Photo by Jim Bartsch Lintel: A horizontal crosspiece above a door or window that supports the weight of the structure above it.

TIME WARP

Adobe walls and thick wood lintels are hallmarks of Southwest style. This feature is evident at the Presidio in Santa Barbara (below), a military fortress built in the 1700s, and in modern-day homes. In the example shown above, an exposed lintel built into a faux adobe wall of a Santa Barbara residence pays homage to historic Southwestern architecture while bringing character to a powder room portal.