Ever had a designer throw out a word you didn’t know? Not wanting to embarrass yourself, you nod in agreement and try to keep up with the convo. Never again! Here are 8 interior design terms that’ll keep you tracking right along:
- Arabesque: a decorative pattern with overlaid flowers, foliage, fruits, or scrolls.
- Bolster: a cylindrical-shaped pillow.
- Hygge (pronounced ‘hoo-guh’): a word that describes a feeling of coziness and a sense of contentment or well-being.
- Etagere: a freestanding or hanging set of open shelves designed for decorative objects.
- Settee: an upholstered piece of furniture long enough to seat two people.
- Wainscoting: Interior wall paneling that covers the lower part of a wall.
- Kelvin: the unit of measurement that relates to the color of a light source. The higher the number, the closer the shade is to sunlight.
- Feng shui: A method of Chinese design based around energy forces. It’s intended to bring homeowners in harmony with their environment.
- Niche: A niche is a recessed area in a wall or room — perfect for a small piece of furniture or disguised storage, your designer can help you make the best use of the tucked-away space.
- Leadtime: Got a design project in the works? You’ll wanna ask about leadtime. What is it? It’s the time between when you order and when an item ships. Custom furniture and other items often have a leadtime of 8-12 weeks depending on the manufacturer.
- Scale: Everything in a space needs to gel and jive. Understanding “scale” is how that happens. Scale is simply how the size of one object relates to the size of the other objects in a room.
- Bouclé: Texture is all the rage these days. Bouclé is one textured textile containing nubby, looped yarn often in two different shades.
- Monochromatic: Don’t be thrown off by the five-syllable word! What it means is this: a color scheme designed around a single color.
This should give you a leg up when working with a designer. But remember, it’s ALWAYS right to ask if you aren’t sure what something means. It’s your home, and you deserve to not only understand but to love where your designer is heading!