Coffers are recessed panels, typically square or octagonal in shape, found in ceiling vaults and domes. Coffered ceilings add dimension and character and are typically found in Craftsman-style homes.
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2
Dado
The Washington Post
This term refers to the lower portion of the wall that is treated differently than the upper, either through the use of color or covering (e.g. paneling or wainscoting).
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3
Bargeboard
peggydavis66/Flickr
At once decorative and practical, a bargeboard is a piece of trim attached to the edge of a roofline to conceal the exposed ends of the roof timbers. In America, bargeboards are most often found on Gothic Revival and Victorian-era "gingerbread" homes.
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4
Enfilade
Ariel Piluso
This term describes a series of interconnected rooms in which the doors are typically in alignment.
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5
Lock Rail
Alon/Flickr
The lock rail is the horizontal element on an ordinary paneled door that is closest to the lock.
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6
Soldier Course
Sarah/Flickr
"Attention!" A soldier course is a set of bricks lined up in a row, all facing the same direction. These are often found lining window openings.
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7
Oeil-De-Boeuf
Alan Davison/Flickr
The French term for "bullseye" is used to describe any sort of small, round window.
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8
Festoon
Library of Congress/Wikimedia Commons
Sometimes called "swag," a festoon is a carved motif composed of flowers or fruits that drape in the middle and are held together with ribbons at each end.
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9
Dog-Leg Stair
Portland Press Herald
In this common type of staircase, one flight extends halfway up to a landing before turning in the opposite direction to complete the ascent.
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10
Efflorescence
Sam Beebe
The whitish coating found commonly on old brick, stucco and concrete walls is formed when salt "flowers out" of the material and crystalizes on the surface.
Writer Elizabeth Finkelstein is a self-proclaimed old house addict on a lifelong hunt for her perfect historic home. From big Victorian fixer-uppers to tiny colonials to mid-century modern masterpieces, Elizabeth believes that the best homes show the charm of having been loved over time. She chronicles it all on her website CIRCA Old Houses, which showcases beautiful old houses for sale across the country. See more at CircaOldHouses.com.