Designing a Dream Nursery

Sometimes it really is all about the details. Trim can take a plain room and give it that wow factor. Trim creates an interplay of light and shadow, which gives depth and visual interest to the structure of your room. Molding and other types of trim are common in historical houses. However, no matter the overall style of your new house, adding the following trim options to your residential designs can make your rooms even more beautiful.

Picture Frame Wainscoting

Picture frame wainscoting, or wall framing, is one way to delineate spaces on a wall. Wall framing consists of thin strips of molding attached to the wall in squares and rectangles. You can choose from different styles of molding, such as contoured, flat band, and wall. Picture frame wainscoting gives your walls the effect of raised wood paneling.

Textured Walls

Wall frames are not the only way to add visual interest to your walls. You can use molding to create even more texture. If you really want the interplay of light and shadow, consider using trim to create a lattice effect. This effect works well under a chair or picture rail, which is another form of wall texture. A chair rail is horizontal trim located about a third of the way up the wall, while picture rails are located higher up.

Ceiling Medallion

If you want your trim to give your room a formal effect, consider a ceiling medallion. This trim consists of an ornate shape. Contractors use it to delineate the center of the room. You commonly find ceiling medallions serving as the base for a central light fixture.

Coved Ceiling

When contractors cove a ceiling, they install a rounded framing detail that lends the meeting of wall and ceiling a curved appearance. Instead of a hard 90-degree angle, you get a gentle transition. The coving can be subtle, or it can be gradual and even ornate. As Better Homes and Gardens points out, coving a ceiling adds elegance to your room.

Arched Doorway Trim

Another way to add elegance to a room is with an arched doorway trim. As with the coved ceiling, this trim style removes the hard angles. What's more, it adds a classical appeal with the arch. Arched doorway trim is often carved and ornate, featuring a ledged header and detailed door legs. However, you can choose simpler style if you want the emphasis to be in the shape.

Add architectural interest to your new house by including trim in your rooms.