Interior Design Terms Glossary - C
C and S Scrolls:
Motifs, which emulate the letters c and s, which are characteristics of the Rococo style. Found on furniture and decorative frames.
Cabin Hook:
A hooked bar that engages into an eye screw. Used to hold a cupboard or door shut.
Cabinetmaker:
A joiner who makes furniture to the finest finish. I.e. highly crafted furniture.
Cabriole Leg:
Table or chair leg shaped to imitate a stylised form of an animal’s hind leg. Originally from the Far East it became popular in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Cadmium Plating:
A protective plating for steel. Often used for wood screws.
Café Curtains:
A casual form of curtains which generally cover the lower portion of the window, and often have a scalloped heading and hung from a rail.
Calcium Carbonate:
CaCO3. The chemical term for Chalk and limestone.
Calico:
A coarse woven cotton cloth or in North America can be a brightly printed cotton, inexpensive.
Camber Arch:
An arch with just enough rise (usually 1%) in the centre to counteract the appearance of sagging.
Camber:
The angle of a road or floor.
Came:
An H section of lead used to join glass in leaded light or stained glass windows.
Camel’s Hair:
(textiles) Another fine wool too costly for extensive interior use.
Cantilever Chair with caning to the seat and back.
Candela:
This is the initial unit of light specification. It is the luminous intensity. One candela is defined as a small white-hot cavity. It is actually equal to about 1 large wax candle. (Hence candela / candle).
Caning:
Slim pieces of bamboo, cane, rattan or palm which are woven to form the seats and backs of furniture. Thonet’s Vienna Chair is a fine example of caning forming the seat.
Cabriole Leg
Cant:
To Tilt.
Cantilever:
A twentieth century structural detail. It is used in both Architecture and Furniture Design. It refers to a horizontal member which projects beyond a vertical support which results in a floating effect.
Cap:
The uppermost decorative part of a newel post.
Carcass:
The main Loadbearing part of the house, without floors, windows, doors, plaster or finishes. Also refers to the bulk of a piece of joinery.
Carpet Tiles:
These are very popular, especially in commercial situations as they are easy to lay and easy to repair. They are available in woven, tufted and cord in an endless variety of colours, designs and fibres. They can be laid to create a design by quarter turning a same patterned tile or alternating different colours and designs. They are generally loose laid which gives them the versatility of lifting, cleaning or replacing a damaged tile.
Cased Heading:
In curtains, it is the style of heading which has a pocket of fabric open at both ends for a pole or rod to pass through.
Casement:
A window hinged to open about one of its vertical edges. (The hinged part of a window.)
Casement Window
Casement Cloth:
Many fibres and weaves, for use as lightweight curtain, material
Cashmere:
(textiles) A delicate wool, generally too costly and fragile for interior use.
Cassone:
An Italian marriage chest. Usually elaborately carved, gilt inlaid or painted.
Cavity Blocks:
Precast concrete blocks shaped to form a cavity wall.
Cased Heading
Cavity Flashing:
The damp course, which crosses the gap in a cavity wall.
Cavity Wall:
A wall consisting of two layers with a 2 in./152 mm gap between.
Ceiling Batten:
Horizontal timber of which the ceiling linings are attached to. The timber battens are fixed below the truss bottom, ceiling joists or rafters.
Ceiling Rose:
Generally made of plaster, a circular decorative molding fixed to the ceiling, often in the centre, and often has a pendant light fitting suspended from it.
