BACHELOR'S CHEST - small, low, wooden cabinet with drawers
BACKSPLASH - vertical area behind a counter with or without a sink, typically measuring 4" for a partial splash up to 18"+ for a full backsplash
BAKER'S TABLE - English marble-topped table, typically with a decorative open iron base used for cooking pastry, typically 32-33" high
BALANCE - well-proportioned or equally distributed arrangement of elements
BALCONY - platform projecting from an interior or exterior wall of building, supported by posts, columns or corbels and enclosed by a railing or balustrade
BALCONY RAILING - railing enclosing a balcony, often made of wood, stone or iron
BALUSTER - small, heavily proportioned pillar used for vertical support in a railing, typically made of wood or stone i.e. Venetian balcony. See COLUMN, SPINDLE
BALUSTRADE - railing composed of a series balusters, bottom rail and top handrail, also used in smaller scale to embellish furniture
BALLOON SHADE - fabric shade creating a gathered bottom edge when raised
BANDANNA - cotton fabric with a printed design of white and a contrasting color
BANDING – inlay or marquetry technique producing a contrast with the surface of a piece of wood furniture
BANQUETTE - built-in or free-standing upholstered bench: straight-run, back-to-back, L-shaped, island, U-shaped, octagonal, circular, radius-U, saw-tooth, serpentine.
BARK CLOTH - fabric made from or created to simulate the bark of trees
BARREL VAULTED CEILING - semi-cylindrical ceiling treatment
BARRIER FREE - no access or egress limitations for handicapped individuals
BASEBOARD - trim, often wood, but also marble, vinyl, or other materials, used where the floor and wall meet providing a finished edge
BASKET WEAVE - plain weave with two or more warp yarns interlaced with filler yarns; the knitted construction resembles the pattern of a wicker basket weave
BATIK - ancient hand-printing technique using wax as a resist, which is applied, removed and re-applied for each color layer to create various patterns including a crackled appearance
BATISTE - finely woven, lightweight cotton fabric or fabric blend using long staple yarns
BATTING - thin layers of natural or synthetic cloth used to line cushions, pillows, quilts or crafts. See CRAFTSMAN
BAUHAUS - practical, theoretical, and influential industrial art, craft, architecture and design school of the 20th century
BAY WINDOW - typically composed of three windows constructed with two angled side windows projecting from an exterior wall
BEAD - small round ball made from a variety of materials with a center hole, allowing it to be sewn or strung onto a cord
BEAD BOARD - 4 x 8 sheet of plywood with regularly spaced grooves
BEADED FABRIC - fabric embroidered with beads
BEADED TRIM or BEADED FRINGE - fabric or ribbon edged with dangling beads used to embellish lamps, pillows, draperies and more
BEADING LACE - machine-made lace with openwork to accept decorative ribbon
BEAM - horizontal structural support for another floor or roof; large spools used to create woven fabrics
BEARDING - fiber fuzz on level loop pile carpets
BEDDING - custom handmade or manufactured materials used on a bed for utilitarian or decorative purposes
---Bedspread (Full-length)
---Coverlet (to dust-ruffle), quilted
---Comforter, Coverlet, Duvet Cover (comforter cover)
---Bed Skirt, Dust Ruffle: lined, split corners, gusset corners, box spring cover
---Bed Pillows: standard, king, continental
---Pillow Shams: standard, king, continental
---Pillows: bolster or custom shape with ruffle, flange, banding, cording, tassels, etc.
---Sheets: fitted, flat, blankets (higher thread counts indicate tighter, softer, finer weave)
BED SHEET - square panel of fabric with or without elastic edge used to encase the top mattress on a bed
BED SKIRT - fabric bedding treatment, which spans between the upper and lower mattress beginning beneath a comforter to touch the floor. See DUST RUFFLE
BEDSPREAD - fabric bedding treatment, which covers a top mattress
BENCH - long seat for several individuals with or without a back support; worktable for machinery
BENCH-MADE - one artisan creates a piece of furniture from start to finish
BENCH SEAT - built-in bench
BERGERÉ CHAIR - French exposed-wood frame, overstuffed upholstered chair
BEVELED EDGE - slanted and polished edge detail used on wood, marble, glass, etc.
BEVELED GLASS - custom or machine-made clear glass panel with an angled, polished edge; window composed of multiple pieces of leaded glass. See ART GLASS
BIAS - 45-degree angle to the grain of a fabric utilized to create cording or a smoother fit
BIBLIOTHEQUE - furniture cabinet used to store literary and artistic materials
BINDING - handmade fabric edge applied to soft floor coverings to prevent fraying
BISECTING - divide into two parts
BISHOP'S SLEEVE - drapery or window treatment with side panels gathered up with tie-backs to create multiple poufs
BLACK-OUT LINING - opaque lining used in window treatments to prevent natural light from entering a room
BLEACHED - chemically processed to whiten fabric
BLEEDING - imperfection in the fabric printing process where dye runs over the screen area of one color to the screen area of another color
BLEND - fabric containing a mixture of two or more fibers or yarns
BLIND - slatted or pleated window treatment. See SHADE, INSIDE MOUNT, OUTSIDE MOUNT
BLOCK PRINTING - 17th-century textile hand-printing technique utilizing natural dyes, wooden, metal or linoleum blocks registered with the imprint of several layers to form complex patterns
BLOTCH - printing technique where a screen fills in the background of the fabric after the main design has been printed
BOARD and BATTEN - barn-like exterior siding constructed of ~ 12" wide vertical boards joined side-to-side with smaller ~ ½" - 1" boards covering the joints
BOBECHE - glass ring added at the base of a candle to gather wax or on the base of an electrified chandelier candle-cover to dangle glass prisms
BOLT - rolled length of fabric or wallcovering in one width
BOLSTER - cylindrical shaped pillow, often with decorative embellishments such as tassels, trims and gathers on either end
BOMBÉ – outward swelling on commodes, bureaus, and armoires
BOND - patterned mortar joints between bricks, stones or blocks
BONDED - two or more fabric layers held together with adhesive or a fusible layer
BOOKCASE - a chest constructed of several open shelves to hold books and accessories
BOOK MATCH - veneer sliced, opened and glued in place to create a mirrored image pattern
BORDER - decorative, linear pattern used along outer edge of fabric, carpet, drapery treatment, etc.
BOTANICAL - natural depiction of plant forms such as leaves and flowers
BOUCLÉ YARN - specialty three-ply yarn woven unevenly to create random loops, giving the fabric a knotty surface texture
BOW FRONT – convex cabinet front
BOX PLEATS - evenly spaced pleating technique folded, stitched and flattened into box shapes
BOX SPRING COVER - fabric sleeve constructed to hide box springs, often gathered with elastic on the underneath side
BOX SPRINGS - wire coils connected to one another with an outer metal frame, often padded and encased in quilted fabric
BRACKET - decorative or structural (upside-down L-shape) projection of wood, iron, marble, polyurethane or other materials installed to support overhangs, cantilevered projections or objects of art. See CORBEL
BREAKFRONT – large cabinet where the center section projects beyond the two side sections
BROADCLOTH - tightly woven cotton fabric with a smooth finish
BROCADE - jacquard fabric design, often silk, with raised patterns and floating yarns on the back of the fabric, imitating embroidery
BROCATELLE - jacquard fabric featuring low- and high-relief areas, originally created to imitate tooled leather
BRUSHED FINISH - fabric finishing process using an abrasive surface to create a raised nap on the surface
BUCKLING - refers to carpet not laying flat to the floor
BUCKRAM - stiff woven fabric used as interlining to give shape and form
BUDGET - estimated spending level
BUFFET – linear furniture piece with storage for flatware used as a counter for serving
BUILD - construction of a space utilizing various parts, materials and techniques
BUILDING - the act of constructing a space from various parts and materials; a structure
BUILDING STANDARD - standard specifications seen applied throughout a building or complex
BULLION FRINGE - long, twisted, heat-set, multi-ply fringe often used on upholstery
BULLNOSE EDGE - thick, round edge detail, i.e. full bullnose, half bullnose
BUN FOOT – furniture leg in the shape of a bun or series of flattened balls
BUNGALOW - the term is often used to describe a single- or 1½-story Arts & Crafts "Craftsman" or "Prairie" style house built between 1890 and 1930 featuring casement windows, gabled and shingled roofs with wide overhangs, large porches, wood floors, fireplace, built-in cabinetry and rockwork combined with wood trim. See ABODE, APARTMENT, COTTAGE, DOMICILE, DWELLING, FARMHOUSE, HOME, HOUSE, LOFT, MANOR, MANSION, RANCH HOUSE, STUDIO, VILLA
BUNTING - plain, loosely woven fabric, also known as banner cloth
BUREAU - refers to an American dresser or French writing desk
BURLAP - coarse, open weave jute fabric
BURLED WOOD - hardwood with a swirling growth pattern used for veneers and inlays
BURN OUT - fabric composed of two fibers chemically printed to dissolve one of the fibers, leaving a see-through design or positive/negative appearance