Appliques (sometimes called onlays) on furniture are a decorative and ornate accessory that is normally made from wood, resin, or plaster and is glued or nailed onto the furniture including arms, backs, doors, cabinets, and other flat surfaces. The applique is applied as a way to add texture, an interesting accent instead of a boring flat surface, and to give the appearance of luxury on what would be a basic and flat piece.
While they can be carved from metals like copper or stones like jade, luxury materials are less popular as they are more expensive and may be more tempting to steal. In addition, metals and stones require more maintenance than wood or resin. Rhinestones and faux-pearls are popular alternatives to authentic materials when it comes to luxury appliques as they're inexpensive making them easily replaced when you're ready to refresh the piece of furniture again.
Appliques from brass and marble have been popular in the USA for hundreds of years and have been used by famous furniture designers like cabinet maker Charles-Honore Lannuier in the early 1800’s who immigrated from France.
The most common types of furniture appliques are:
- Cartouches are the oval or shield and coat of arms shaped pieces that can be used along a long line, in the center of a piece, or anywhere with a large enough space and can be a way to show history, origin, or a symbolic meaning as they are supposed to represent a family, origin, or other recognizable symbols with the patterns and details.
- Centers are designed to bring attention to the center of the open area and can either become a focal point by being a circle,star, square and shapes that come back into itself, or bring eyes outwards to the sides or along the length and width of the open space with wavy arms or a rectangular shape.
- Corners bring a decorative flair to boring corner pieces on cabinets, doors, frames, and borders on larger pieces.
- Circular wreaths featuring leaves or flowers like arcanthus, oak, and ivy.
- Drops are vertical decorative elements that can expand along long surfaces like a tall grandfather clock, or on the front of kitchen cabinets and armoires to fill the space.
- Rosettes mean “little roses” and are the tiny circular ornate pieces that look similar to the center of a rose with the leaves growing outward.
- Scrolls can be attached to flat arms on couches, banisters, large cabinets, and any piece where you want to add character, texture, and dimension to a piece that would normally blend in.
- Swags are horizontal appliques that can line the tops of display cases, bookcases, Victorian dressers and armoires, that add texture to thicker shelves, and any long horizontal surface.
The shapes and styles can be anything from ribbons to shields, floral, geometric and linear, and abstract. There are appliques to match any type of room aesthetic, including custom made pieces. The only requirement for the onlay to be an applique is the flat surface to be attached and the ornate details to create the look.
Appliques on their own do not add any monetary value on their own, unless they’re gem stones, rare metals, or rare woods that can be recycled, but the new physical appearance of the furniture may look more “high end” and raise the perceived value of the piece.
This is why some refurbishers, resellers, and manufacturers may add them to the pieces they're working on. They turn what would be a boring, flat surface into something extravagant or antique looking as a way to make more money when selling it. The person who owns the furniture may also use appliques when they want to freshen up their current furniture with more luxury and not have to spend a ton of money on hand carved single pieces.
In addition to raising the perceived value of the furniture, appliques are easy to apply with a strong adhesive, or by using nails. That makes them an easy weekend project, and to replace if they get damaged. Because they can be removed and replaced, and the price points are low for mass produced styles, they are one of the most cost effective ways to upgrade your furniture. But there are some styles of rooms and furniture they do not work with, and others where they're a perfect match.
The Aesthetics Appliques Work With
Not every design or room style will benefit from an onlay. The goal is to add texture, dimension, and make furniture stand out. Before you add appliques to your furniture, think about the room aesthetic and space the furniture is in. This way you can either enhance the feel of the room, and prevent taking the space off balance.
Design Styles Where Furniture Appliques Do Not Work
Minimalist styles want you to focus on the room as a whole, not every detail, and go for the “less is more” when it comes to furniture, lines, and design elements.
Modern
Modern design does skew towards minimalism, but also has clean lines, surfaces that run towards each other. Modern furniture focuses on the shapes of the furniture and how they work together or move eyes across a space. Appliques add curves, ornate details, and add a ton of movement which defeats the purpose of the modern design aesthetic as the furniture becomes its own piece and a stopping point for eye movement.
Mid-century Modern
Mid-century modern relies on geometric patterns and repeating shapes similar to Art Deco, but also shies away from curvature, excessive details on any one piece, and requires straight lines.
Because appliques are curved, floral, and go more biophilic with natural lines rather than the tones and hues that are used in mid-century modern, furniture appliques normally clash with this style.
Room Aesthetics Where Furniture Appliques Thrive
Any room aesthetic or design that wants extravagance, detail, and elegance without requiring a repeating pattern across the entire space like Art Deco can do well with furniture appliques.
Victorian
Victorian style furniture and rooms look incredible with furniture appliques as the style is meant to be big, ornate, and fill the space with curvature from floor to ceiling. These adornments add more volume and texture, and they can be stained or dyed to contrast or blend. All of this adds a bit of luxury which is important for Victorian rooms while covering what would have been a flat surface.
Art Nouveau
This style thrives on curvy and biophilic details bringing shapes, lines, and ornate details from nature into everything from the patterns on floors and walls, to banisters and the poles on a railing, and the furniture in the room.
Furniture appliques accent the decorative fabrics and shapes of the legs on couches, coffee tables, even lamps where elaborate and intricate detailing is found throughout. Drops, swags, and centers add the fairy like and fantasy inspired touches that bring Art Nouveau to life.
Farmhouse and Rustic
Furniture appliques are perfect for both Farmhouse and Rustic styles as they bring antique and vintage flair to modern pieces and bring together the outdoors, history, and cozy feel indoors. The appliques here can be ornate swags on key holders, vanities, and armoires, or centers on cabinets and other pieces to balance the space with natural charm and make sure everything feels in place.
Furniture appliques are a simple, easy, and elegant way to add details, depth, and texture to your existing furniture. They may increase the price point if you’re selling the piece as furniture appliques make pieces look vintage or more expensive, but they are more or less just to enhance what would normally be a flat and basic space on a door, couch, shelf, or frame.
