Walls, ceilings, floors, cabinets, countertops...these are the most familiar surfaces of our homes--the ones that make up our "interiors." Both highly functional and decorative, they buffer the daily wear-and-tear of busy families and give a house its true inner personality.
These are the elements that determine a house interior's durability, elegance, warmth, comfort, maintenance requirements and--of course--expense.
Understanding the makeup of these elements can be helpful in both maintaining homes and making decisions. It's much easier to mount bookshelves when you know what's behind the wall covering. This is true for a number of projects around the house. And basic knowledge can be critical when the inevitable time comes to make choices about wall coverings, floorings and so forth--not only in choosing the right materials but in discussing your needs and wishes with contractors or installers.
This chapter looks at the surfaces of a home's interiors: walls, ceilings, moldings, floorings, stairs, cabinets and countertops.
--Don Vandervort
