Glossary

All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Lacquer	A type of varnish made from shellac or gum resins dissolved in ethyl alcohol or other quick-drying solvents.
Ladder-Back Chair	A chair back with a number of horizontal slats like a ladder.
Laminated	Composed of layers bonded together for strength, thickness, or decorative effect.
Laminated Foam	One or more densities of polyurethane foam laminated together to form a single pad.
Lamination	The process of building up in layers or attaching a single ply as with plywood, foam, or plastic laminates.
Lamp	The technical term for light bulb.
Lampwork	The technique of manipulating glass by heating it with a small flame. An open flame is advantageous in very detailed work.
Lancet	A narrow window with a sharp, pointed arch, commonly associated with gothic revival architecture.
Landing	A platform or resting place provided between two flights. A landing extending right across a staircase is termed as half space landing and the one extending only half across a staircase is called a quarter
Landings	The platforms of a stair where it begins, ends, or turns.
Lanese	A registered trademark of Celanese for acetate and polyester.
Lapping Joint	This is the simplest form of lengthening joint and is formed by lapping the end of one member over that of the other and fastening them together by bolting or using connections.
Laser	A device containing a crystal, gas, or other suitable substance in which atoms, when stimulated by focused light waves, amplify and concentrate these waves, then emit them in a very intense, narrow beam.
Late Georgian (1750-90)	The American period that utilized English Georgian design and Chippendale furniture.
Latex	A rubber-based synthetic polymer extruded or sprayed on as a coating or backing to hold woven fabrics or tufted carpets stable.
Latex Paint	A water-based paint that is easy to apply and cleans up with soap and water when still wet.
Lath	Thin strips of wood laid parallel and nailed onto building studs. Historic method of plastering walls is to apply it over lath.
Lathwork	Grids or panels made with strips of lath, used as screens, trellises, or decorative trim on verandas.
Latillas	Sticks laid across the vigas to form the ceiling of the Southwest Adobe houses.
Latin Cross	The Western Christian cross with a tail longer than the top and arms.
Lattice	A panel consisting of metal or wooden strips that are interlaced or crossed to form a grid with regular spaces.
Law Of Chromatic Distribution	A rule governing the distribution of color intensity or brightness. The most neutralized colors are used in the largest areas, and the smaller the size or area, the brighter or more intense the chroma proportionately becomes.
Layered Or Compounded Fabrics	A group of fabric constructions that require more than one step to complete. Examples include embroidery, appliqu?, and tufting.
Lazy Susan	A shelf that rotates 360 degrees.
Le Corbusier	See J eanneret-Gris, Charles-Edouard.
Leaded Glass	Glass containing a percentage of lead oxide, which increases its density and improves its ability to refract and disperse light. Leaded glass is used for ornaments and for decorative and luxury tableware.
Lean To Roof	This is the simplest type of pitched roof consisting of rafters sloping on one side only.
Leather	The tanned hide of cattle or swine, largely used for upholstery. Leather is strong, is comfortable, and has a long life span.
Leather Tiles	Actual pieces of leather cut into shapes and applied as wall or floor tiles. Resilient semi-permanent material.
L'ecole Des Beaux Arts	A school of art, design, and architecture in Paris, France, noted for its emphasis on historical studies.
Led	LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes. LED lighting is an energy efficient type of lighting that lasts longer then other types of lighting. They have a low light output so it may not work for all applications.
Lengthening Joint	These joints are used to lengthen a wooden member. The method of lengthening the member varies with its situation in a framed structure.
Leno Weave	A variation of the plain weave that has warp thread in hourglass twists where the weft or filling threads are woven in.
Letter Of Agreement	The legal contractual arrangement between the design firm and the client that spells Out responsibilities and services of both parties.
Level-Loop Carpet	Woven or tufted carpet with an uncut pile of even loops; used in both residential and nonresidential interiors.
Level-Tip Shear Carpet	Woven or tufted carpet with some loops higher than others. Surface has a smooth, velvetlike texture.
Life-Style	The way an individual or group lives.
Light	An element of design that is broken into two types
Light Pipe	An acrylic pipe that conducts light along its corridor. The light source can be sunlight or artificial light.
Lighting As Art	Use of light as a medium to create artistic effects.
Lighting Plan	The portion of the working drawings or blueprints that shows where the lights, switches, and outlets are to be placed in a building and how they are connected to one another and to the circuit-breaker box. Also called the wiring plan.
Lime Plaster	Lime used in plastering may be fat lime or hydraulic lime. Fat limes make best plaster as they yield good putty after shaking. Hydraulic lime on the other hand yields harder and stronger plaster.
Limited Edition	Artworks produced in a deliberately limited quantity. All items in the edition are identical and each one is an original work of art. The limited size of the edition enhances the value of each piece.
Line	An object or form whose actual or visual length greatly exceeds any actual width or depth it many have.
Line Of Credit	The total cost of merchandise that may be purchased by a designer on credit on behalf of the designer's clients.
Line Of Nosing	It is an imaginary line touching the nosing of each tread and is parallel to the slope of the stair.
Line Or Outline Lighting	Lighting the perimeter of an object to give emphasis or even lighting.
Linen	The best known of the cellulosic bast fibers, obtained from the inner stalks of the flax plant. Linen is strong and absorbent and varies from a coarse jutelike texture to fine table damask linen textures.
Linenfold	A medieval panel motif resembling folded linen.
Linocut	A relief print process similar to woodcut. Wood blocks covered with a layer of linoleum are carved with woodcut tools, coated with ink, and printed by hand or in a press.
Linoleum	A soft resilient flooring of ground wood and cork, gum, color pigments, and oxidized linseed oil. No longer produced.
Linoleum Flooring	Linoleum is a covering laid over wooden or concrete floors in order to hide the defects of flooring or to enhance its appearance.
Linseed Oil	This is extensively used as a vehicle in oil paints. It is obtained by pressing crushed flax seeds. The drying of the oil takes place due to its oxidation when exposed to air.
Lintel	The support to the load above the opening is usually given by providing an arch or a lintel. Lintel acts like a beam and transfers the load vertically to the supporting walls.
List Price	Generally accepted to be the same as suggested retail price a price to the consumer.
Lithographs	Prints made from a stone or metal plate to which the pattern or design has been applied with a special grease pencil or wax.
Lithography	A planographic printmaking process based on the repellence of oil and water and characterized by soft lines and blurry shapes.
Lithopone	This pigment is obtained from the precipitate formed by mixing equal quantities of the solutions of barium sulphate and zinc sulphate under carefully controlled conditions.
Loft	An intermediary floor space created by introduction of a slab between floor and ceiling of a room , passage or wherever it is provided with maximum clear height of 1.5m for storage purposes only.
Loftura	A registered trademark of Eastman Kodak for acetate.
Long, Formal Curtains	Having a shirred or tabbed heading, these long curtains can be hand operable or stationary.
Long-Life Bulb	An incandescent bulb that lasts from 2,500 to 3,500 hours.
Loop Pile	A loop pile is when the ends of the pile are finished loops
Loose Cushions	Pillows that are part of an upholstered piece but left unattached in the upholstery process.
Loose Knot	A knot in timber that is not sound and may end up becoming dislodged over time.
Louis Xv Period (1723-74)	The period during the reign of King Louis XV of France. Also known as the Rococo period and characterized by ornate, curvilinear, asymmetrical design.
Louis Xvi Period (1774-93)	The period during the reign of King Louis XVI of France. Also known as the French Neoclassic period and characterized by rectilinear, classically inspired design.
Louvered Door	Door with louvered panels.
Louvers	Horizontal slats in a shutter, screen, or window, sloped downward (or movable) to control light and air passage.
Loveseat	A loveseat is a small version of a sofa made for two people. "ON CENTER" MEASUREMENT: Usually used for lighting or electrical components, this dimension is taken from center to center of the electrical box or outlet.
Low Contrast	The difference between colors whose values (lightness vs. darkness) are very close?such as all light colors or all dark colors.
Low Key	A color scheme in a variety of dark values.
Low Value	Hues that have been darkened.
Lowboy	A low chest of drawers raised on legs, used as a dressing or serving table. With the addition of a tall chest, it becomes a highboy.
Low-Contrast Values	Values near each other, such as dark and medium values or medium and light values, for example.
Low-Fire Glazes	Glazes Low-temperature ceramic glazes, usually associated with bright, shiny colors.
Low-Voltage Lamps	Bulbs that consume little energy.
Lumbar Pillow	A small rectangular pillow designed to support the lower back. Often used on armchairs and sofas.
Lumber	Timber of logs dressed for use.
Lumber-Core Door	Same as solid-core door.
Lumen	Is the unit of luminous flux equal to the flux in a unit solid angle of one steradian from a uniform point source of one candlepower.
Lumens	A measurement of the amount of light flow.
Luminaire	A complete lighting fixture with all components needed to be connected to the electric power supply.
Luminous Ceiling	Incandescent or fluorescent lights around which a box is framed and finished, with the cover over the lights made of translucent glass or plastic.
Luminous Panels	Fluorescent or incandescent lights set into a wall or floor and covered with translucent glass or plastic.
Luster	A brilliant iridescent film used on a ceramic glazes; formed from metallic salts.
Luxury Homes	Spacious or luxurious homes with high-quality detail, cabinet work, and furnishings.