as cambrick.

Dust Ruffle: Dust ruffles fit under the mattress and on top of the box spring to decorate with fabric to the floor. Find home accessories and bedding.

Dustboard (Dust Panel): A panel placed between drawers in a chest or dresser to eliminate dust.

Dutch Foot: A type of pad foot used on the legs of chairs.

Dutch Renaissance: This furniture style was a huge influence on late English design. It is characterized by its square heavy style and its straight dominate lines. Chairs were made with turned legs, straight stretchers and low backs that were also straight in design. The main decoration was carving with leaves and scrolling. Chair seats often had leather attached with brass nails, also referred to as nailhead. Oak was the favored wood of choice. Most popular during the 1500’s through the 1600’s.

Dutch Style: Early Flemish Baroque furniture, dating from the 17th century, was but a slight adaptation of the late Renaissance style. Typical are oak cupboards with four doors and chairs with seats and backs of velvet or leather held in place by nails. Most pieces are massive, solid unpretentious pieces made of local woods with turnings.

Duvet Cover: A removable cover that encases a down-filled comforter known as a duvet. Find bedding and home accessories.

Dye Lot: Because fabrics are dyed in varying quantities of yardage, consistency of color will vary. Therefore there will be differences in color from bolt to bolt.

A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z