Home furnishing glossary

A wall given a different colour, texture or pattern to make it a focal point.

The bonding material used to attach a tile or panel to a suitable surface.

A recessed part of a room that may provide a place for fitted or freestanding storage.

General background light for a room.

A separate rug covering part of a room's floor.

The wall surface behind a worktop or sink, often finished to resist splashes and aid cleaning.

The bowl-shaped part of a sink that holds water.

A curtain or lining designed to block most incoming light when properly fitted.

The ceiling cover that conceals a light fixture's mounting point.

An extended seat supporting the legs as well as the body.

A suspended light fixture with several light sources or branches.

The routes people use to move through and between the furniture in a room.

The warm or cool appearance of a light source, commonly expressed in kelvins.

The arrangement of seating sections in a sofa or room.

A smaller seating arrangement intended to make conversation comfortable within a larger room.

The area a tile pack can cover before allowances for cuts and waste.

A control for adjusting the light level of a compatible lamp and fixture.

A rigid rod used to suspend a ceiling fixture at a chosen height.

A sink installation with a rim resting on top of the worktop.

Formed with a raised or recessed surface pattern.

A room style combining practical furnishings with rustic colours, textures or details.

A material or finish made to resemble stone.

A manufactured material combining stone particles with a binder, used in products such as sinks.

A reinforced ring around an opening through which a curtain rod passes.

A freestanding work or storage unit that sits apart from the perimeter cabinets.

A fabric made from flax fibres, used for curtains and other home textiles.

A rug with relatively short surface fibres or loops.

A finish with little surface shine.

A thin decorative cement-based finish discussed as a continuous surface for bathroom walls.

Made from separate units that can be arranged in different configurations.

A decorating scheme built around variations of a single colour.

Furniture selected to serve more than one purpose in the same room.

Designed to resist sliding against the surface beneath a rug; performance depends on the rug, floor and conditions.

A layout in which the kitchen and living areas share one larger space.

A padded freestanding piece used as a footrest or additional seat.

A product with an adhesive backing exposed by removing a protective layer.

A light fixture suspended from the ceiling by a cord, rod or chain.

The upright fibres or loops forming a rug's surface.

A type of plastic used in some lightweight wall tiles. PVC tiles can have a printed finish that looks like stone or marble.

An engineered countertop option discussed alongside other kitchen surface materials.

A natural stone countertop option, distinct from engineered quartz.

A drain positioned toward the back of the sink rather than its centre.

Wood recovered from an earlier use and used again in a furnishing or finish.

A sewn channel at the top of a curtain through which the rod slides.

A sofa made from several seating sections arranged together.

A lightweight, translucent curtain fabric that lets substantial light through.

A natural stone used as a kitchen work surface and discussed for its appearance and care needs.

An iron-based alloy containing chromium that helps resist corrosion.

A furniture layout that balances similar pieces on either side of a central feature.

Light directed toward an activity area, such as a kitchen worktop.

A family of brown-gray neutral shades whose appearance changes with nearby finishes and light.

Storage fitted into the cupboard space beneath a basin while allowing for its plumbing.

A sink installation with the rim secured below the worktop opening.

The fabric or other covering, padding and associated materials on a seat.

A synthetic plastic material used in some flooring and decorative tile products.

Decorative panelling applied to the lower portion of a wall.

A wood discussed for its warm brown appearance in kitchen cabinetry.

Designed to be cleaned by the washing method stated in the product's care instructions.

A kitchen layout idea connecting the main cooking, washing and food-storage positions.

A sink with supporting ledges or tracks for fitted accessories such as boards and racks.