Design Glossary - R

Ribbon Grain, Stripe Figure, Roe Figure:

(timber) is alternating dark and light strips in a quartered timber formed by the different reflections of light on the interlocked grain.

Ridge Tiles:

Special tiles to cover the ridge of a roof.

Rip:

To saw parallel to the grain. Not cross cut.

Riser:

The vertical piece connecting two treads of a stair.

Rising Butts:

Hinges, which lift the door as it opens so that it clears the carpet.

Rising Main:

Mains electricity, gas or water supply pipes passing up through a building.

Rivelling:

(paint) is wrinkles occurring in the paint film as it dries. It happens because the paint has been applied too thickly. To prevent it, ensure that the paint is applied to the normal film thickness.

Riven:

To split.

Rococo:

Style of architecture and decoration in 18th century Europe characterised by elaborate sometimes asymmetrical curved forms and shell motifs.

Rubbing:

(paint effects) starting with a base coat of colour, a glaze is rubbed over creating a soft cloudy film of colour, which imitates the aged look of fresco paintings. It is ideal to use over stencils to slightly distress the look.

Rose

Rush, Seagrass and Maize:

These are natural materials woven into squares and sewn together to form mats. They are ideal for temporary flooring.

Russian Constructivism:

This was a post World War 1 art movement which originated in Moscow. It was a reaction against traditional fine art, especially sculpture. Constructivists explored new ideas for structuring three-dimensional forms. One theory was that form was not necessarily from solid mass alone, it could be suggested or outlined space. New industrial materials of the time, metal tubes, sheets of plastic, wires, sheets of glass, made their theories become true form. A well recognised Russian Constructivist in the furniture arena was Marcel Bruer, his example of the Wassily chair shows exposed and complicated framework in tubular steel.