Kitchen Guides
9 Types of Cabinet Mouldings For Kitchens
Customise your kitchen cabinets the affordable way with crown, edge or other kinds of moulding
Mouldings can make any project look custom. When applied to kitchen cabinetry in particular, these architectural details can help enhance the most basic cabinet style. With the multitude of different configurations and designs available, crown moulding, edge moulding and more can help personalise your next kitchen project.
2. Stacked crown moulding
Many ceilings are too high for the designer to take the cabinetry all the way up, so crown moulding becomes more of a decorative element, like in this kitchen. This crown moulding is composed of many pieces of moulding, all meticulously stacked on top of one another for a uniform look.
Mouldings are detailed design accents, so some types can be expensive. They’re usually priced by the linear foot and, since most are available in 8-foot lengths, it’s easy for the cost to add up. One rule of thumb: The more elaborate the design, the more expensive it usually is.
Check out these efficient kitchen cabinet designs
Many ceilings are too high for the designer to take the cabinetry all the way up, so crown moulding becomes more of a decorative element, like in this kitchen. This crown moulding is composed of many pieces of moulding, all meticulously stacked on top of one another for a uniform look.
Mouldings are detailed design accents, so some types can be expensive. They’re usually priced by the linear foot and, since most are available in 8-foot lengths, it’s easy for the cost to add up. One rule of thumb: The more elaborate the design, the more expensive it usually is.
Check out these efficient kitchen cabinet designs
3. Stepped crown moulding
This kitchen design uses upper cabinets in varying heights for a stepped look, and the moulding has the same stepped appearance.
To pull off this look, you may want professional help. The placement of each piece of moulding needs to be precisely calculated, and the end of the moulding needs to butt up against an adjacent wall or cabinet. It may sound easy, but it definitely isn’t!
This kitchen design uses upper cabinets in varying heights for a stepped look, and the moulding has the same stepped appearance.
To pull off this look, you may want professional help. The placement of each piece of moulding needs to be precisely calculated, and the end of the moulding needs to butt up against an adjacent wall or cabinet. It may sound easy, but it definitely isn’t!
4. Interior crown moulding
Placed around the perimeter of this kitchen’s ceiling, the crown moulding immediately draws the eye upward. And it incorporates the ceiling’s crown moulding for continuity.
It is important to know that additional moulding means an additional expense. Looking to save money? Try interior mouldings made out of foam or a similar material.
Take a look at incredible ceiling designs
Placed around the perimeter of this kitchen’s ceiling, the crown moulding immediately draws the eye upward. And it incorporates the ceiling’s crown moulding for continuity.
It is important to know that additional moulding means an additional expense. Looking to save money? Try interior mouldings made out of foam or a similar material.
Take a look at incredible ceiling designs
5. Edge moulding
Mouldings can be added to almost every part of a cabinet or shelf. This homeowner or designer added moulding to the outside edge of the shelving, known as an edge moulding.
Decorative moulding on open shelving not only adds a new design feature, but it can also add a structural element. Some shelving, depending on the span (anything over 36 inches) can bow from weight if it isn’t supported correctly. Applying an edge moulding to the outside edge of the shelf can prevent sagging.
Mouldings can be added to almost every part of a cabinet or shelf. This homeowner or designer added moulding to the outside edge of the shelving, known as an edge moulding.
Decorative moulding on open shelving not only adds a new design feature, but it can also add a structural element. Some shelving, depending on the span (anything over 36 inches) can bow from weight if it isn’t supported correctly. Applying an edge moulding to the outside edge of the shelf can prevent sagging.
6. Light moulding
Also known as a light rail, moulding on the bottom of cabinets helps conceal under-cabinet lighting. Light moulding offers huge impact for your dollar. It’s often available as a standard cabinetry feature in multiple styles and lengths, meaning it has almost no impact on a budget.
Have your electrician and cabinetry pro work together to get this right.
Also known as a light rail, moulding on the bottom of cabinets helps conceal under-cabinet lighting. Light moulding offers huge impact for your dollar. It’s often available as a standard cabinetry feature in multiple styles and lengths, meaning it has almost no impact on a budget.
Have your electrician and cabinetry pro work together to get this right.
7. Shoe moulding
Shoe moulding (sometimes known as quarter round) is applied to the perimeter of all the base cabinets here, connecting cabinetry to flooring. You can install shoe moulding to match your cabinets, as shown here, or to match your flooring.
Should you have to install new flooring in your kitchen without removing the base cabinetry, shoe moulding can help hide any installation imperfections by camouflaging cut edges.
Shoe moulding (sometimes known as quarter round) is applied to the perimeter of all the base cabinets here, connecting cabinetry to flooring. You can install shoe moulding to match your cabinets, as shown here, or to match your flooring.
Should you have to install new flooring in your kitchen without removing the base cabinetry, shoe moulding can help hide any installation imperfections by camouflaging cut edges.
8. Applied moulding
Moulding on walls or built-in cabinetry is called applied moulding, because the moulding is adhered or applied to the surface.
The most common area in the kitchen for applied moulding is the surround for the range hood. This area is often a focal point, so it demands attention to detail. Moulding is usually added to coordinate or match with the door style or surrounding motifs. Although it seems like a small detail, applied moulding creates balance and cohesion.
Wondering what’s the best material for kitchen cabinets?
Moulding on walls or built-in cabinetry is called applied moulding, because the moulding is adhered or applied to the surface.
The most common area in the kitchen for applied moulding is the surround for the range hood. This area is often a focal point, so it demands attention to detail. Moulding is usually added to coordinate or match with the door style or surrounding motifs. Although it seems like a small detail, applied moulding creates balance and cohesion.
Wondering what’s the best material for kitchen cabinets?
9. Bottom moulding
Moulding at the bottom of the base cabinet doors and above the toe kick is known as a bottom moulding. As you can see here, it helps make an island look more like furniture than kitchen cabinetry, especially when it’s used in conjunction with some of the other moulding elements mentioned previously.
Read more:
Top 9 Handles & Latches for Flat-Panel Kitchen Cabinets
A Kitchen Designer’s Top 10 Cabinet Solutions
Tell us:
How have you customised your kitchen cabinets? Share images and your tips in the Comments below.
Moulding at the bottom of the base cabinet doors and above the toe kick is known as a bottom moulding. As you can see here, it helps make an island look more like furniture than kitchen cabinetry, especially when it’s used in conjunction with some of the other moulding elements mentioned previously.
Read more:
Top 9 Handles & Latches for Flat-Panel Kitchen Cabinets
A Kitchen Designer’s Top 10 Cabinet Solutions
Tell us:
How have you customised your kitchen cabinets? Share images and your tips in the Comments below.
Traditional crown moulding tends to be the industry standard for kitchen cabinetry. Here it has been used to fill an empty space between the cabinets and the ceiling. Empty space above cabinets is a common problem, because the distance fluctuates depending on ceiling height and cabinetry height. If you have an average ceiling height, about 8 feet high, 3 to 6 inches of crown moulding can usually help fill any kitchen cabinet gaps.