Decorative plaster, which may also be referred to as “plasterwork” or “carved plaster”, is an art using plaster construction material to make decorative elements and features on exterior or interior walls, ceilings, and other surfaces. The application of decorative plaster on ceilings and walls can be traced back to the days of the Roman Empire, even though its downfall followed after this, and it experienced its revival again during the 13th and 14th centuries.
Plasterwork serves mainly the decorative purpose rather than structural forms. The major function of this kind of art is to decorate the area which it is being applied to, and to convey magnificence or stateliness to the space that you are trying to restore or build. These features should be used in the strongest decorative plasters to make sure that such finishes on walls and ceilings will be there for many years.
Different Types of Decorative Plaster
Domes
Concave surfaces of domes don’t have to be large in the surface area to be able to create a lasting impact. Frequently, the shallow and dome-shaped ceilings were designed with the intention of attracting the audience’s attention towards higher points in the room. They are often the focal point and are either size proportionate to the larger space or in a smaller area such as a hallway. Domes are a popular choice for architects who are looking for Greco-Roman revival spaces. The inside of the dome can be embellished with many finishes such as flat paint, mural, or scalloped with plaster.
Cornices
These are the horizontal ridges with basic or repeating patterns. They also appear on top of doorways, windows, furniture, built-in fixtures, and other elements of great prominence within a space. Traditionally, the most common were the dentil, bevelled, rounded, stepped and elongated variations of the aforementioned styles. The sculptures, which are not an exception, can depict leaves, animals or anything relevant to the architectural trend. The walls are joined by large plaster cornices that surround doorways and windows, making them visually more prominent. The making of the simple cornice involves the act of applying the wet plaster into form and then using a specially designed knife that produces the final molding pattern.
Columns
Columns can redefine space, especially when a space has high ceilings or an open area that leads to the floor above. A basic column is composed of three parts: a pedestal, a pillar, and a capital. There are five main classically based columns:
- Doric
- Ionic
- Corinthian
- Tuscan
- Ornamentation
These five types of columns range from the simple to the more ornate, and Doric is among the most basic, while Corinthian requires more details. Typically, the Corinthian capital is embellished with locally inspired motifs, such as southern plantations that use tobacco leaves and intricate scrolling instead of the traditional ancient Greek depiction (i.e., acanthus leaves). Other variations include gilding. The shaft may have different degrees of decoration. Doric columns are exceptional in that they do not have a base.
Chair Rail
Just as the name suggests, the chair rail is a moulding, which is a type of railing that is along with the chair rail’s height all around the room (commonly dining room). Although it may be highly decorated, you can often see it in its simplest forms, such as rectangular or flatter mouldings. However beautiful it is as a decorative piece, the main task it performs is protection. It protects the plaster walls of apartments from the wood chair’s back.
Arches
These are frequently used in the hallways to break up the long corridors and act as a way of joining rooms without adding another door or as a way of disguising unsightly structural supports. The keystone arch, which resembles the arches of ancient times, is the most typical type of arch. The big “centre stone” represents the keystones that were the most important ones in the past and held all the other stones in the arch together. In accordance with the movement of the space, the arch can be flat or coffered. The ornamentation might include an arched relief, or cornices might be at the base of the structure.
Medallions
Medallions are usually placed on the ceiling, near the top of a chandelier, or on walls with their centre on the space or at the bottom of the sconce. They also have different sizes and shapes. A medallion may well stand separately in a space; however, it is most often symmetrical along an imaginary axis. Chandelier medallions are typically used and are mostly round, bordered, scalloped, or with a flower, geometrical, or consisting of some of the elements of mouldings and friezes that are already used in that space.
Fireplace Surrounds
The fireplace was the center of attention in a room in the past, but today it can be adorned with big, elaborate mantels and plaster work. This is done to enhance the beauty of the fireplace. The typical decoration of this style includes pilasters (fake columns), relief on both sides, and the molding on either side of the mantelpiece and carving above the fireplace.
Skirting
Most of the time, this kind of moulding is known as a baseboard. It is a common architectural feature that is found at the spot where the wall meets the floor. In skirting, also known as a skim coat, the design is generally simpler when compared to other decorative plasters. As a rule, it is smooth, does not have much detailing or beveling, and may be of different heights to adapt the design. Skirting boards are a combination of functional and aesthetic elements: they shield the wall from scratches and dents to give a neat and complete appearance to a room. Moreover, techniques such as marbleizing can be used on the mouldings in addition to this to complete this transition even more and make the decoration of the room more compatible. This extra detail can enhance the whole look, more or less highlighting the flooring or the wall, depending on the selected style and colour scheme.
Pilasters
Pilasters, which are used to force the eye upward, are often found in spacious areas such as large halls with high ceilings. Although they are not architecturally essential on their own, they do a lot to enhance the sense of space. Such column moldings are frequently designed to either directly reproduce specific column styles or to directly copy the columns found elsewhere in the given space. Usually they are Ionic or Corinthian columns.
Conclusion
Plaster is definitely the most flexible material that can be moulded into the wanted shapes in a short time. This craftsmanship enables the artist to develop unique cornices; thus, the house decoration becomes more sophisticated and elegant. Decorative plaster plays a crucial role in enhancing these architectural details. Nevertheless, the passage of time and water damage can harm the plastering work, decreasing its attractiveness and stability. Fortunately, the invention of modern technology and the use of traditional craftsmanship presents a way out of this problem. This kind of tool and method is capable of restoring life and restoring plaster mouldings that have been lost or damaged over time. Through this process, the places are brought back to their former glory.
