Have you ever taken a tour of a medieval castle? As you wander around you're taken in by the immense size, the history, and the wonder of how they constructed this amazing structure without the aid of modern machinery. Stone masons and carpenters of old worked diligently to craft beautiful, yet functional structural elements. One such element that was commonly used was a corbel.
Corbels are used to support an overhanging structure like a balcony or a ledge. Since they are exposed to view, craftsmen make sure to embellish them so that they are visually appealing. You can see corbels in many different building styles and periods, from the elaborately carved classical style of the early English and French castles, to the detailed wood carved corbels in Chinese architecture.
Unfortunately, much of the beauty of these architectural details has been lost with the use of steel beams and modern contruction techniques. Yet sometimes, what we gain from technology, we lose in art and beauty.
Recent years have seen a return to the use of strong architectural details in home building. Homes with features such as coffered ceilings, wainscoting, elaborate millwork and corbels set them apart from the cookie cutter spec home. These elements add not only beauty but a sense of history and permanence to a home.
You can add corbels to any structure that needs support from underneath. Kitchen cabinets, overhanging island countertops, archways, mantels, moldings, and bookcases are all ideal places to add this architectural detail inside the home. Outdoors you can play up the curb appeal of your home by adding corbels under roof eaves, balconies and porches to add that feeling of history and structural soundness. They can be in the form of simple arts & crafts-inspired wood brackets to ornately carved thick and heavy stone corbels reminiscent of castles of old.
To see how you can add corbels or other architectural features to your home, contact us. You'll be amazed how your home can be transformed.
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