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A Guide to Architectural Columns in Your Home

Choosing the Perfect Columns

You don’t place columns in your home without intention. Columns are for homeowners that want a certain look, a lot of elegance, and perhaps some architectural interest. Columns are design elements that have served a dual purpose during throughout history: they often give structural support, like to a front porch that overhangs a house, but they also create a distinct style. Some columns are just pillars that are used for decoration while others are part of the structural support system within a home or building. They have a visual effect no matter where they are placed and can add elegance to a home’s décor, either inside or out.

 

Column Architectural Styles

One of the features that can help define a home’s style right away is to place columns on the front porch. Columns on the porch often elicit a Roman or Greek style and are seen today in many different homes across the country, including those in the craftsman or colonial style. Homes all over are utilizing columns with a contemporary style to give their home a classic beauty and fresh look. If you are looking for columns in a certain style, it is good to know which ones illicit a style that appeals to you. Here are the five most common and popular column styles.

Doric

These columns are short and heavy and have round capitals.

Ionic

With a large base, scrolled capitals, and slender pillars, these columns make a statement.

Corinthian

These slender columns often have elaborate carvings, complete with a fluted appearance.

Tuscan

The simple design on these columns, with a plain base and unfluted shaft, fits into the style and design of many homes. 

Composite

This column mixes the styles of the Corinthian and Ionic columns.

Which Column Style Suits You?

What you choose for a column style depends on a number of things. You want to suit your own taste and aesthetic and figure out what works best within your home. You also have a budget to meet, of course, and you have your own specific style preferences. There are also things to consider like maintenance, materials, and more. Some homeowners will go with wood porch columns, which are traditional in many home types. There are also those that prefer PVC for low maintenance reasons. But it is hard to beat the beauty and elegance of natural stone columns on any home.

Column Application Inside Or Out

Another thing to consider is where the columns will be placed. They can work well either inside or outside of a home, depending on the look you want. For practical reasons, many people use them as porch supports. They can also be placed inside a home as a support system for a ceiling. They are structural in nature and can help with load bearing in a larger room. Columns can also, however, be used as decorative items that are placed in doorways, entryways, or anywhere else just to raise the elegance of the space.

Column Experts Can Help

If you think columns are a good way to go for your home, either inside or out, contact the professionals at Impression to get a read on what style and material might work best for your taste and preferences.

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