Home Interior Terms You Need To Know

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! 

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Home interior terms to know

  • 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.  
  • 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.
  • 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. 

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