The growth in popularity of moulding in interior design has generated some new thinking about possible moulding arrangements and locations. Moulding is no longer confined to crown moulding or baseboard. Innovations in materials and an increased desire by homeowners to enhance the appearance of their spaces without spending exorbitant amounts of money have created a market for creative moulding designs. Moulding is highly customizable and can be used in individual pieces or as a group to create unique effects. Incorporating color into a moulding set up has also become a popular and cost-efficient way of adding richness and sophistication to an interior space.
Consumers interested in adding creatively placed moulding should be aware of several factors related to the project. First, it is a good practice to consult a firm that will be using high-quality materials. Though cost for materials may be slightly higher than a competitor, moulding must be constructed well to withstand the settling of a residence and the constant pulls of gravity and bowing on a wall. Innovations in the materials available for moulding installations have opened up the field to projects not previously consistent from a durability standpoint. Second, contractors or home improvement companies with experience in ceiling and window fixtures are generally more proficient in moulding than a crew of painters or a general handyman.
Creative places for moulding range from the frame of a door and its jamb to window fixtures and wall panels. Moulding doesn’t necessarily have to frame an entire room. The eye may be drawn to moulding that is used to break up a wall into individual panels or sections, giving the appearance of a larger space. Decorative frame moulding formed on an interior wall affords and extremely clean, elegant appearance. Chair rails can be placed below moulding frames on the upper half of a wall to add another element of design and character. Some residences where wall space is broken up with frame moulding also have bead and board panels below the chair rail. Dimensions created by breaking up the space and any variations in color between the sections create excitement in an otherwise stale environment.
Wainscoting serves the purpose of frame moulding – complementing a chair rail and bead board – by combining the elements into panels that are placed directly onto the surface of a wall. Wainscoting is an excellent way to dress up tall, narrow interior spaces such as stairwells and hallways, but it is also commonly used to add texture and depth to larger rooms. Similar to the paneled appearance of frame moulding, wainscoting can be either painted to contrast the wall color or blend in to emphasize the effect of texture alone. Wainscoting has been used in interior design for centuries, and can be modified to complement nearly any architectural style.
Aside from the emphasis on decorative elements, many types of moulding also offer protection and functional benefits. Base boards are a good example of moulding intended to serve as a protective barrier that has grown into an opportunity for added design options. Long considered a necessary piece for the protection of a wall against kicks, skids and other scarring contact, base boards have evolved into customizable accessories. Adding a touch of design to base board moulding, when integrated in a room with crown moulding, creates a completely framed appearance that projects a finished feel.
Finishing moulding is important in the sense that walls and floors are not entirely unmovable. Additionally, for the more creative homeowner, finishing moulding creates opportunities for added style. Moulding can be painted, finished with varying wood tones or layered with decorative elements. Alternating shades or finishes on a coffered ceiling is a particularly effective way of creating depth and illusions in scale. Similarly, alternating finishes enhances the appearance of archway moulding or separating walls in a manner conducive to breaking up spaces.
Clearly defining individual sections within or between rooms is beneficial in the overall flow of a design scheme. One common example of changes in the pattern of moulding or a moulding finish to define separate spaces regularly exists between a combined kitchen and dinette area. Paint colors and a bold panel or wainscoting easily break one shared space into two distinct visual representations of functional rooms.
Using moulding in creative ways gives homeowners the opportunity to completely change the look and feel of a room. The days of every home only having crown moulding and base boards are long gone. With new and different types of moulding now available, the design possibilities are endless.
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Kevin Wales is the founder and co-owner of Just Moulding. He has established efficiencies in daily operations and workflow to optimize the local business to help it become the premiere decorative trim installation company in the United States.
