Welcome to our glossary of home improvement terms. Below we set out definitions and explanations for various home improvement and gardening terms and concepts.
Wood joinery methods are more or less based on a similar concept to one another. This woodworking concept involves adhering two members at either a parallel or perpendicular angle, either by using extraneous mechanical support, or by designing clever slots and inserts to reinforce a woodworking joint. It is easy to mistake one type of …
Related: 22 Different Types of Interior Design Styles What is Bohemian style? Bohemian style isn’t about rules. In fact, it’s the opposite. Bohemian ─ also known as boho ─ is about being who you are, displaying what you love, creating a relaxing and comfortable space. It is colorful, eclectic, multi-cultural, creative, easygoing, and natural. At the same …
House hunting can be a lot of fun not to mention educational. You’ll see many architectural styles such as mid-century modern, Tudor, and Federal. You’ll see different types of homes such as Craftsman, cottages, luxury condos, detached homes, condos, apartment complexes, and I could go on with this list for days. One thing you might …
You may hear that a certain neighborhood has Queen Anne architecture, or hear someone say they have a Queen Anne house. It sounds incredibly regal and important, but do you know what this architectural style looks like? Queen Anne architecture was trendy during an era named for a whole different Queen of England, but this …
To lots of people, the word Gothic conjures up images of Dracula in a dusty old castle, or maybe disgruntled youth wearing a lot of black clothing. It’s something dark and disturbed, spooky, and surreal. But for architecture enthusiasts, Gothic means stained glass windows, beautiful churches, lots of natural light, and stunning detail. Gothic architecture …
The name is a little misleading, but the Italianate style isn’t really Italian. This is really a distinctly American architecture style. In fact, Italianate architecture is so common to the U.S., it’s also known as the American style. What sets this style apart from actual Italian architecture and where can you find examples of this …
If you’ve ever driven through New Mexico or Arizona, you may have journeyed through neighborhoods that are reminiscent of the planet Tatooine from Star Wars. Not only due to the desolate and striking desert biome, but because of the unique structures that are seemingly built into the landscape. I myself experienced this when road-tripping from …
Home decor is back in a big way. Instagram feeds are filled with ideas on how to bring your space to the next level. Influencers’ feeds show ideas from “how to make a small space look bigger” to “how to decorate your gallery wall in a new way.” However, home decor is not exactly a …
Not all wood joints are created equal, but they were each designed with a specific purpose in mind. Some wood joints are designed for withstanding temperature changes and extremely heavy loads, such as a lap joint, while others are designed to prioritize aesthetics and reinforcement. The rabbet joint is a uniquely shaped wood joint dedicated …
Woodworking is a noble profession that has been around for a very long time. To be more precise, Ancient Egyptian woodworkers used mortise and tenon joints around the pre-dynastic period — this is right around the time of the first Pharaoh (hey, even Jesus was a carpenter)! We looked into all the different types of …
It is nice to know that artistry is supported by artistry. Although the miter joint is one of the simplest methods of wood joinery, its purposes are dedicated to things that contain beauty. You’ll find the miter joint is the reason why Mona Lisa has been kept inside that frame for so long. A beautifully …
Sometimes I think about what will be left behind and studied from our current time period. I think it’s safe to assume that the cabinet you found on the side of the road and abused during your entire University career will not be one of those things. The traditional way of building things tends to …
So we’ve heard of the miter joint, the tongue and groove joint, the mortise and tenon joints, and the butt joint (if not, go read up on those guys!). Up there with the mortise and tenon joints, the dowel joint has been around for just as long. Reinforcing our doorways and chair legs for centuries, …
Lightbulbs have come a long way in the past 150 or so years. Starting out with entirely toxic materials and hairstyles resembling Doc from Back to the Future, we have emerged triumphant, deliciously energy efficient, and with perfectly coiffed hair. The LED corn light is the shiny new alternative to high-pressure sodium lamps that are …
There is something inherently special about going into an antique store and observing the detailed craftsmanship of the wooden furniture. Hinges with ornate designs, initials carved into corners,… the care and attention put into these pieces are obvious and make for a meaningful and timeless item. Unfortunately, certain methods of woodworking become obsolete over time …
Let’s just be honest about it – the mortise and tenon joint is literally a peg in a hole. Why do have to get into all these fancy terminologies for an action humans have been implicating since time itself?! If you’re curious about why this terminology was chosen, we can ask the French. “Mortise” comes …
Before the invention of useful modern tools, humans had to rely on simple physics to hold together the structures they built. They found that when evenly distributing pressure throughout an entire material, a joint can withstand more pressure and weight than joints that use external additions (like an adhesive) to hold themselves together. Lap joints …
Let’s figure out what exactly is meant by Georgian style architecture. The above-featured image is a poster-child Georgian home as we know them in the US… symmetrical, red brick (not all have red brick mind you), imposing. Related: Types of Houses | Architectural Styles | Beautiful Houses | Red Brick Houses | Plantation Home Designs …
Related: Types of home architectural styles | Types of houses | Beautiful Houses | Rancher vs. 2-Story House | Farm Houses | Plantation Home Designs What is a Ranch Style Home? A ranch home, aka rancher, is usually defined as a house with a long profile, large windows, and generally an open layout. While a …
Vintage style is kind of an enigma. In fact, it’s not really a recognized interior design but on the flip side it’s used in reference to interiors and furnishings all the time so we just had to cover it. We took a stab at explaining it and finding great photo examples. Hopefully, this helps …