Leda Furniture Ltd prides itself in manufacturing high quality furniture. All materials used to craft our fine furniture are carefully selected to ensure that each Leda heirloom will last for generations.

Along with quality materials, Leda also incorporates crafting methods and construction features that enhance our furniture design. This attention to detail adds quality and durability to the furniture, as well as convenience and adaptability for the consumer’s needs.

Dovetail Joinery		Adjustable Shelves		Dust Proofing
Dovetail joinery is used to join the sides of the drawer to its front and back. Wedge-shaped projections on the front and back panels interlock with alternating grooves in the side panels to produce a tight and secure joint that remains solid.		Most cabinets, buffets, hutches and armoires feature adjustable shelves, allowing flexible storage space and reorganization without any structural changes.		Wood separators installed between each drawer. It prevents dust from entering through open spaces, protecting belongings stored within. Being affixed to the structure of the furniture, these components add to its sturdiness.
Drawer Runners		Drawer Guides		Accessory Trays
Drawer runners are wood strips installed in the center of each drawer. It directs the drawer slide evenly and smoothly while avoiding possible contacts and damages to the wood surfaces. These strips also add to the sturdiness of the furniture acting as an additional frame component.		Wooden glide installed underneath each drawer. Designed to slide on top of the drawer runner, it provides quiet and smooth drawer operation. Being affixed to the front and back of the drawer it also reduces the pressure being supported by these pieces in the open/close process.		Most dressers, buffets and sideboards include a convenient and stylish tray to store and protect jewelry, valuables and assorted silverware.
Integrated Power Supply		Solid Metal Hardware
Computer compatible cabinets and tv armoires have built-in surge protection power outlets and cable connector easing wire management and power activation when multiple electronic components are connected.		Leda Furniture case goods feature decorative solid metal hardware, aesthetically pleasing to touch and feel, with lasting durability.

 

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At Leda quality is our number one priority. For that reason, every product we manufacture is crafted with the best materials and designed to last a lifetime. Our chairs are a good example of that commitment. When you sit on a Leda chair you can rest assured, it will not let you down!

Oversized seat and back Increased comfort and seating poise

First quality wood components Assures you of a long lasting and reliable chair

Superior foam upholstery Long lasting shape, moistness and air absorbtion properties

Quality selected fabrics Long lasting, wear resistant and fashionable appearance

Superior and reinforced frame Refrain from premature wear, breaks and joint looseness

Carvings, inlays & ornaments Distinctive appearance, high quality and detailed crafting

Dovetail Joint		Dowel joint		Mortise and Tenon joint
On oval backrest only, these grooves provide additional support to the dowel joints		Headless wooden peg inserted between holes in rails to join them and prevent slipping. Used on seat and back frames as well as on leg stretchers.		An opening(mortise) in the seat and backrest frames in which sits a tenon projecting from another piece of wood, adding strength to the frame structure.
Corner Blocks with Rabbet (dado) joint		1 piece leg		Ultraflex Webbing
Corner blocks, with two grooves, placed underneath the seat on all four corners are inserted in the chair frame recess to guarantee maximum sturdiness.		All legs are made of a single piece of wood forming the posts of the backrest and the leg simultaneously, providing increased stability		Seat map attached to the frame, underneath the foam providing even weight distribution and long lasting comfort. Oversized assembly screws An oversize screw is drilled through the center of the corner block all the way through the leg reinforcing the support already provided by the side screws.

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ANIGRE is an exotic tropical African hardwood available with or without fiddle back grain (wavy and mottled figure) used mainly for decorative veneering.

ASH (similar appearance to oak) is a very durable and strong wood with many sports uses: bats, oars, and pool cues. If a tool has a wooden handle, it is probably ash. Also used in all types of furniture.

BURL is a growth in the bole or root of a tree, which is sliced to obtain veneer. The growth contains dark pith centers and many undeveloped buds, which produce a pitted “little eye.”

CHERRY is a warm, reddish brown colored wood with smooth, vibrant grains. It is recognized as an outstanding cabinet wood because it is hard, durable and finished with a rich, warm luster. Stands in Pennsylvania and parts of New York State provide a highly desirable colored and patterned wood. The particular species used in furniture production is known as “wild cherry” or “black cherry”.

EBONY is an exceptionally heavy and dense hardwood from the tropics. It has brown-black stripes with grayish brown bands and is used mainly for decorative purposes.

FLAT CUT (veneer) is when the veneers are sliced from half a log producing an inverted “V” figure.

GUM POCKETS are commonly referred to as gum canals, cherry pits or sap pockets. Naturally occurring in most hardwoods, these voids or pockets are sporadically found throughout all trees, especially fruitwoods. The areas, which once housed deposits of resin, called “gum”, may be as tiny as a pinhole, yet some have been found that are inches in diameter.

HALF ROUND CUT (veneer) is produced by rotating half a log so that cuts are made across the growth rings that yield a highly figured surface.

HARDWOOD refers to broad leaved trees that lose their foliage each year. The lumber produced from these trees generally is strong and sturdy, with distinctive grain patterns, which offer lasting beauty. Examples: cherry, oak, maple, ash and walnut.

MADRONA is an exotic hardwood from the Pacific coast of North America. The natural color is salmon-like.

MAHOGANY is a tough wood which has a uniform structure with close, moderately open (porous) grains. It has excellent woodworking qualities. (It carves beautifully). Interlocking grains reveal a straight stripe or ribbon pattern. Due to the fact that it is a tropical wood, it does not produce clearly defined growth rings. When properly and painstakingly finished, it produces a rich, refined piece of furniture.

MAPLE (HARD) refers to northern hard-rock maple and sugar maple. Hard and dense, this wood is resistant to shock and abrasive wear. It possesses tiny pores. Typically the grains are very straight; sometimes in patterns similar to cherry (prior to finishing). Much of the character and warmth is achieved through an arduous finishing process. A majority of American antiques are maple (or possess maple parts). Various species of maple grow in many parts of the United Stated but “northern hard-rock” denotes those grown predominantly in New England, Quebec, and Ontario.

MAPLE (SOFT) best known species are “red” and “silver” maples. Although inherently softer than “hard maples” by approximately 20%, soft maples possess many of the same characteristics, (ie. appearance and wood working ability) making it desirable for furniture manufacturing.

MOZAMBIQUE (African Blackwood) is an extremely heavy and dense wood with straight grain direction. Although used in better furniture, Mozambique is primarily used extensively in musical instruments.

PRIMAVERA is a yellow-white wood, sometimes called white mahogany, with a striped or cross-figured grain which finishes beautifully. Used in decorative veneer banding.

QUARTER CUT (veneer) is when the logs are cut into four sections and then the slices are made at right angles to the growth rings into the center. The growth rings appear as parallel lines.

RIFT CUT (veneer) is similar to quarter cut but the blade is moved away from the perpendicular, by fifteen degrees, to eliminate the flaked figure of quarter sliced.

ROTARY CUT (veneer) is when the veneer is peeled from the log, much like paper towels on a roll. The result is a very large continuous sheet, yielding a very uninteresting grain pattern.

SOLID WOOD is an often deceptively used term. Rightfully used, it means “furniture parts produced entirely from wood, lacking veneering or particleboard”.

WALNUT is a very strong durable hardwood. Almost all rifle butts and gun stocks are made from walnut. Walnut is only used in very high quality furniture.

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ANTIQUING the process of making furniture look old. Wood may by scratched, gouged and planed for a distressed finish; stains and glazes may be used which reduce color brilliance, simulating the look of wood darkened with age.

APRON horizontal framing under tabletops or seats of chairs, may be used as a design element with carving, scalloped edges, etc.

BANDING decorative veneer design, used as border or edging, usually of exotic wood.

BEVEL angled cut, as commonly used on edges of glass.

BULLNOSE a softly rounded edge, almost half round.

CENTRE DRAWER GUIDES wooden track under the center of a drawer used as a guide for stability of operation.

CHAMFERED EDGE is a grooved, splayed, or beveled corner of post or molding.

CHECKS refers to tiny surface cracks which appear as the result of improper lumber drying.

CLARITY is the ability to see through the lacquer finish on wood and look into the grains. Careful respect for the natural character and figure of the wood throughout the finishing process is necessary. Clarity is the opposite of “muddy”.

CORNER BLOCK Reinforces furniture frame at corners.

CORNICE a horizontal top or finish molding of a piece of furniture or architectural unit.

CROSS STRETCHER intersecting x-stretcher, straight or curved on tables, lowboys and chairs, shown in William & Mary styles and later English and American designs.

CROSSBANDING layers of veneer under the face veneer, placed so the grain runs at a 90-degree angle to the veneer adjacent to it.

DENTIL MOLDING equally spaced rectangular blocks, resembling teeth, in a cornice molding.

DEPTH is the apparent thickness of finishing material due to its smoothness, clarity, brilliance, and luster, as well as the actual thickness of the material.

DOUBLE-DOWELED a joinery method, a quality construction feature. Dowels are coated with glue and fitted like a socket.

DOVETAIL method of joining boards at the ends, as in a drawer, with interlocking wedges shaped like a dove’s tail.

DUST PROOFING a thin panel used between drawers, to exclude dust created by wood on wood drawer glides.

FLUTING a series of decorative grooves, as on pilasters, legs, and aprons. Good flutes are deep and carved close together.

GILDING thin overlay of gold leaf, or gold dust.

GLUE BLOCK small blocks of wood used to reinforce joints at stress points, as on drawer bottoms.

HAND CARVED in by-gone days, was executed completely by hand. Today: a master is created, or carved, which is the guide or jig for a carving machine to remove portions of the surface wood. The final carving and fine details are then finished by a craftsman, using an array of “hand-carving” tools. This process is far superior in the detailing of a finished piece.

HAND-FITTED DRAWERS of a case piece are fitted to an individual drawer opening to a uniform alignment to both the drawer opening and to each other. Both the case and the drawer are then numbered.

HAND RUBBED finish enhancement process done by grinding a lacquer surface flat, to a mirror-like smoothness. This process is usually done with coated abrasives and oil lubricants.

INLAY designs inserted flush into the wood, using contrasting grains, colors and textures of wood, metal, ivory mother of pearl, etc.

LACQUER is a thin-bodied, quick-drying substance that forms a hard film. Lacquer provides a clear topcoat which gives furniture a “finished” appearance. Nitrocellulose lacquer is the most commonly used and also the main ingredient in the super-finishes. The super finishes (catalyzed lacquers) have many different names but all are a mix of nitrocellulose lacquer and a hardening agent. This mixture provides a finish impervious to most household hazards after a fourteen day cure time.

MARQUETRY decorative wood inlay. Pattern made by setting contrasting materials into a veneered surface.

MORTISE slot for tenon or tongue (to form joint in woodworking).

PATINA color and texture of the surface, produced by age and wear. In wood furniture the varnish, shellac or oil deepens, yet retains transparency.

STEAM BENT is a process, using steam, which puts a set amount of moisture into lumber or plywood to make it pliable. The wood is then bent and held in shape by the use of jigs, which remain in place until the wood is again slowly dried to the correct moisture content for furniture (5-7%).

VENEERING method of producing highly decorative surfaces with great strength by adhering thin layers of wood to a core material. Modern glues and equipment yield a product as beautiful as the handmade veneers of our ancestors, with much more strength and stability.

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ART DECO style of the 1920’s and 1930’s based on geometric forms and cubism. Discovery of the ancient Egyptian tombs in the early 1900’s influenced the style.

ART NOUVEAU a furniture style of the late 19th century. Art Nouveau is characterized by the use of a free-flowing, organic style, with a swirling, undulating rhythm that drew inspiration from nature.

BAIL PULL is a handle or drawer pull which hangs downward in a reversed arch or half moon.

BALL AND CLAW (Oriental) Dragon claw grasping a pearl, popularized by Chippendale’s early work, which showed a cabriole leg terminating in a ball and claw.

BREAKFRONT a case piece of furniture, with the center section projecting forward.

CABRIOLE furniture leg derived from the shape of an animal’s hind leg; shaped in a double curve, the upper part swelling out, then curving back toward the foot, which flairs out. Used in late 17th century Europe.

COLUMN Architectural design element, vertical support member.

FERRULE metal cap to protect piece of wood, such as table leg.

FINIAL decorative top, as on bedposts or pediments, may be simple or intricately carved or decorated. Common examples include carved flame and pineapple shapes.

FRETWORK interlaced ornamental work either perforated or cut in low relief on solid ground, usually in geometric patterns.

GEORGIAN English designs from the period of George I, II, and III, 1714-1795. Early Georgian is characterized by Queen Anne styling. Later Georgian styles are known by the names of designers such as Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sheraton.

HALOGEN LIGHTING is a lamp which utilizes a sealed beam, internal reflector bulb that produces a sun-like light intensity range. Burn life: 2,000 hours. May be used in china cabinets and other lighted display cabinets for a more natural light and longer lasting bulb.

LADDER BACK chair back with horizontal rails resembling a ladder.

MISSION FURNITURE simple, unadorned, sturdy furniture, built by missionaries and Indians in Spanish missions of American Southwest and Mexico. The name also attributed to the furniture of the Arts & Crafts Movement in the late 19th century, due to a presumed resemblance to the missionaries’ furniture.

MODERN streamlined, hi-tech style generated by 20th century technology, using new materials and construction techniques. The furniture was designed for comfort and usefulness, and void of decorative elements. By the 1970s, the stark feel of this style was updated in Post Modernism, with reapplication of detail and decoration to add warmth and interest.

MOTIF distinctive design feature, theme

NEOCLASSIC revival of classic Greek and Roman styles.

PEDESTAL TABLE the table is usually round or oval, supported by a single central column or pillar with spreading feet. Pedestals are often used in pairs.

PEDIMENT (Architectural) gable or roof-like feature at the head of cabinets or other tall pieces, often with lines broken at top to leave a gap for a decorative finial.

PILASTER rectangular or half-round pillar or column placed against a surface.

PLINTH solid square or octagonal base of a chest or dresser; so called, due to its resemblance to the base of a Greek column.

PLYWOOD several layers or plies of wood glued together, the grain of one ply at right angles to the grain of the adjacent ply. Wood is stronger along the grain than across the grain. Alternating grain, produces maximum strength in every direction.

QUEEN ANNE was an English ruler 1702-1714, also a furniture design chiefly identified by the developed cabriole leg.

REED CARVING vertical pattern resembling narrow reeds. The pattern is convex as opposed to fluting which is concave.

SCALE relative size, proportion of a piece to its surroundings and other pieces.

SERPENTINE waving, curved surface.

SHEEN is the degree of luster or shine. This term is usually used to describe the luster of rubbed surfaces or other dried finishes.

SPLAT center vertical section of chair back.

STRETCHER crosspieces or rungs connecting legs of chairs, tables, etc.

VICTORIAN English and American furniture, 1840-1900. Factory made, professional designer unknown, exaggerated scale and curvature, with heavy carvings. Spool turning beds, simple commodes and some distinctive chairs came from these provincial works.

WINDSOR Style of chair using bentwood back frame, turned spindles, and saddle-shaped wood seat with the legs pegged directly into the seat instead of being framed with an apron.

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