Molding History
Builders have used moldings since the evolution of hard walled structures. The many shapes and forms create definition through highlights, light and shadow that enhance interior and exteriors of rooms and structures.
Throughout the classic world early structures were built in the service of religion. Early builders of various cultures developed a system of proportion and scale to add uniformity and continuity to their designs.
The Classic Orders developed these early designs. Click here to see examples of typical Greek moldings and drawings of the classical Orders. These styles, in turn, were adopted extensively in Victorian Architecture.
As the industrial revolution spread from Europe to America, mass production of classical ornament became commonplace. San Francisco's location near the expanse of the Redwood empire contributed to the widespread use of wooden housing and decoration in this area. Even the average working-class homeowner could afford a highly ornamented and often unique house decorated in Italianate, San Francisco Stick, or Queen Anne Victorian styles.
