Kids Furniture Glossary Terms

Armoire: Another name for a tall, wide wardrobe usually having two large doors behind which clothes can be hung or stored. Armoires originated in France where they were used for the storage of armor.

Bedroom Furniture: Furniture sets that are placed in your bedroom such as bed, dresser, chest of drawers and nightstand. Some bedroom collections even come with an armoire, chiffonier or storage chest. Depending on your preference, you may choose contemporary, traditional or transitional styled bedrooms.

Bunk Bed: Two beds that are joined together so that one is placed above the other. Bunk beds are often used in kids’ rooms and dormitories. Federal safety standards exist for bunk bed ladders and rails which protect children from falling injuries.

Bureau: A chest of drawers used in the bedroom.

Canopy Bed: Canopy beds are beds decorated with a canopy. Sometimes they use four posts that are connected at the top with rails that fabric can be hung from. Other times, a hoop is hung from the ceiling over the bed and the fabric drapes down from the hoop. Originally, they were developed to provide protection from insects but now are more commonly used in a decorative fashion.

Center Glide: A center track that a drawer glides on.

Chaise Lounge: A type of sofa or daybed designed for reclining and resembling an elongated chair.

Contemporary: Whether it's restoring antique furniture or modern new wave design, contemporary means present day trends happening and existing right now.

Daybed: A sofa with head and foot and/or back pieces, having a twin sized mattress which doubles as a sitting and sleeping surface. Daybeds often have decorative removable covers and matching pillows or bolsters which act as back rests.

Dresser: A piece of bedroom furniture that typically contains 5-9 drawers in a variety of sizes. Dressers are usually waist height and can accompany a mirror on top.

Entertainment Center: An entertainment center is a shelving unit to place a TV and stereo equipment on. The larger TVs have become the larger entertainment units have grown.

Four Posters: Any bed with four high posts positioned at each corner. Originally, the posts were designed to support elaborate fabric curtains and upholstered treatments which totally enclosed the bed.

Kids Furniture: Kids furniture is specially designed for kids. It is usually designed with eye-catching colors and styles that are suitable for children. Some kids furniture is designed with space-saving functions like storage drawers and desks built into the beds.

Loft Bed: Loft beds are similar to bunk beds except there is sometimes only one bed and the lower space is used for storage or a desk. Often the beds are placed perpendicular to each other and the supports for the top bed also container drawers, shelving or cabinets for storage.

Night Stand: A small, low table or cabinet which sits by a bed.

Ottoman: An upholstered seat or couch usually without a back or an overstuffed footstool.

Platform Bed: Platform beds are beds whose bases consist of a raised, flat, hard, horizontal surface meant to support a mattress. Usually, they have a 'low-profile' foot board. You can use them with or without a bed spring, depending on your preference.

Storage Bed: Storage beds are beds that usually come with additional drawers underneath the bed to save space in the bedroom. Some storage beds have hydraulic lifts instead of drawers.

Toddler Beds and Cots: Toddler beds are a typical transitional bed from crib to twin or full size. Usually kids from about the age of 15 months to 4 years benefit from a toddler bed because of its small size and closeness to the floor. Majority of toddler beds hold a standard crib mattress and come with side safety rails.

Trundle Bed: A low or collapsible bed which is stored under another bed.

Veneer: Thin slices of wood made by peeling the trunk of a tree or by slicing large rectangular blocks of wood. Veneers are then glued to other wood panels to create a flat surface for constructing furniture. Veneers use somewhat less amounts of wood and are easier to fluctuate than solid wood.