Decor Terminology Cheat Sheet: Let’s Simplify the Jargon

If you’ve ever dived into home decor articles or DIY videos and felt a little lost with the terminology, you’re not alone. Some of these words can sound a bit fancy, but the good news? Most of them are super easy to understand once you break them down. Here’s a simple, no-nonsense (somewhat alphabetized) cheat sheet of common decor terms to help you feel more confident when styling your space.

Accent Wall

An accent wall is one wall in a room that’s designed to stand out. It’s usually painted a bold color or covered in wallpaper to make it pop against the other walls, which are more neutral. It’s a quick, easy way to add personality without redoing the entire room.

Art Deco

Art Deco is a bold, glamorous style that became popular in the 1920s and 30s. It features geometric shapes, rich colors, and luxurious materials like brass, glass, and marble.

Aesthetic

In design, an aesthetic refers to the overall look and feel of a space, often shaped by a specific style or theme. It’s the mood or vibe you get when you walk into a room. Whether you’re going for a minimalist aesthetic (clean, simple lines and neutral tones) or a boho aesthetic (colorful, eclectic, and layered), the aesthetic is essentially the personality of the space.

Choosing an aesthetic helps guide your design choices—like the colors, textures, and materials you use—so that everything works together to create a consistent and pleasing atmosphere. It’s about crafting a space that visually reflects your personal taste and lifestyle.

Accent

An accent is a detail that adds interest to a room. It could be an accent color, an accent wall, or an accent piece of furniture. Accents are often used to create focal points and draw attention to certain areas of the space.

Accent Colors

Accent colors are those bold or contrasting hues that are used sparingly in a room to create visual interest. These colors complement the main color palette and are often found in pillows, artwork, or rugs to help make the space pop.

Appliqué

Appliqué refers to decorative elements that are applied to a surface, often used in textiles or furniture. It can be made from fabric, metal, or wood and is added to enhance a plain surface. In decor, you might see appliqué used on upholstery, cushions, or even wooden furniture to add an extra layer of detail.

Aging/Painting Techniques

Techniques like whitewashing, dry brushing, and distressing to give furniture or walls an aged, vintage look. Whitewashing adds a faded, rustic effect to wood, while dry brushing creates a slightly weathered texture by lightly dragging paint over a surface. These are easy ways to transform plain or old furniture into stylish statement pieces.

Argyle

Argyle is a diamond-shaped pattern often seen in textiles like throws, rugs, or wallpaper. It’s a great way to add a touch of traditional charm or preppy style to a room. Argyle is commonly associated with clothing but can bring a fun, patterned element to decor as well.

Boho

Short for Bohemian, this style is all about mixing patterns, textures, and colors to create an eclectic, relaxed vibe. Think rattan furniture, layered rugs, and lots of plants. It’s perfect for anyone who loves a creative, carefree look.

Beveled Edge

A beveled edge is an edge that’s cut at an angle, rather than being straight or square. You’ll often see beveled edges on mirrors, countertops, and glass tabletops.

Cohesive

A cohesive design means everything in the room fits together harmoniously. Cohesion can be achieved by maintaining a consistent color palette, style, or material throughout the space.

Contrast

Contrast is the difference between two elements that makes them stand out from each other. This could be between light and dark colors, smooth and rough textures, or soft and hard materials.

Crackle Finish

A crackle finish is a paint technique that creates an aged, cracked appearance on furniture or walls. It’s a popular choice for DIYers looking to give furniture a rustic, vintage look.

Curating

To curate means to carefully select and organize decor items to create a cohesive look. Instead of just filling a space with random pieces, curating is about thoughtfully choosing items that reflect a specific style or theme.

Damask

Damask is an ornate, reversible pattern, often floral or geometric, woven into fabrics or wallpaper. It’s associated with luxury and opulence, making it perfect for statement walls or formal upholstery.

Decoupage

Decoupage is the art of decorating furniture or objects by gluing layers of decorative paper or tissue onto a surface and sealing it with varnish. This technique is often used to give old or plain furniture a fresh, artistic look.

Dip-Dyeing

Dip-dyeing is a DIY technique where fabric or decor pieces are partially submerged in dye to create a gradient effect. It’s a fun way to add a pop of color to fabrics like curtains, pillows, or rugs.

Distressing

Distressing is a technique used to make furniture or decor items look aged or weathered. It’s often seen in rustic or shabby chic styles, giving pieces a vintage charm.

Eclectic Style

Eclectic design mixes different styles, eras, and materials to create a unique, personalized space. It’s all about curating pieces that you love, even if they’re from different styles, and tying them together with a unifying element like color or texture.

Elements

In decor, elements refer to the different components that make up a room’s design—furniture, color, texture, lighting, etc. Each element plays a role in shaping the overall look and feel of the space.

Faux Finish

A faux finish is a painting technique used to create the illusion of a different material or texture, like faux marble or wood grain, to mimic the appearance of natural materials.

Filigree

Filigree refers to intricate metalwork featuring delicate, ornamental designs. Often used in light fixtures, mirror frames, or decorative accents, filigree adds an elegant and detailed touch.

Focal Point

A focal point is the part of the room that immediately draws attention when you walk in. It could be a fireplace, a piece of art, or a bold piece of furniture.

Focused Light

Focused light is lighting that highlights a specific area or object in a room, such as a reading nook or a piece of artwork. It’s often achieved with task lighting like spotlights, desk lamps, or sconces.

Gesso

Gesso is a primer used in painting and decorative finishes, often applied to canvases, wood, or sculptures before paint is added. DIYers use gesso on wood or other materials to create a smooth, paintable surface.

Gilding

Gilding is the process of applying a thin layer of gold (or gold-colored material) to a surface, such as frames, mirrors, or furniture. It adds a touch of opulence to traditional or luxury interiors.

Grisaille

Grisaille is a painting technique that uses different shades of grey to create a monochromatic look, often to give the illusion of depth or sculptural relief.

Herringbone

Herringbone is a distinctive V-shaped pattern made up of rectangular pieces, often used in wood flooring or tiling. The pieces are laid at angles to create a zigzag effect, adding movement and texture.

High-Gloss Finish

A high-gloss finish creates a reflective, mirror-like surface, often used on cabinetry, furniture, or walls to create a sleek, shiny look.

Houndstooth

Houndstooth is a two-toned textile pattern, usually black and white, with abstract, jagged checks. It’s a classic pattern that brings a bold, instantly recognizable look to decor.

Hue

In decor, a hue is simply the pure form of a color. It’s the base color that we modify to create lighter (tints) or darker (shades) versions.

Inlay

Inlay is a decorative technique where small pieces of materials like wood, metal, or stone are set into a surface to create intricate patterns. It’s often seen in high-end furniture and adds craftsmanship to any piece.

Jacquard

Jacquard refers to woven fabric with complex patterns, typically created on a special loom. It’s often found in curtains, bedding, or upholstery, adding texture and luxury to a room.

Lacquer

Lacquer is a high-gloss finish often used on furniture or decor to create a polished, smooth surface. It’s great for giving older furniture projects a sleek, modern look.

Layering

Layering is a technique used to add depth and texture to a room by stacking different elements. This can include layering rugs, mixing textures in pillows, or placing decor items in varying heights.

Marquetry

Marquetry is the art of applying pieces of veneer to a structure to form decorative patterns or designs, typically on furniture. This intricate technique often incorporates different types of wood for contrast.

Mosaic

A mosaic is an art form where small pieces of material like ceramic, glass, or stone are arranged and glued together to create decorative patterns or images. Mosaics are popular in DIY projects for tables or backsplashes.

Negative Space

In design, negative space refers to the empty areas around objects. It helps give a room an open, airy feel, creating balance and preventing clutter.

Ombre

Ombre is a gradient effect where colors fade from dark to light (or vice versa). It’s a popular technique for painting walls, dyeing fabrics, or even styling furniture.

Opulence

Opulence refers to a style of decor that exudes luxury, grandeur, and abundance, often seen through the use of high-end materials like marble, velvet, and gilded finishes.

Palette

A palette is the combination of colors used in a space. For example, a neutral palette might include shades of white, beige, and grey, while a bold palette could feature brighter colors like teal or mustard.

Patina

Patina is the surface appearance that develops over time on materials like metal, wood, or stone, giving them a weathered, aged look. It’s valued in vintage or antique pieces for the

Passementerie

Passementerie refers to ornamental trimmings like tassels, braids, or fringe used to embellish textiles and furniture. Often found in traditional or luxurious interiors, it adds richness and detail to curtains, cushions, and upholstery.

Piping

Piping is a narrow strip of fabric sewn along the seams of upholstered furniture, cushions, or curtains. It adds a finished edge to the fabric and often serves as a decorative accent by providing contrast in color or texture.

Proportion

Proportion refers to the relationship in size between different items in a room. It’s important to balance large pieces with smaller ones to avoid any one item feeling out of place.

Reeding

Reeding is a series of parallel lines or ridges carved into wood or plaster, commonly used on furniture legs, columns, or moldings to create a subtle decorative texture.

Relief

Relief refers to a sculptural technique where elements are raised above the background surface to create depth. It’s often used in wall art, tiles, or decorative molding, adding texture and interest to otherwise flat surfaces.

Scale

Scale refers to how the size of an object relates to the size of the room. Large furniture can overwhelm a small room, while small pieces in a large space can feel insignificant. Finding the right scale helps create balance and harmony.

Sconces

Sconces are wall-mounted light fixtures often used as accent lighting. They come in various styles and are perfect for adding focused light to specific areas like bedside walls, hallways, or living room corners.

Shaker Style

Shaker style is known for its simplicity and functionality, featuring clean lines and minimal ornamentation. It’s a popular choice in cabinetry and built-ins, adding timeless elegance to kitchens and living spaces.

Statement Piece

A statement piece is a bold, eye-catching item in a room that draws attention. It could be a unique piece of furniture, a large piece of wall art, or a dramatic light fixture that brings personality and style to the space.

Stenciling

Stenciling is a DIY technique where a template is used to paint a design onto a surface, perfect for adding patterns to walls, floors, or furniture. It’s an easy way to add personality to a room.

Subway Tile

Subway tiles are rectangular ceramic tiles, often used for backsplashes or shower walls. Their clean, timeless look makes them a popular choice in both traditional and modern designs.

Tactile

In decor, tactile refers to how something feels when touched. It’s an important consideration when selecting fabrics, surfaces, and finishes, like soft throws or rough wood, that engage the senses.

Texture

Texture refers to how a surface feels or looks like it feels. Combining different textures—like smooth leather, rough wood, and soft wool—adds interest and depth to a room, making it feel more inviting.

Timeless

A timeless design refers to styles or pieces that never go out of fashion. They’re often classic and simple, meaning they won’t look dated in a few years and can adapt to different decor trends.

Transitional Style

Transitional decor blends traditional and modern design elements, creating a look that feels both fresh and grounded. It’s perfect for people who want the timelessness of classic decor with a modern twist.

Trompe-l’œil

Trompe-l’œil is a painting technique that creates the optical illusion that a flat surface is three-dimensional. It’s often used in murals or wallpapers to trick the eye into seeing depth where there is none.

Upcycling

Upcycling means taking old or discarded items and transforming them into something new and useful. It’s popular in DIY projects where items are repurposed or refreshed to create custom decor.

Veneer

Veneering involves applying a thin layer of wood or other material over furniture to give it a fresh, high-quality look. It’s a common DIY technique to refresh older or lower-end furniture.

Venetian Plaster

Venetian plaster is a polished finish made from marble dust mixed into plaster, creating a smooth, reflective surface. It adds a luxurious, high-end look to walls and ceilings.

Vignette

A vignette is a small, styled grouping of objects, often displayed on a table or shelf. It’s a way to tell a story through a collection of items—like candles, books, plants—that work together to create a cohesive look.