Furniture Terms
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Ikat: Traditional weaving style found in many cultures including
south and central Asia as well as south and central America. Ikats are made
with resist dyeing techniques (similar to tie dye) on warp or weft threads
before a piece of cloth is woven. The traditional patterns produced by the
weavings have been reinterpreted by modern textile designers as bold graphic
prints with feathery edges.
inlay: design formed of contrasting woods, grains, metal, tortoiseshell,
mother of pearl, or other material inserted to be flush with the furniture
surface.
intarsia: a decorative inlay pattern, particularly referring to
wood mosaics.
international style: Historically from 1920 to 1939. Minimalist
style that grew out of Germany's Bauhaus, with such practitioners as Walter
Gropius, Marcel Breuer, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Simple lines and an
absence of decoration are its hallmarks. New materials, such as chrome and
glass, along with factory production, signify its departure from earlier
furniture traditions. The international aspect means that the furnishings
are devoid of regional characteristics and stress functionalism. International
style is closely tied to modernist style.
