This series today presents the second part of architectural terms.  Today we’ll cover architectural terms F-Q.  Last week I presented architectural terminology for A-E and next week R-Z terms will be reviewed.

Previous articles in this series included general decorating terms and three articles on style terminology: A-E, F-Q and R-Z.

Architecture F-Q

Facade: the front or face of a building

Fanlight: a half-circle shaped window above a door or in a pediment

Finial: an ornament for a pediment, post or spire that points upwards

Firebox: the part of the fireplace containing the fire

Fireplace insert: an enclosed stove unit placed in an existing fireplace to increase its efficiency

Fixed window: a window that can’t be opened

Floor plans: two dimensional layout of rooms

Frieze: a wide elaborate border, often printed wallpaper but can also be sculptured plaster

Gable: the triangular end of a house formed by a pitched roof

Gothic arch: a pointed arch that is the primary form in Gothic architecture

Greenhouse window: box shaped window that projects from a structure and is used to grow plants

Handrail: rail for holding while using a stairway

Hearth: the slab forming the base of a fireplace that extends into the room

Hipped roof: a roof without a gable and that slopes in four directions

Iconic: Greek and Roman architectural style with scroll-shaped capital

Jalousie window:  a louvered glass window

Keystone: the stone at the top of an arch that angles on the sides

Leaded glass: glass windows created from small pieces held together with lead caning to form a pattern

Lintel: horizontal piece over a door or window

Mansard roof: hipped roof with a bottom pitch that is steep and a top pitch that is flatter

Mantel: the projecting shelf above a fireplace

Mitered: a joint where two 45 degree angle cuts meet at right angles and are nailed or screwed together

Mullions: wood strips holding panes of glass in a door or window

Mutins: slender wood strips between panes of glass in doors or windows

Newel: a heavy post at the end of the handrail of a stairway

Niche: small recess in a wall between studs or a bump out in a room large enough to hold furniture

Operable window: a window that can be opened

Palladian window: arched window with sidelight windows on both sides

Parapet:  a low wall on the edge of a roof, bridge or terrace

Pediment: the low pitched triangular gable on a building

Pilaster: flat, false, decorative column

Pocket door: a door that slides into a pocket recessed in a wall

Portico: a porch formed by a roof supported by columns

Quatrefoil: a round window with four equal lobes

A-Q Covered

With last week’s and this week’s post you’re now up to speed on some of the key architectural terms from A to Q that a decorator should know.  Next week we’ll wrap it up with R-Z.  Then you’ll have the lingo down!

P.S.  Don’t forget to use the Comment link below and you’ll be entered today in our 500th post give-away celebration You might win a fabulous handmade item from Desmond Brown Design, chalkboard Labels by Bradens Grace, or Your Decorating Hotline’s new e-book – How to Successfully Use Color in Home Decorating.