The meaning of CORNICE is the molded and projecting horizontal member that crowns an architectural composition. In this guide, we walk you through step-by-step instructions on how to build a new window cornice for your home. In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian cornice meaning "ledge" [1]) is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a pedestal, or along the top of an interior wall.

Understanding the Context

Discover elegant window cornices and valance boxes. Find decorative options in aluminum, fabric, and faux wood to enhance any room's style. On a house, a cornice is the finished horizontal trim at the top of the exterior wall or roofline. It may be simple and modern or highly detailed with classical elements such as dentil molding, brackets, or corbels.

Key Insights

In Classical architecture, and even Neoclassical, a cornice is the uppermost horizontal area that protrudes or sticks out, like moldings along the top of a wall or just below a roof line. Cornice, in architecture, the decorated projection at the top of a wall provided to protect the wall face or to ornament and finish the eaves. The term is used as well for any projecting element that crowns an architectural feature, such as a doorway.