Sabot: A French term for the gilt-bronze "shoe" at the bottom of furniture legs.

Saddle Seat: A wooden chair seat which has been hollowed to the sides and back to resemble the pommel of a saddle.

Sateen: A cotton fabric that’s made to mimic satin with a smooth silky finish on one side.

Sauvage: A two-toned or contrasting color effect applied to leather furniture.

Scale: The size of an object, or comparisons between a drawing size and the actual size of a piece.

Scalloped: A curved case piece ornamentation, commonly in the shape of a scallops shell.

Scandinavian: At the 1930 Stockholm Exhibition and the 1939 World's Fair in New York, the larger world was first exposed to the simple, clean, and lightweight forms of Scandinavian furniture. Quality craft combined with mass production where appropriate are hallmarks of the style. Bent plywood is a commonly used material.

Scatter-Back Sofa: A sofa with back loose back cushions that can be rearranged.

Sconce: A light fixture fixed on a wall. Commonly sconces are tall and narrow and are often made to hold a candle.

Scoop Seat: A wooden chair seat that has been hollowed out to fit the body.

Scrolls: Scrolls are the supportive and decorative members shaped like a scroll or curl which are connected to posts, rails, and each other on many brass (especially traditional) headboards and footboards.

Seat Rail: The framework that supports the seat of a chair and holds the legs together.

Secondary Color: Orange, green, and violet are secondary colors.

Secrétaire à Abattant: A type of writing cabinet with a fall front and resting on a chest-of-drawers or small cupboard.

Secretary (or Secrétaire): A drop-leaf desk normally sitting on a base of drawers, usually with slots and cubbyholes for organizing papers.

Sectional: Similar to a sofa but in several sections. Sectionals may be curved or straight and have two, one or no arms. The sections may be used in combination or in some cases separately.

Seersucker: A lightweight textile with a puckered surface and striped pattern.

Self Storing Leaves: Leaves that store within an extension table.

Self-Deck: To cover the frame area of an upholstered piece of furniture beneath the seat cushions with the same fabric as the body as opposed to using a muslin or other neutral fabric. Normally seen only on better furniture.

Selvage: Finished sides of a lengthwise grain that prevents raveling.

Semenier: A tall narrow seven-drawer chest, the term is often used in reference to a lingerie or similar type of chest.

Semi-Aniline Leather: A top grain leather that is aniline dyed and coated with matching pigment and, or, other topical finishes to add protection and even out the color. Also commonly referred to as aniline-plus or protected aniline.

Semi-Attached Back: Back cushions that are attached with a zipper or seam to the inside back of a piece of upholstered furniture such as a sofa or chair.

Serpentine: Two curves reminiscent of a serpent's movement; commonly found on fronts or tops of case pieces.

Serpentine Front: A waving curve on the front of a desk or chest.

Serving Table: A long narrow table with drawers for items such as silver and linens.

Set-Back Arm: An arm that is set back from the front edge of the seat.

Settee: A long seat or bench with a back and arms that can seat two or more people, originally popular in the 1600’s.

Settle: A wooden bench with a high back and solid arms, often featuring drawers or a hinged seat that covers storage space, originally brought to America by the pilgrims.

Shabby Chic: Feminine design style inspired by thrift store and antique finds, usually themed in light neutral colors.

Shaker: A simplistic furniture design including features such as straight, tapered legs, and woven-strap chair seats. Style originated in the mid 1770’s from an American religious sect (Shakers). The Shaker style is renowned for exceptional design and craftsmanship combined with functionality and beauty.

Sham: Historically a cover that laid on top of a pillow, today the sham is a decorative cover that fully encases the pillow.

Sheaf-Back Chairs: Chairs with spindled backs that come together in the middle-back through a piece of wood and flare out again to the bottom of the chair; the style resembles a sheaf of wheat.

Shellac: A resinous varnish obtained from the lac insect and used in japanning.

Sheraton: A formal style of design that developed from Hepplewhite. Sheraton features include delicate straight lines, tapered legs that are usually turned opposed to being square and skilled inlay and veneer work.

Shield Back: A chair with a back shaped like a shield.

Shirring: A method of gathering wide fabric along both long sides to create a soft effect. Often used to emphasize the curve of a sofa or other upholstered piece.

Shoe: A projecting piece rising from the back rail of a chair seat into which the base of the splat is fixed.

Shoji Screen: A freestanding Oriental style screen, often used as a room divider.

Shutter: Typically a louvered or flush wood or vinyl frame in the shape of a door placed at each side of a window. Shutters are made and used for many purposes including protecting windows from storms, filtering or obscuring light, and for nonfunctional decorative accents.

Side Chair: Term normally used to refer to an armless dining chair or a small-scale, armless chair designed to stand against a wall when not in use.

Sideboard: A serving piece with drawers and, or, open shelves for displaying plates, crystal, silver, etc.

Silk: A natural fiber derived from the silk worm. Silk is famous for being soft, smooth and lustrous. Hence the saying, "smooth as silk".

Sinuous Springs: Also known a "S coils" and "Zigzag wire". Sinuous springs are used in place of coil spring units in upholstered pieces such as sofas.

Sisal: A natural, durable fiber that’s frequently used in rugs.

Size (Sizing): A solution used as a finisher for fabrics, which stiffens the surface and helps protect against wear.

Skirt: A piece of fabric at the bottom of a sofa, love seat or chair that hangs in a way resembling a woman's skirt. On case-goods the term refers to the panel connecting the surface and legs of a table or chair.

Slat Back: An early American chair incorporating horizontal slats.

Slats: Wooden boards used as the bottom structure to support box spring units within their frames. Also used in headboard and footboard sets with wood rails and in bunk beds to support the mattress in place of a box spring. Slats can also be used as a feature in furniture construction. Slatted construction is commonly seen in mission and arts and crafts furnishings.

Sleeper (or Hide-A-Bed): A sofa, loveseat, or chair that converts into a bed. Also available in some sectionals.

Sleigh Bed: An American adaptation of a popular French Empire design. Sleigh beds have a high scrolled headboard and footboard resembling the front of a sleigh.

Slip Match: An effect produced by slipping sheets of veneer side-by-side to form patterns, such as diamond, sunburst, herringbone and checkerboard.

Slip Seat: A removable upholstered chair seat.

Slipcover: A fabric cover used on cushions, or on complete upholstered pieces such as sofas and chairs.

Slipper Chair: A low armless upholstered chair, often featuring a skirt.

Slub: An uneven section in a yarn which gives fabric a rough texture.

Sofa: A long upholstered seating piece with a back and arms, which can seat three or more people.

Sofa Table: A table normally used behind a sofa or loveseat that has been positioned away from the wall or that’s in the middle of a room.

Soft Wood: Wood from a conifer trees such as pine and cedar.

Southwestern: Contemporary style which is highly influenced by Native American Indian traditions. Light-colored woods, light and bright color palettes, rich patterns and desert scenery characterize the style.

Spade Foot: A tapered to the base leg design, usually found in Hepplewhite styles.

Spanish Renaissance: Style during the 1500’s to 1700’s, which had a huge Moorish influence. Decoration relies heavily on patterns that have elaborate geometric carving. Spanish Renaissance pieces often have decorative metal accents and brass nails. Familiar upholstery is red and green leather. Chairs and tables can have iron or heavy wood stretchers. Spanish Renaissance blends well with other Renaissance furniture, as the favored woods were walnut, oak, and cedar.

Spattering: Painting effect created by flicking a brush with wet paint.

Spindle: A slender turned and shaped column, which often swells out in the lower half and is usually used in rows such as the back of a Windsor chair.

Spiral Leg: A leg that’s carved, or turned, into the shape of a rope twist or spiral.

Spiral Welt: A decorative welting trim that features one or multiple colors arranged in a spiral pattern.

Splat: A flat, vertical piece in the middle of an open chair back, which is often carved or ornamented.

Splayed Leg: A leg that slants outward from a piece of furniture.

Split Leather: The bottom layers of the hide, which have been split from the top-grain leather and then pigmented or sueded.

Split Queen Box: Two queen size foundation units that measure 30"x80" each. Designed to accommodate the passage of a single-piece foundation.

Split-Back Sofa: A sofa that's made with vertical seamed indentations in the back, which usually divides the surface in three.

Spooning: A curved chair back designed to fit the sitter's form. Common on Queen Anne chairs.

Spring Down: A type of cushion constructed of coil springs, which are wrapped in polyurethane and covered with down batting.

Spring Edge: An upholstered seats front edge that's supported by springs rather than the frame.

Springs: The most commonly used springs for upholstered furniture are coil springs and sinuous springs.

Squab Cushion: A loose flat cushion on the seat of a chair.

Square Leg: A four sided leg of equal dimensions on all sides (resembling a fence post) that supports a piece of furniture such as a coffee table or dining table.

Stacking: The wall or window area that's required for draperies when they are completely opened.

Staining: The step in the finishing process where coloring (stain) is applied to a piece of wood furniture.

Steam Bend: A method of bending a single piece of wood (bowback chair, bowed splat, etc.) into a furniture part.

Stenciling: Method of creating patterns by covering an area of a surface and applying color to the uncovered area.

Stickley: Furniture designed and built by Gustav Stickley who pioneered the American Arts and Crafts movement, also known as Mission style, which is known for clean straight lines and durability.

Straight-Back Sofa: A sofa style with the back top being straight, narrow arms extend forward. Some variations have set-back arms and T-cushions for the seat.

Stretcher: A horizontal brace in an H or X shape connecting the legs of a table or chair. Often decorated with carving or turning.

Student Desk: The term normally applies to a small pedestal type of desk or smaller writing table constructed for use by a child or teenager in their bedroom. In most cases these desks are a bit shorter in height than conventional adult desks. Student desks are most commonly made of wood or metal.

Style: The decorative design of an object, room, home, etc.

Suede: A leather that's produced from a fresh split hide, which has a velvet like nap.

Suite: A complete matched set of furniture, such as a bedroom suite.

Suspension: The combination of components such as coils and foam in an upholstered piece of furniture that provide the support and comfort for the seating and back areas.

Sussex Chair: A chair with an ash frame and rush seat, based on a traditional country design.

Swag: A fabric that's draped in a looped garland effect or any imitation of the same.

Swan-Neck Handle: A curved handle popular in the 1700's.

Swing Leg: A hinged table leg (as in a gate leg) which swings out to support a drop leaf.

Swivel Chair: A chair that swivels, such as a swivel office chair or swivel recliner.

Symmetrical: A formal, mirror-image balance in design or decorating.