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
Pad Painting	The application of paint with a flat fibrous pad.
Padding	A general term for carpet underlay or the cushioning layer covering the springs in upholstery.
Paint	A liquid oil-, water-, resin-, alkyd-, acrylic-, or epoxy-based material that is applied by spraying, brushing, rolling, or pad painting. Dries to a flat, semigloss, gloss, or high-gloss finish.
Painting	A one-of-a-kind, two-dimensional art form created with color pigments and a number of different substances (vehicles) that give the paint form and body.
Palette Knife	A small, usually flexible knife used to mix paint on the artist's paint tray (palette) or to apply paint to the surface being painted.
Palette Theory	Another name for the Standard Color Wheel theory.
Palisade Wall	A paneled fireplace wall formed of boards and battens.
Palladian Window	A three-part window in which the center window is arched and larger than two smaller, often-rectangular windows flanking it on either side.
Palladium	A photographic process in which the image is produced by palladium crystals deposited on the paper.
Panel	A flat, rectangular piece of material that forms part of a wall, door, or cabinet. Typically made of wood, it is usually framed by a border and either raised or recessed.
Paneled Door	A traditional door formed with stiles, rails, and panels.
Paneling	Wood used to cover the entire expanse of a wall, from top to bottom.
Panel-Track Wall Fabric Installation	Metal tracks available for installing fabric on the wall. Used most often in nonresidential settings.
Paper Wall Covering	Paper front and back; no vinyl coating.
Papier-Mache	A material used for the construction of furniture and accessories made from paper pulp and glue. During the nineteenth century these pieces were often painted black and inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
Par Lamp	Reflective parabolic aluminized reflector lamp with heavy, protective glass and a focused beam. Silvering is used to establish the beam spread and the reflective quality.
Parapet	A low wall or railing built along the edge of a roof or a floor.
Parliamentary Hinges	This type of hinges are used in situations where door or window opening is required to be kept free of obstruction due to shutters when open. These hinges permit the shutters , when open , to rest parallel to the wall clear of the opening.
Parquet	The decorative, geometric arrangement of short lengths of wood plank for floors and sometimes walls.
Parquetry	Geometrically patterned wood inlay.
Parsons Table	A sturdy square or rectangular table with block legs and an apron of equal widths. Designed in the 1950s at the Parson's School of Design.
Particleboard	A solid panel formed by compressing flakes of wood with resin under heat and pressure.
Partition	A partition wall may be defined as a wall or division made up of bricks , studding , glass or other such material and provided for the purpose of dividing one room or portion of a room from another generally , these are non-load bearing walls.
Passive Balance	Another term for symmetrical or formal balance where items are identical on each side of a central point, and therefore no judgment of the composition is needed.
Pastel	A crayon of ground pigment bound with gum or oil. Pastel crayons have varying ratios of pigment to chalk and gum; the more pigment, the more intense the color.
Pate De Verre	A paste of finely crushed glass that is mixed, heated, and poured into a mold.
Patera	A round or oval raised surface design.
Paterae	Oval (or round) shapes used as ornament, often decorated with rosettes.
Patina	A surface coloring, usually brown or green, produced by the oxidation of bronze, copper, or other metal. Patinas occur naturally and are also produced artificially for decorative effect.
Patio Door	See atrium door.
Patio Home	A small home set on a narrow, shallow building lot.
Patlon	A registered trademark of Amaco for olefin.
Pattern	Is the repetition of a decorative motif on a surface.
Pattern Book	Books of patterns for houses, furniture, and architectural detail published for general use.
Pattern Matching	To align a repeating pattern when joining together two pieces of fabric or wallpaper.
Pattern Repeat	Wall covering or fabric pattern measurement from the top of one pattern to the top of the next, or from one pattern to another horizontally.
Payback Period	The number of years that a purchase (such as a solar energy system) takes to pay for itself.
Pediment	Awn ornamental detail placed over a door, portico, or window, often found in a triangular shape.
Pediment Frieze	The sculptural design within the pediment.
Peelable Wall Covering	Wall covering that can be peeled away from a substrate (backing or lining), which is suitable to be repapered.
Pembroke Table	An occasional table with drop leaves and a drawer in the apron.
Pendants	Decorative downward projections used to embellish architectural and furniture designs.
Peninsula	A countertop, with or without a base cabinet, that is connected at one end to a wall or another counter and extends outward, providing access on three sides.
Pent Roof	A narrow, overhanging rooflike structure above the first story on Pennsylvania German houses.
Perfatape	A wide paper tape applied to sheetrock seams with plasterboard compound or mud.
Performance Bond	Required of the winning bidder as a guarantee that the designer/vendor will complete the work as specified and will protect the client from any loss up to the amount of the bond as a result of the failure of the designer/vendor to perform the contract.
Perimeter Lighting	Lighting around the outside of a room or an area. Perimeter lighting visually expands space.
Peristyle	A continuous row of columns around a building. Also used to designate the colonnaded garden area at the rear of the Roman house.
Perlon	A registered trademark of Bayer for nylon.
Permanent Installations	Structural or finish materials that are not likely to be replaced due to their cost or difficulty to install or remove.
Perpend	It is a vertical joint on the face of a wall directly over vertical joints in alternate course.
Persian Rugs	The finest of the Oriental rugs, traditionally from Persia (today Iran). High knot count, complex, usually floral patterns.
Personal Computer	A small computer for home or small-business use.
Personal Space	The invisible "bubble" of space that surrounds us and that we consider to be our own.
Perspective Sketch	A three-dimensional sketch or rendering of an interior space drawn in perspective with vanishing points.
Petrology	The study of rocks, their origin and what they are made from.
Pewter	A soft, dull-gray alloy of tin, copper, lead, and antimony used to make tableware.
Photoetching	A printmaking technique in which a light-sensitive metal plate is exposed to photographic film under ultraviolet light.
Photogravure	A printing process based on the production, by photographic methods, of a plate containing small ink-receptive pits.
Phyfe, Duncan (1768-1854)	A New York furniture builder, originally from Scotland, known for his Regency-style pieces.
Piano Nobile	The principal floor of a building; usually a raised first floor.
Picking Out	Highlighting features on molding, such as dentil trim or carved bas-relief, with paint.
Pickled	Pickling is a method of finishing wood which involves a white or off white stain that is applied to a porous wood in order to lighten the overall color, as well as show a contrast in the grain.
Piece Dyeing	Coloring a length of fabric after it is woven into cloth.
Pier	Same as a column but without its details and proportions.
Pier Foundation	When a heavily loaded building is to be situated in sandy soil or soft soil , overlying hard bed at reasonable depth , pier foundations are sometimes used to transfer the load of the building to the hard bed below. This method consists in sinking vertical shafts up to hard bed and filling them with concrete.
Pier Or Pilaster	It is a vertical member of stone or brick masonry constructed to support an arch , beam or lintel , the width of which exceeds four times its thickness.
Pigment	A nonsoluble coloring matter that is held onto the surface of the fabric with a resin binder. A compound that is the coloring agent for paint, ink, crayons, ll-id chalk.
Pilaster	A shallow rectangular column built into a wall for decorative purposes.
Pile	The pile of a rug is the surface of the rugs material, ie: wool or silk. There are different types of ways to treat the pile in order to achieve various looks and feels to the rugs surface. (see cut pile, loop pile)
Pile	The pile is the exposed surface of a rug, also called nap or face. There are different ways to treat pile like a cut pile or loop pile, which give a different look and feel to the rug.
Pile Density	Closeness of stitches (woven) or tufts of a carpet. Greater or tighter density yields a more durable product.
Pile Weave	A weave that utilizes a third set of threads that form a depth or a pile in the surface. Types of pile weave include velvet, terry cloth, and corduroy.
Pilling	Tendency of fibers to work into small balls or pills.
Pillow Sham	A removable decorative pillowcase.
Pin Knot	A knot smaller that one-half inch in diameter.
Pitch Of Roof	"The inclination of the sides of a roof to the horizontal is termed as the ""pitch of the roof""."
Pitch Pocket	An opening between growth rings that may contain resin or bark or both.
Pl Lamp	Compact twin fluorescent bulb.
Plain Sawn	The most common way in which a log is cut, tangentially to the growth rings. Results in the common flam-grain appearance.
Plain Slicing	A method used to cut a log parallel to a line through its center?produces a vaulted or cathedral-like grain.
Plain Weave	The interlacing of threads or yarns in a one-over, one-under sequence.
Plaining	The process of taking the shavings of wooden member is called plaining.
Plan Drawing	A flat, two-dimensional, scaled drawing of an environment as seen from above.
Plane Of Light	A bank of light; a well-lit area.
Plank	It is the name given to a heavy , thick and wide wooden piece of timber.
Planned Development	A tract of land that is developed into housing of a specific style, size, price range, and type (attached dwellings, single detached dwellings, luxury dwellings).
Plantation Shutters	Louvered shutters with wide blades. Used in the South during colonial days-as screens to encourage ventilation during the hot months.
Plaster	A thick, pasty mixture of sand, water, and lime used for smooth or rough wall and ceiling textures.
Plasterboard	Another name for drywall, sheetrock, or gypsum board, plasterboard is a wall material made of pulverized gypsum rock and commonly used as a wall finish material.
Plastics	Synthetically produced, nonmetallic compounds that can be molded, hardened, and used for manufacture of various products.
Plate Rail	A narrow shelf for displaying plates.
Platform Bed	A low,self-contained bed frame that features slats or webbing for suspension, eliminating the need for a box spring.
Pleasing Match	A veneer method where attention is given to matching color and grain for a pleasing final effect.
Pleated Shades	Factory-manufactured polyester fabric shades permanently heat set into one-inch pleats. May be metallized on the reverse for energy efficiency.
Pleated Valances	A fabric top treatment that is given fullness through pleating.
Plenum	The space between a suspended ceiling and the floor above.
Plexiglas	A highly transparent, lightweight, thermoplastic acrylic resin made into sheets like glass. Unlike glass, it is not easily broken.
Plies	Thin layers of wood laminated together to make plywood.
Plinth	The portion of a structure between the surface of the surrounding ground and surface of the floor , immediately above the ground.
Plinth Area	The built up covered area measured at the floor level of the basement or of any storey.
Plotter	A computer mechanical drawing printer that can produce drafting, two-and three-dimensional illustrations, and perspectives.
Plumbing	The systems thin carry water, sewage, or central vacuums.
Plumbing Chase	A thick wall containing plumbing.
Plush Carpet	A tufted carpet with a dense, short, even pile in solid colors. Originally intended to imitate the pile of an Oriental rug.
Plutonic	Igneous rocks which have formed from magma at a great depth in the earth's crust.
Plywood	A product made of thin sheets of wood glued together in layers.
Pneumatic System Construction	Air-inflated or air-supported structures.
Pocket Door	A door that slides into a pocket recessed in the wall.
Podium	The base on which Roman buildings are built.
Point	Is perceived when a two-dimensionally perceived object appears relatively small in relation to the plane against which it is seen.
Point Or Pinpoint Lighting	Spotlighting a tiny area for emphasis or a glitter effect.
Pointing	It consists in ranking out joints in brick work or in stone masonry to depth of about 13mm and filling the same with mortar of slightly richer mix.
Polaroid Transfer	A trademarked named for the process by which an image recorded by the camera's lens is reproduced directly onto a photosensitive surface, which functions as both film and photograph.
Polybloom	A registered trademark of Chevron for olefin.
Polychromatic	Having various or changing colors.
Polyester	A synthetic long-chain polymer fiber of polymer ester. A durable, dimensionally stable fiber that is highly versatile. Most sheer and semisheer fabrics are of polyester. Used for residential carpeting and scatter rugs and for wall covering fabrics that are often used in nonresidential interiors.
Polypropylene	A modified olefin fiber used for artificial turf, tufted indoor-outdoor carpeting, and nonwoven (needlepunched) carpets and tiles. Also used for a primary and secondary hacking for some carpeting. A registered trademark of Thiokol for olefin.
Polyurethane	A paint and varnish resin that forms a protective coating on wood. Sold under the names Varathane, Urethane, and Durathane.
Pompeii And Herculaneum (Destroyed A.D. 79, Excavation Began 1754)	Sister cities on the Ray of Naples (Southern Italy) that contained prosperous classical Roman architecture, preserved by the ashes and lava mud flow of Mount Vesuvius. Archaeological excavations resulted in the introduction of the Neoclassic or Classic Revival style in Europe and America.
Pool Of Light	A circle of light thrown by a downlighter or spotlight.
Poppy Oil	It is prepared by pressing poppy seeds. It is used for very delicate colours , it is expensive and is thus used for internal painting of light shades.
Porcelain	A clay body that is white, strong, and hard when fired. When sufficiently thin, it is also translucent.
Porch	A covered surface supported on pillars or otherwise for the purpose of pedestrian or vehicular approach to the building.
Porphyry	A granitelike texture achieved by crisscross brushing, then stippling, spattering, and finally cissing paint. Also a type of stone.
Portable Computer	A keyboard, monitor, and drive unit that folds into the size of a briefcase.
Portable Luminaires	Nonarchitectural lighting such as table and floor lamps or plug-in wall lights.
Portable Space Heaters	Small units that produce heat for a small area or a room. Types include electric and propane heaters; they vary in their size, output, electricity consumption, and safety.
Portal	The porch on a Southwest Adobe house.
Portico	A covered entry structure normally supported by columns.
Portland Cement	This is the most widely used type of cement and is so named because of its resemblance of its properties with a well known natural stone quarried at portland. Lime , slica and alumina are its main constituents.
Positive Space	Space filled in with a two- or three-dimensional form or shape.
Post Plate	This is similar to a wall plate with the only difference that it run continuously , parallel to the face of the wall , over posts and supports the rafters at their feet.
Post-Occupancy Evaluation (Poe)	The formal process of looking at a design once it is in use to see how well it is Functioning.
Potpourri	French term for the mixture of dried flower petals used to perfume a room.
Power	The quality of acoustic energy as measured in watts. It is this power that people perceive as loudness.
Prang Theory	Another name for the Standard Color Wheel theory.
Prefinishes	Processes that prepare a fabric for coloring, decorative, or functional finishes. Prefinishes include scouring, preshrinking, bleaching, mercerizing, and sizing.
Premium Grade	Gives the highest level of quality in materials, workmanship, and installation.
Prepasted Wall Coverings	Wall coverings with a dry paste or adhesive preapplied to the back which is moistened, then pasted to the wall or ceiling.
Preservation	Maintaining a building in its present state or the state to which it has been restored.
Preshrinking	A prefinish process of subjecting a cloth to wet or dry heat to cause it to shrink and stabilize before further finishing or coloring.
Pressed Glass	Decorative glass formed in molds.
Pretil	A row of brick trim used to cap the adobe walls of the Territorial-style Southwest Adobe houses.
Pretrimmed Wall Coverings	Wall coverings with selvages trimmed off at the factory.
Primary Color	Red, blue, or yellow that can't be produced in pigments by mixing other colors. Primaries plus black and white, in turn, combine to make all the other hues.
Primary Colors	The three basic colors of which all other colors are comprised of: Red, Yellow, and Blue.
Primary Focal Point	The main point of emphasis in an environment. The object, area, or grouping that first catches the eye.
Primary Hues	Red, yellow, and blue, as based on the Standard Color Wheel theory.
Primers	Liquid preparations that seal the surface and prepare it for paint application.
Priming	This consists in applying first coat or the priming coat on the surface to fill the pores of wood by penetrating the primer inside the wood.
Principles Of Design	Scale, proportion, balance, rhythm, emphasis, and harmony (unity and variety).
Print	An image made from an inked surface. Prints are usually, but not always, produced by multiples.
Printing	Applying color to a finished cloth by hand (batik, tie-dye, stencil) or mechanical processes (automated silk screen, roller, transfer).
Printmaking	A method of in two-dimensional art pieces by various means. See also block prints, engravings, etchings,lithographs, and serigraphs.
Priscilla Curtains	Sheer, semisheer, or muslin curtains with ruffles on all edges, on the ties, and as a valance; they meet at the center or crisscross; a colonial style.
Privacy Draperies	A white, an off-white, or perhaps a colored fabric installed on a traverse rod next to the window to be drawn closed at night for privacy.
Private Zones	Areas within a home that dictate privacy?the bedroom and the bathroom, for example.
Problem Statement	A short declaration that identifies a design project according to purpose, location, and those for whom the design is being created.
Product Design	The design of furniture, accessories, or other components that are marketed in the design field.
Profile	An outline of user characteristics, habits, background, and design preferences that helps determine the direction a design should take.
Program	Everything that happens or must be accomplished in an interior. It also is the written document that describes what will take place in an interior.
Programming	The research phase of the design.
Progression	A type of rhythm (a principle of design) wherein shapes repeat in diminishing or escalating sizes or where colors graduate from light to dark. Also called rhythm by gradation.
Projecting Fireplace	A fireplace that projects beyond the wall plane to which it is mounted.
Proportion	Is the relationship between one part of an object or composition and another part and to the whole, or between one element and another.
Proprietary Specification	Names the products and materials by manufacturer's name, model number, or part number.
Protein Fibers	Natural fibers or fabrics whose source is animal based
Provincial	Rustic; local; from the provinces or countryside.
Proxemics	The way people use space and the way that use is related to culture.
Ps Lamp	A pear-shaped incandescent lamp, often with a long neck.
Puarry Tile	Rust-colored tiles that are fired at lower temperatures than ceramic tiles and valued for their natural terra-cotta coloration. Typically square or hexagonal shapes.
Pueblo	Communal dwelling of the Pueblo Indians.
Pullout	A full-extension cabinet component, such as a built-in pantry, hamper, basket, or shelf that is fitted with ball-bearing slides for ease of operation.
Punch List	A checklist of items to be completed before final building inspection and occupation.
Purlin	A horizontal timber laid parallel to the wall plate and ridge beam, providing extra support for common rafters.
Purlins	These are horizontal members of wood or steel , used to support common rafters.