If you have contractors (painters or otherwise) working on your home interior, they may be throwing around a lot of words you don’t entirely understand. It’s easy to get confused, so here is a cheat sheet of important home interior terms to know so that you can maintain a conversation about your project! 

Recommended reading:

• Important Terms to Know – Home Exteriors
• How Do I Prepare For Interior Painting?
• The Best Interior Paints For Your Home Projects

Home interior terms to know

Interior

• Crown Molding – The decorative wood trim piece where the wall meets the ceiling.
• Picture Rail – A one-and-a-half to two-inch thick molding that wraps around a room, usually at the height of the highest window.
• Chair Rail – A trim usually made from wood and horizontally attached to a wall, wrapping around the entire perimeter of a room. Typically located on the lower portion of the room between 36 and 48 inches off the floor.
• Dado – the part of a column pedestal above the base or the lower part of an interior wall.
• Panel Molding – A variety of molding profiles most often used to create or embellish panels on either flat or recessed surfaces.
• Wainscot – Paneling that covers only the lower portion of an interior wall or partition.
• Plinth Block – The foundation of your door trim, pilaster, or column.
• Pilaster – A rectangular column projecting from a wall. 
• Cove Base – Rubber or vinyl base installed at the bottom of the wall. 
• Baseboard – The wood trim that runs along the bottom of the interior walls.
• Shoe Molding – A thin strip of molding that finishes out the look of baseboards.  When rounded, typically called a quarter round.  

Fireplace

• Hearth – A brick, stone, or concrete area in front of a fireplace, the floor of a fireplace.

• Mantel – A beam, stone, or arch serving as a lintel to support the masonry above a fireplace, sometimes decorative.
• Pilasters/Jambs/Legs – The vertical pieces that connect the mantel to the floor or base. Can be decorative (like pilasters) or simple (like legs). 
• Plinth – The lowest part of the leg on a fireplace or often referred to as the “foot.”. This decorative transition piece between the leg and the hearth is often referred to as the base of the fireplace.
• Corbel – The bracket or block that projects from the face of a wall is called the corbel. While its main job is to physically support the elements placed above it, the corbel is also a central design element for fireplaces.

Stairwell

• Handrail – A long, narrow bar of wood or metal that people can hold onto for support when climbing stairs.
• Spindle – A vertical rod that connects the handrail to a post or newel.
• Baluster – A vertical rod that connects the handrailing and a footing (stair, deck or floor).  
• Riser –  A stair riser is a vertical piece between one step and another
• Tread – the top surface of a step or stair.
• Wall Stringer/Skirt Board – a long, unbroken piece of trim just for your stairs that fits up against the wall
• Outer Stringer/Skirt Board – a long, unbroken piece of trim just for your stairs that faces out from the stairwell
• Newel Post – A post at the head or foot of a flight of stairs, supporting a handrail.
• Rosette – Decorative wood stair part used when the end of a handrail terminates into a wall.

Knowing these terms is important if you want to have a transparent and clear conversation with any contractor, and they will help you articulate your needs clearly. 

---

If you’re ready to get work done on your home interior, fill out the form below for a free estimate from Heritage Custom Painting. Our team will provide a detailed, itemized quote, and we have a full time Color Consultant who can help you find the right color for your project. 

Fill out the form below and fall in love with your home again today.