7 Furniture Periods to Consider for Your Delray Beach Apartment

If you love chic, but do not have the money to buy reproductions, then you need to head to your nearest thrift store and your parent’s house because chances are that you will find the perfect things to give your apartment a retro look. In an ideal world, all things would come from the same era. Learning your American furniture styles is a great place to start.

Early American

Early American furniture made before 1700 was the first furniture to go beyond being practical to being ornamental too. Furniture made during this period often features ornamental carvings, finials, raised panels and woodturnings. Many pieces were made from fruitwood with apple and cherry being a particularly popular choice. Other pieces were made from hardwoods with pine, maple and birch being popular choices.

Colonial

Encompassing Queen Anne, William and Mary, and Chippendale, Colonial furniture was made between 1700 and 1780. Many pieces were stained with an oil finish put over the stain. This period saw craftsmen producing the first dovetail joints.

Federal

Made between 1780 and 1820, Federal furniture was often made of ornamental inlays offset with contrasting decorative borders. You can often find these pieces with brass hardware. Many of the pieces took great inspiration from artwork and building built during the Neoclassical period.

Shaker

Shaker furniture was built between 1820 and 1860. This furniture generally has straight lines and very little ornamentation. Woven and cane seat chairs were a very popular choice with many still in great shape today due to the quality of the workmanship.

Victorian

Built to be exactly the opposite of the simple Shaker furniture, Victorian furniture is very ornate with many pieces containing beautiful tapestry that was created by hand. This period lasted from about 1840 to 1910.

Arts and Crafts

A wide variety of woods was used during the Arts and Crafts movement that lasted from about 1880 to 1920. Leather was a popular covering with little attention given to creating ornate details. Lacquer, shellac, and wax were common finishes.

Modern

One of the hottest trends in furniture today is the return to early Modern pieces with many pieces being created of molded plywood, plastic and metals. These pieces are often influenced by Southeast Asia artwork.

Once you have started to amass a period furniture collection, then you need a wonderful place where you can entertain friends and family allowing you to show off your collection. If you choose to live in an apartment in Delray Beach, make sure to consider Blu Atlantic. These apartments in Delray Beach are a fantastic place to use your period furniture pieces. You will love the well-maintained grounds complete with resort-style swimming pool and Mediterranean-style buildings. Check out these apartments by scheduling a tour today as you will not be disappointed with this beautiful complex.