How to Understand an Interior Designer:
10 Terms From Every Design Glossary

Have you ever listened to an interior designer and had NO CLUE what they were talking about? Draperies?? Console?? Wainscoting?? WHAT?!! Every industry has their own lingo: medical, tech, business, etc. Interior design is no exception! HERE at Details we understand that on top of our New England accent, our designer’y terms can sometimes make it seem like we’re speaking a different language. SO, here are 10 of those terms so that you can sound like an interior designer too!

1. Casegoods – furniture that is not upholstery; wood, metal, glass, etc. Shelves, cabinets and chest of drawers are all considered ‘casegoods’.

2. Console – a table or piece of furniture that is typically narrow and used at entryways or behind sofas for decorative items and lamps. It could also be a storage piece, like above, used under a tv and/or for storage in a family room.

3. Draperies – a type of window treatment that hangs from above the window, down to the floor and are made out of fabric panels. These panels are often thicker than curtains and are lined. We 100% prefer draperies over your mom’s curtains from the 1970’s.

4. Eclectic – a marriage of various design aesthetics. Fun and quirky! We love a great eclectic mix of styles in a space. When it’s done right, it gives a room interest and adds some fun!

5. Lead Time – technically it means the time between the initiation and completion of a production process. We’re here to figure this out for you. We use this term to refer to how long it’s going to take for you to get something. For instance, right now, the lead time for a custom sofa is around 20 weeks!

6. Rendering – a 3D image of your space to scale. A picture of what it could look like. We draw these to show you what your room will look like when we’re finished. Most clients can’t visualize a space or what the heck we’re suggesting. Renderings are crucial for this! YES, that IS a rendering above, not a photo. Our rendering program is THAT good!

7. Sconces – an electric light fixture that is attached to a wall with an ornamental bracket. We use sconces outside too, next to front doors. We use them above bathroom mirrors, or on either side. We also add them in living spaces for some ambient lighting.

8. Timeless – not trendy, stands the test of time. Very classic in design! We love our designs to be classic and timeless. Interior design is an investment, we know, we want it to last!

9. Wainscoting – a paneled wooden lining of an interior wall. Great for adding texture and some architectural interest to a space.

10. White Glove Delivery – a delivery service in which the movers or shippers use extra care when moving products and go beyond the standard expectations for delivery. We only use white glove delivery for all furniture deliveries. Our team arrives and carries everything in, unpacks it, assembles it, places it in its place and then takes all of the plastic and cardboard with them when they leave. No USPS battered boxes, thrown over gates! No Wayfair boxes dropped on your front porch for you to haul in, unpack, assemble for 4 hours and figure out what to do with the huge boxes.

Still confused? Don’t worry! We have a FULL glossary of terms in our Details Welcome Packet that you get when you start working with us. AND, you can always JUST ASK! We always say “There are no stupid questions. Ask away!”

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