Shenley holds a Master's of Science in Interior Architecture as well as a LEED Green Associate Certification.
Ranging from ornate to simplistic, furniture legs and feet add style to almost any piece of furniture, just like a pair of shoes! The furniture leg leads to the furniture foot which is the ending point of the piece of furniture, normally at floor level. There is an abundance of furniture leg and foot styles. However, our focus will be on turned, scrolled, french and splayed. Let's explore the art and history behind creating such intricate furniture adornments.
Turned furniture legs and feet make a piece of furniture spin through the room. A turned leg or foot is created by rotating a wood dowel on a lathe. Magnificent nodules, swellings and disks are shaped and chiseled into the wood. A nodule is a round structure created in the wood. Contrast is made by swellings which are large forms created in the wood. Disk like shapes are used to create flat or thin designs in the wood.
Numerous furniture styles can be created through turned furniture legs and feet which include:
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Such styles can be found on furniture resembling the baroque and renaissance designs. Turned styles are common in chair, spindle, bookshelf, table and bed frame designs.
Furniture made with scrolled leg and foot design roll through a space. The unique coils and spirals made through scrolled design is done by a knife or mechanical saw. Sequences of rings, twists, curls or loops are distinct characteristics of a scrolled leg and foot. S scroll and C scroll are two main styles of scrolled leg and foot design.
Multiple design styles embraced the scrolled appearance including:
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These design styles are often found in furniture pieces such as consoles, tables, case pieces or chairs. Scroll design is also commonly used in wall clocks, plaques and frames.
French and Splayed furniture legs and feet take a simplistic view on design. French and splayed are similar in that their design is mainly displayed in case pieces. They are both seen in early American, Colonial, Chippendale, and Hepplewhite design.
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French leg and foot design represents a down and outward curve, said to give an elegant appearance. Splayed leg and foot design suggests a down and outward straight and rigid design.
Leg and foot design can provide various characteristics to numerous functions of furniture. The leg leads to the foot terminating the piece of furniture at the floor. The leg and foot of a piece of furniture provides support and baring the weight of a piece of furniture. Turned leg and foot design is made by spinning a wooden dowel on a lathe to create intricate swells, disks, and shapes. Scrolled styles are made by carving with a knife or using a mechanical saw to create swirls, loops and twists. French and splayed leg and foot styles are simplistic designs representing early American, Chippendale, Hepplewhite, and Colonial design. Most leg and foot designs can be found in case piece furniture as well as bed frames, tables and chairs.
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