![]() It can mean “a low, elaborate chest of drawers,” “a moveable stand or cupboard containing a washbowl,” or “a chair enclosing a chamber pot.” In some parts of the country, this word is a synonym for “toilet.” commode (cah MODE) This noun comes from the Middle English word for “convenient” and connotes several different types of furniture. Walker kept most of her clothes in a mahogany highboy, her lingerie in the smaller drawers at the very top and her sweaters in the wider drawers below.ġ0. The “boy” comes from “bois,” the French word for “woods.” highboy (HIGH BOY) This noun means a tall, wooden chest of drawers, usually divided into two sections, one slightly wider, and standing on legs. In nineteenth-century paintings of odalisques, a harem girl is usually depicted reclining sensually on a partially dressed and appearing to be awaiting her lover.ĩ.divan (dih VAN) This noun has many obscure meanings, including “a counting room or public audience room used in Muslim countries,” but it belongs in this section because it chiefly refers to a “a long, backless sofa, especially one set with pillows against a wall.” Carnegie examined the armoire and wondered if it was large enough to contain all twenty of his suits and his rather extensive collection of dress shirts and ties.Ĩ. armoire (ARM war) This word comes from the Latin word for “a chest for implements or tools.” It evolved to mean a “large, often ornate cabinet, used for hanging clothes and often containing drawers.” A good synonym is “wardrobe.” He settled for a rickety, wooden rocker and pulled over a small hassock upholstered in kilim on which to rest his feet.ħ. Dylan glanced around the room, looking for a comfortable place to sit.hassock (HASS ik) This noun comes from the Middle English word for “a large clump of grass,” and it refers to a thick cushion used as a footstool or for kneeling. Since John Steinbeck’s house in Salinas has opened as a museum and contains much of its original furniture, there is likely to be a large chesterfield in the front parlor that was originally used for seating visitors.Ħ.Its name comes from the earl of Chesterfield. This type of sofa was manufactured in Canada where it was commonly used at the turn of the twentieth century, but it was also popularly used in Northern California around the same time. chesterfield (CHEST er field) Although this noun is known to mean “a single or double-breasted overcoat, usually with concealed buttons and a velvet collar,” it is also a term for a large sofa with upholstered arms. Millicent placed the large platter of turkey on the credenza in order to leave room on the table for the various side dishes and trimmings.ĥ.It is also used to mean a piece of office furniture with a long, flat top, containing file drawers and accessories for a computer. It is a buffet or sideboard, usually without legs. ![]() credenza (creh DEN zah) This noun comes from the Latin word for “trust,” possibly from the practice of placing food or drink on a sideboard to be tasted by a servant to ensure that it contained no poison. Harrison entered the drawing room, sat down in a brown, crushed velvet armchair, placed his feet up on the leather and rang for the butler.Ĥ.Today, it is more commonly used to mean “a low, upholstered seat or cushioned footstool.” Its name came from its imitation of the kind of seating used in the Turkish or Ottoman Empire. ottoman (OT oh min) Originally, this noun meant a type of couch without arms or back, used for reclining. There were doilies on the table, antimacassars on the sofa and chairs, and lacquer coasters scattered on the end tables.ģ. Carrington’s country cottage was filled with knickknacks and frilly decorations to protect her furnishings. It comes from Macasar, which was a brand of hair oil, popular in the late nineteenth century. antimacassar (AN tee mak ASS ar) This noun is a small piece of material placed on the backs of chairs and sofas that protects the upholstery from hair-oil stains. Beebe would sit down next to her when tea was served.Ģ. It is either a large sofa, often convertible into a bed, or a small writing desk (which probably took its name from the manufacturer). davenport (DAV en port) Oddly enough, this noun can mean two entirely different pieces of furniture-both popular in the nineteenth century. Readers of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird may remember that Tom Robinson gets into trouble when he’s asked to “bust up a chiffarobe.” But how many people today know that a “chiffarobe” is actually “a tall piece of furniture with drawers on one side and space for hanging clothes on the other?” Here are ten more lesser-known pieces of furniture.ġ.
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