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A |
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Abacus |
The flat stone at the top of a column's capital. |
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Abutment |
The stone or
brickwork from which an arch or vault arises. Support
provided by horizontal pressure. |
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Acanthus |
An ornamental leaf motif element of a Corinthan column. |
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Accent colour |
A colour or group
of colours used, in small quantities, to add variety and
interest to a scheme |
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Acroteria |
Plinth on which
statues or other ornaments stand at the end of a pediment. |
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Accent lighting |
Lighting used to highlight texture, colour or
objects such
as paintings |
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Acrylic colours |
Quick drawing
artists paints - excellent for stencilling. |
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Adobe |
Brick made from dried earth and straw. |
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Advancing (or warm) colours |
Warm colours such
as reds and yellows used in a design scheme to make a wall or
other object appear to be closer or bigger. |
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Aesthetic Movement |
19th century British art and design movement inspired by a Queen
Anne revival and an interest in Japanese aesthetics.
Influence on both sides of the Atlantic and encouraged the use
of light and bright designs for comfort and informality.
Symbols of the scheme include sunflowers and peacocks. |
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Aisle |
A passage at the side of a church. |
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Alabaster |
Fine grained
limestone which can come in a variety of colours and is
translucent and delicately marked. |
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Ambient Lighting |
General lighting which should be unobtrusive and indirect. |
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Ambulatory |
A passage around the sides and rear of the chancel of a church. |
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Andiron |
One of a pair of metal stands of holding logs in a fire. |
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Antefixae |
Decorative tiles
that hide the end or edges of roof tiles. Usually made
from terracotta or marble. |
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Aniline |
A type of dye
created from coal tar. |
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Antiquing |
A method of
artificially aging an object by using glaze or colourwash
(including burnt umber or burnt senna) or of rubbing down new
paint with wirewool to leave a patchy surface. |
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Apron |
A panel below a
window sill which is often seen in Renaissance design and may be
ornamental or shaped. |
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Apse |
The semicircular end of a church chancel. |
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Arcade |
A series of adjacent arches. |
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Arch |
A structure of shaped blocks over an opening which does not use
a lintel. |
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Architrave |
The lowest horizontal band of an entablature. |
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Archivolt |
A moulding on the face of an arch that follows its curve. |
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Armoire |
A moveable wardrobe with a door front. |
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Arris |
The sharp edge formed where two surfaces meet. |
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Art Deco |
A decorative movement popular during the 1920s and 1930s that
took advantage of new materials, new methods of production and
new discoveries. |
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Art Nouveau |
A late 19th century design movement which used sweeping curves
and elements from Nature. |
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Arts & Crafts |
A 19th century design movement in England lead by William Morris
who rebelled against mass production and reverted to
craftsmanship and the ideas of the Age of Chivalry. |
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Ashlar |
Regular rectangular blocks cut to make walls. |
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Astragal |
Small, concave moulding, often including carved beads in the
design. |
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Asymmetrical designs |
Design schemes that are not balanced as in symmetrical
designs. |
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Atrium |
A central, open space. |
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Attic |
The upper storey of a house, just beneath the roof. |
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Axminster |
A decorated carpet, originally from the English town of that
name, which is made by using cut pile to form a variety of
patterns in coloured wool. |
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B |
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Baffle |
A device attached to a light fitting to reduce glare. |
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Bagging |
The method of
creating a textured paint finish by using a wrapped cloth in a
bag to randomly remove paint or glaze from a newly painted/still
tacky paint surface. |
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Baize |
Felt-like coarse
weave fabric. |
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Ball & claw foot |
A decorative element of a furniture leg which is carved in the
shape of a claw holding a spherical ball. |
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Ball foot |
A decorative element of a furniture leg which terminates in a
spherical shape. |
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Balloon back |
A chair back where
the uprights merge into a curved top rail. Popular in
Victorian design. |
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Baluster |
Part of a handrail system - the post that supports the handrail. |
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Balustrade |
A series of
balusters with a top rail forming a barrier. |
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Banquette |
An upholstered
bench. |
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Barn door |
The flaps on the front of some spot lights. |
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Baroque |
A complex form of architecture and design in the latter part of
the Renaissance movement. Elaborate decorative detail was
typical. |
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Barrel vault |
A semicircular masonry vault commonly found in medieval church
architecture. |
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Base coat |
The initial coat
of paint or glaze applied to allow for better coverage and long
life of top coats. |
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Bas-relief |
Three dimensional design in which the image stands in the
shallow relief from a flat background. |
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Batiste |
A fabric that is
soft and sheer. Normally in white and made from, for
instance, silk, cotton or wool. |
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Batten fitting |
The fitting used to hold a fluorescent tube. |
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Batter |
Inward sloping of a vertical wall surface. |
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Bauhaus |
A German school of art and design from 1919 to the early 1930s.
Founded by Walter Gropius which employed modern methods of
design and production. Many of the designers and artists moved
to England during the rise of Nazi Germany and introduced Art
Deco/Moderne designs to the public. |
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Bayonet fitting |
A tungsten bulb light fitting with two lugs as opposed to a
screw bulb |
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Bay window |
A projecting window. |
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Beam |
A horizontal element used to provide structural support. |
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Beau Brummel |
A Georgian
dressing table for men named after the associate of the Prince
Regent. |
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Berber carpet |
Made from natural,
undyed sheep's wool. |
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Belle Epoque |
A French opulent
style popular at the end of the 19th/beginning of the 20th
century. |
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Bentwood |
A method of shaping strips of wood by using steam heat and
moulds. |
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Bergere |
A low upholstered armchair made and used in France. |
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Beton brut |
A French term for exposed, reinforced concrete. |
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Biedermeier |
A 19th century, German style of furniture which combined
neo-classical elements with provincial elements. |
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Bird's eye maple |
Wood from the
sugar maple with small, dark knots. |
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Block foot |
A square foot at
the end of a tapered leg. |
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Blockfront |
A piece of furniture which has three sections - the two sides
projecting beyond the middle section. Popular in America during
the 18th century. |
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Bombe |
A French term for a furniture design which employs an outward
swelling curve. |
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Boulle |
Inlay work using metal and tortoise shell - developed in France
by Charles Boulle. |
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Box joint |
Wood joint that uses interlocking, projecting fingers. |
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Breakfront desk |
A piece of furniture which has a bookcase on the top half and a
projecting desk beneath. |
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Broadloom |
The term for
broader widths of carpet (more than 2m). |
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Brocade |
Heavy silk or
synthetic material woven into elaborate patterns with silver and
gold threads. |
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Broken pediment |
A pediment with a central opening. |
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Brownstone |
Soft brown sandstone - also the name used for the buildings
constructed using this material. |
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Brutalism |
Modern architectural design using massive elements of cement -
adopted by Le Corbusier after the Second World War. |
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Buckram |
A stiffened
material, usually cotton, with a glue sizing. Can be used
to stiffen curtains, valances and tie-backs. |
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Bureau a cylindre |
A writing desk with a roll-top closure. |
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Burl |
Decorative veneer made from wood which has grown into irregular
patterns. |
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Buttress |
A structural element that is used for bracing or support. |
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C |
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Cable |
A covered bundle of insulated wires used to carry electricity. |
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Cabriole |
Curved, tapered furniture leg. |
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Calico |
An inexpensive,
plain weave lightweight fabric. |
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Cambric |
A fine, coarse
white or plain coloured cotton. |
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Candela |
The si unit of light intensity. |
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Cantilever |
A projecting beam or other structure supported only at its
inward point. |
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Capital |
The topmost part of a classical column. |
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Carolean |
The English style of furniture and design style in the reign of
Charles II. |
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Carolingian |
The Romanesque style of France and Germany. |
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Caryatid |
A human shaped column used as a structural support. |
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Casein paint |
A paint made by
mixing pigments with a milk-curd (casein) medium. Not
widely available it is tough and water resistant. |
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Casement window |
A window with single hinged sash. |
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Cassapanca |
An ornate chest design from Italy during the Renaissance which
could also be used as a bench. |
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Centering |
The temporary structure used during the building of an arch or
vault. |
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Chaise longue |
An extended length chair. |
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Chambray |
A fine woven plain
weave, linen like fabric. |
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Chancel |
The sanctuary of a church. |
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Chiffon |
A gauze fabric
made from silk. |
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Chino |
A coarse cotton
fabric. |
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Chinoiserie |
The use of traditional Chinese elements in design of the 18th
century (France and England). |
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Chintz |
A plain weave cotton fabric with a decorative glazing. |
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Churrigueresco |
Spanish Baroque of the late 17th to mid 18th century. |
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Circuit breaker |
A switch that will cut the electricity on a consumer unit that
will act like a fuse if there are dangerous electric current
flows. |
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Cissing |
Glaze or
colourwash is added to a dry base coat and whilst still wet
spattered with white spirit or water to create an uneven
pattern. |
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Clapboard |
External, overlapping horizontal flat boards. |
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Classical |
A style based on
mathematical proportions and ornamentations of ancient Greece
and Rome. |
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Classical Orders |
Five architectural
styles - Doric (simple), Ionic (slightly ornamental), Corinthian
(highly ornamental), Tuscan & Composite. |
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Claw and ball foot |
A leg usually on a
chair which ends in a carved claw holding a ball. |
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Clerestory |
Windows in the upper part of a wall. |
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Cloister |
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