Interior Design Glossary: O

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Occasional Table: A general term for small furniture pieces like coffee tables and end tables.

Office Chair: A chair specifically designed for office use, commonly referring to swivel desk chairs with casters.

Ogee: A decorative molding with an S-shaped curve.

Ogee Bracket Foot: A foot design used on Chippendale case pieces, featuring a double-curved leg that wraps around two sides of the furniture.

Olefin: A synthetic fiber known for its strength and stain resistance, derived from a hydrocarbon source.

Onlay: An ornamental detail applied to the surface of wood or other materials.

Opaque: Describes any material that does not allow light to pass through, meaning it is non-transparent.

Open Stock: Individual pieces from a furniture set that can be purchased separately.

Organdy: A lightweight, transparent, and crisp cotton fabric often used in bedspreads, curtains, and decorative items.

Oriental Rug: A hand-tied rug made in regions such as India, the Near East, or China.

Ormolu: A gold-like metal used for decorative mounts and accents on furniture.

Ottoman: A low upholstered footstool or seat that lacks arms and a back.

Outdoor Lighting: Refers to any hardwired, low-voltage, or solar-powered lighting used to illuminate outdoor spaces like walkways and patios.

Oval-Back: A chair back shape commonly associated with Hepplewhite designs.

Overlay: A decorative trim piece applied to a flat surface.

Overstuffed Furniture: Upholstered pieces where the frame is fully and deeply covered, showing little to no exposed woodwork.

Ovolo: A continuous ornamental detail resembling an egg, typically found on quarter-round moldings, often separated by pointed darts.

Oxbow (or Oxbow Front): A furniture design with a curve resembling an oxbow, used on the fronts of case pieces, contrasting with a serpentine curve.