Where are carved ornaments used?

Hand-carved wooden ornaments can be found on furniture, doors, facades, mirror and picture frames, altars, pulpits and in the interior decoration of historic buildings.

Which style periods are important in ornament design?

Key European style periods include Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassicism. Each period has typical leaf forms, profiles and characteristic movement patterns.

Which woods are used for ornaments?

For fine, elegant ornaments, lindenwood is often used; for doors and facades, oak is common. Depending on the purpose, maple, walnut or other hardwoods can also be used.

What determines the price of a carved ornament?

The price mainly depends on size, wood species, depth and complexity of the carving, the style period and the desired finish (natural, stained, painted or gilded).

Ornament Lexicon – Ornaments explained simply

Q: What is an ornament?

An ornament is a deliberately designed decorative element that embellishes surfaces, edges or architectural members without being a load-bearing part itself. In wood carving, ornaments are carved as plastic reliefs from solid wood.

This Ornament Lexicon explains the most important terms related to style ornaments, furniture ornaments and architectural ornaments – easy to understand yet craft-accurate. It is for everyone who appreciates historic furniture, facades, doors or frames and would like to know what terms like acanthus, rocaille, volute or frieze actually mean.

The explanations follow European style history from the Romanesque period through to Neoclassicism. This is not meant to replace an academic textbook, but it will give you a solid foundation for recognising styles correctly and – in the case of restoration or a new commission – having ornaments reproduced in an appropriate manner.

What is an ornament?

An ornament is a deliberately designed decoration that embellishes surfaces, edges or architectural members without being a load-bearing element itself. Ornaments can be found on:

Furniture (crowns, panel frames, mouldings, consoles)
Facades (gable decoration, cornices, door and window crowns)
Interiors (ceiling friezes, wall panels, altars, pulpits)
Frames (mirrors, picture frames, home altars)

In wood carving, ornaments are created as plastic reliefs carved from the wood. Light and shadow make the forms come alive. Good ornaments are clearly composed, stylistically consistent and follow an inner logic of movement, counter-movement and points of rest.

Structure of a style ornament – key terms

Depending on the period, many shapes occur. Some basic terms appear again and again:

Acanthus: leaf motif with strong, rolled lobes, typical of Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo.
Volute: spiral/scroll form, often used on consoles, capitals and frame corners.
Rocaille: shell-like, asymmetrical form, a core motif of Rococo.
Cartouche: framed field, often used for coats of arms, monograms or inscriptions.
Frieze: elongated decorative band dividing a piece horizontally.
Cornice: projecting profile at the upper finish of furniture or facades.
Console: supporting bracket in S-shape or volute form.

Key style periods in ornament design

Ornament design changed significantly over the centuries. Some of the most important European periods are:

Romanesque (c. 850–1250)

Features: bold block shapes, round arches, interlace, simple leaf forms.
Effect: massive, earthbound, archaic.

Gothic (c. 1230–1500)

Features: pointed arches, tracery, fine vines, long leaf tips.
Effect: upward-striving, openwork, filigree.

Renaissance (c. 1500–1620)

Features: clear structure, coffering, egg-and-dart, bead moulding, acanthus leaves.
Effect: calm, balanced, architecturally ordered.

Baroque (c. 1600–1730)

Features: strong movement, bold acanthus, sweeping S-curves, flowing transitions.
Effect: dramatic, rich, powerful.

Rococo (c. 1730–1780)

Features: rocaille forms, delicate leaf scrolls, asymmetrical sweeps.
Effect: light, playful, elegant.

Neoclassicism (c. 1770–1830)

Features: clear axes, garlands, laurel wreaths, antique-inspired motifs.
Effect: strict, calm, noble restraint.

Ornaments in practice and restoration

For restoration or replacement, it is crucial to match the original style and proportions. Typical tasks include:

Replacing missing furniture ornaments (corners, panel frames, centre pieces)
Carving new gable ornaments for timber-frame houses or front doors
Creating frame ornaments for mirrors and pictures in the correct period
Ornament work on sacred objects (altars, pulpits, devotional pieces)

In my workshop, such ornaments are carved as one-off pieces by hand – matched to the existing style, the wood species and the desired finish (natural, stained, painted or gilded).

Books and sources on ornament

If you would like to explore ornament design in more depth, you will find inspiration in:

Textbooks on European furniture and architectural history
Pattern books and historic ornament plates (Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicism)
Museums and collections of historic furniture and woodcarving

For practical information about commissioning and pricing hand-carved style ornaments, please see the page

Ornament Info

Heraldry Lexicon • Coat of arms info

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