Architectural Styles: Structural Elements

Flat arches are either level or have a slightly curved arch. This arch has supportive voussoirs, which are wedge-shaped stones or bricks.

Gothic arches, also called pointed arches, are narrow and pointed at the top. They were seen during the Gothic period in Europe from about middle 12th century to the 16th century. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries in America, a Gothic Revival style incorporated these pointed arches into homes and buildings.

Moorish arches, also called Horseshoe Arches, have an exotic shape. They're most likely to be seen on commercial buildings such as theaters. A Moorish Revival style of the early 20th century in America reintroduced this arch style into the architecture scene.

Corinthian columns have capitals with two rows of carved acanthus leaves and four spirals sprouting over the leaves. This style of column was originally Greek but was more widely used by the Romans.

Doric columns are used in the Doric order of Architecture, one of the three widely-seen Classical orders of architecture originating from ancient Greece. Doric columns have capitals with a simple curved molding. They were more typical of ancient Greek architecture than of Roman architecture.

Egyptian columns often have a lotus motif on the capital. Originally used during Ancient Egyptian times, this style re-appeared during the Egyptian Revival style seen during the late 18th and 19th centuries as well as in the Art Deco style in the early to mid 20th century. They became particularly fashionable, along with all things Egyptian, in the years following Howard Carter's discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb in 1922.

Eyebrow dormers have a low upward curve, with no distinct vertical sides, allowing for a curved window that looks much like an eye behind sleepy eyelids. Eyebrow dormers are often seen in shingled roofs, particularly in the Shingle style of architecture popular in the late 19th century.

Gable dormers have a gabled roof, with two sloping planes that meet at a central ridge. During the English Tudor period in the 16th century, dormers with gable roofs were typical.

Hipped dormers have a hipped roof with three sloping planes that meet at the top. Prairie Style and Craftsman houses will sometimes have hipped dormers, as will most homes with a hipped roof.

Cavetto is a concave molding that is a quarter-round. It is used for crown molding as a transition from wall to ceiling planes.

Cyma recta has a concave curve over a convex curve. It is essentially a cavetto over an ovolo and was traditionally used in Classical architecture in the cornice and architrave.

Cyma reversa, also called an Ogee, is the opposite of cyma recta; it has a convex curve over a concave curve. Like Cyma Recta, it was used in Classical architecture in the cornice or architrave of a building.

Scotia is a concave molding that curves to a half-round, creating a semi-circle or half an ellipse. It was typically used in Classical architecture at the base of a column.

Hipped roofs slope in four directions. The "hip" is the angle formed where two sloped sides meet. This roof is used with many different architectural styles and is said to stand up to hurricane winds better than a gable roof.

Mansard roofs have four sloping sides, like a hipped roof, and each side has a shallow slope over a steep slope, similar to a gambrel roof. There are almost always dormers in a mansard roof. Mansard is named after the French architect Francois Mansart (1598-1666), who was known to use this style of roof. This roof style was particularly popular in the latter half of the 19th century, and is often seen on Victorian row houses.

Pavilion-hipped roofs have four sloping planes that meet in a single point. They are sometimes also called pyramid-hipped roofs and are typically used on smaller buildings, such as garages or pool houses.

Bay windows project from the side of a house, adding light and extra square footage to a room. The area inside a bay window creates a cozy nook, well-suited for a window seat or a dining area.

Bow windows project from the side of a building like bay windows, only with a curved shape. It's typically more expensive to build a bow window than a bay window.

Box bay windows project from the side of a house. They have a square shape with 90-degree angles at the corners. The shape of the window creates a shelf that's ideal for added space in front of a kitchen sink or a desk.

Paired windows are two windows next to each other, oftentimes under an arch. The support between the windows is called a mullion.

Palladian windows are named after the 16th century Italian architect Andrea Palladio, who used this window design in developing what is known as the Palladian style of architecture. This window will be a focal point in a room and has been widely used in a variety of traditional architectural styles.

Ribbon windows are a row of windows separated by vertical posts, called mullions. Ribbon windows can be used high on a wall to bring added light to a room. Ribbon windows installed near the ceiling are called clerestory windows.