Architectural decorating glossary
Behind every beautiful décor are the right words. This glossary sheds light on the vocabulary of interior architecture: enough to read our product sheets — and talk to your designer — with confidence.
Contents: Primer · Mitre box · Curtain pelmet · Dado rail · Joint adhesive · Mounting adhesive · Cornice · LED cornice · Channel · Joint · Wall cladding · Acrylic filler · MDF · Ceiling medallion · Moulding · Flexible moulding · Mitre · Wall panel · Skirting board · Polymer · High-density polystyrene · Polyurethane · Ceiling rose · Dado · Fibrous plaster · Stucco
Primer
Preparatory coat applied before the final paint. It evens out the surface, regulates absorption and guarantees the adhesion of the finish. Our elements leave the factory already primed: after fitting and filling, a simple coat of paint is enough.
Mitre box
U-shaped sawing guide that locks the cutting angle, usually 45° and 90°. The reference tool for cutting cornices, mouldings and skirting boards cleanly before a corner assembly. A simple, affordable alternative to the electric mitre saw.
Curtain pelmet
Decorative profile fitted in front of the pole to hide tracks, brackets and fixings. The eye sees only the fabric, which seems to descend from the ceiling in a continuous fall. A signature detail of well-finished interiors.
Dado rail
Horizontal moulding line running along the wall, historically at chair-back height, between 90 cm and 1 m. It gives rhythm to the wall, protects it from scuffs and allows the play between two colours or two materials. A must of the period look.
Joint adhesive
Technical adhesive that bonds two profiles end to end. More rigid than mounting adhesive, it locks the ends and prevents joints from opening over the seasons.
Mounting adhesive
Acrylic adhesive in a cartridge for fixing light decorative elements, without nails or screws. A welcome bonus: it also acts as a filler to close the gap between the profile and its surface.
Cornice
Decorative profile that dresses the line where wall meets ceiling (also called coving). It softens the transition, absorbs small irregularities and instantly gives the room presence. From the plainest to the most ornate, up to lit versions.
LED cornice
Cornice with a channel open towards the top, designed to hold an invisible LED strip. The ceiling becomes a reflector: soft, indirect light with no visible source.
Channel
Concave hollow that sculpts the profile of a moulding or cornice. On an LED cornice, the channel is the groove that holds and hides the LED strip.
Joint (or butt joint)
Point where two lengths of profile meet. Well executed — edge-to-edge gluing, filler, sanding, paint — it disappears completely from view.
Wall cladding
Wall covering made of boards laid side by side, in wood or polymer. Its contemporary reinterpretation: the slat panel mounted on acoustic felt, combining graphic relief and acoustic comfort.
Acrylic filler
Flexible finishing paste that fills gaps and joints before painting. Smooth with a damp finger, allow to dry, and the surface is ready. The final touch of every successful installation.
MDF
High-density compressed wood-fibre board, perfectly smooth to the touch. It gives skirting boards that clean, contemporary lacquered-wood look. Its territory: dry rooms.
Ceiling medallion
Another name for the ceiling rose, inherited from classic homes. The medallion crowns the central light point and shows off the chandelier. Choose the diameter in proportion to the fitting and the volume of the room.
Moulding
Generic name for any decorative profile in relief: cornices, dado rails, framing beads. Fitted as frames on walls, mouldings compose panels and dados in the French manner.
Flexible moulding
Supple version of a decorative profile, able to follow arches, curves and rounded walls. Same design as the matching rigid moulding: the line continues unbroken.
Mitre (mitre cut)
Angled 45° cut that allows two profiles to meet at a right angle. Made with a mitre box or, for speed, an electric mitre saw.
Wall panel
Covering decorative element that gives relief to a wall: sculpted 3D panels, moulded panels, acoustic slat panels. The quickest way to transform a wall.
Skirting board
Profile running along the base of the wall, where it meets the floor. It takes everyday knocks, hides the expansion gap of the flooring and signs the finish of the room.
Polymer
Large family of light, stable synthetic materials used in architectural décor, including polyurethane and high-density polystyrene. Unaffected by moisture, rot-proof, easy to glue and paint.
High-density polystyrene
Light polymer with a fine, tight grain, unrelated to packaging polystyrene. It cuts cleanly, paints without fuss and is the most affordable option for decorating ceilings and walls.
Polyurethane
The reference material of contemporary architectural décor. Dense and rigid, it reproduces the finest moulded details, resists knocks and moisture and stays perfectly stable over time.
Ceiling rose
Circular ornament fixed to the ceiling around the light point. Heir to the great classical décors, it can be painted or patinated and turns a simple chandelier into a centrepiece. See also: ceiling medallion.
Dado
Lower register of the wall, between skirting board and dado rail, traditionally underlined by moulded panels or a distinct colour. It is what gives period interiors their visual grounding.
Fibrous plaster
Fibre-reinforced plaster, the historic material of yesterday’s cornices and ceiling roses. Heavy, brittle and demanding to fit, it now gives way to polyurethane, which reproduces its décors without the constraints.
Stucco
Traditional decorative plaster imitating stone or marble. By extension, the term refers to the relief ornaments of classic ceilings and cornices.
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