Biedermeier

A style of furniture produced in Austria and Germany during the first half of the 19th century. Inspired by French Empire and German painted peasant work. The name was borrowed from an imaginary cartoon character called Papa Biedermeier, an uneducated country gentlemen who considered himself a connoisseur of fine and industrial arts. Simple marquetry patterns were used with pressed brass ornaments of Greek inspiration as well as painted motifs of wreaths, urns, and floral, animal and human forms. Woods used were mainly fruitwoods, maple, mahogany and birch.

Walnut

Walnut is a type of wood that can be identified by its rich brown colors and firm and even texture. Walnut is considered one of the finest woods due to its beautiful and unique coloring, strength, and ability to be shaped. Walnut is used for both lumber and veneer.

Veneer

A wood finishing technique in which thin sheet of fine wood is applied to a the surface of a coarser wood or other structural material for decoration. Veneer is used to give furniture pieces a finer, more pleasing appearance. It was first used in ancient Egypt, classical Greece, and Rome, but did not appear again until the 17th Century in the Netherlands.