Monday, June 1, 2009

Choose Crown Molding

Adding crown moldings can enhance the look and architectural details of a room. Most brand-new cookie cutter homes that come with boring square rooms with plain walls can look different from the others just by simply adding these decorative embellishments. Furthermore, crown moldings can help increase the value of a home. It is important to choose the right type of crown molding for your home. Different styles or decorations call for corresponding types of crown moldings. With numerous types to choose from here are some helpful tips to help you make the right choice.


Instructions


1. Determine the style of your home. Choose the style that matches the overall style of your home. For example, if you have a Victorian style home choose crown moldings that would go with that design. Most Victorian era crown moldings have a lot of intricate designs and carvings. On the other hand, if your home's style is contemporary, you can choose crown moldings that have simple lines and very few details.


2. Take some samples of crown moldings from the designer shop home and try them out for style against your ceilings and walls.


3. Choose the materials. There are crown moldings made of wood, plaster and plastic (PVC). The difference is the price, longevity, maintenance and difficulty of installations. Plastic moldings may not be able to duplicate some intricate designs. However, modern innovations can create molds with your specifications of crown molding designs.


4. Choose the size based on the height and size of your room. The size of the crown moldings that you choose should be proportionate to the size of your room. An enormous room with tall ceilings will look awkward with crown moldings that are too little or too short. In smaller rooms, choosing bigger or taller crown moldings can overpower the room making it smaller and unbalanced. To determine the height of the crown molding, allow 1 inch of molding height per foot of ceiling height. For example, if you have a 9-foot ceiling, choose a crown molding that is 9 inches in height.


5. Choose corner moldings that have the same overall look of the crown moldings you choose.


6. Choose the color finish that will go with the rest of the wood around the house. If you used white painted base moldings, chair rails and window moldings around the house, ensure that the crown moldings you choose will be finished in the same shade of white for cohesiveness.


7. Mix and match moldings. You can choose the crown molding closer to your ceilings for a Victorian style home using intricate design, then add more layers of smaller moldings at the bottom to add character. Some of the designs for the lower moldings are dentil moldings or rope moldings.


8. Choose a style that you may be able to add finishing touches to, like adding metallic color or gold and silver leafing on the carvings to make them stand out.

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