Ornamental work is much more than decoration on a building—it can refer to just about everything added after the structural skeleton is in place, including the stone or glass that encloses the structure, stairways, handrails, moldings, and more.

Much of the work of historic preservation involves relearning techniques of the past in order to restore and refurbish the non-structural or ornamental elements in the built environment. This section includes examples of ornamental work on both historic buildings and public artworks.