An Essential Guide to Mouldings
Here is all you wanted to know about moulding but were afraid to ask
Perhaps you can tell the difference between a cove and a crown, or a cornice and a corbel. But many of us cannot. Chances are we have heard these terms; we might even know that these are things we find in houses, but some of us are not quite sure what each one is, exactly, or name their use.
Here, we deconstruct commonly-used moulding terms. Moulding, very simply, is a decorative trim to make your walls and ceilings look more exciting. They can be made of wood, POP, gypsum, PVC or any material that can create interesting focal points. You are quite likely to have at least one type of moulding in your home, even if you didn’t know it. Here’s your chance to know more about them, and see how and where they can be used.
Here, we deconstruct commonly-used moulding terms. Moulding, very simply, is a decorative trim to make your walls and ceilings look more exciting. They can be made of wood, POP, gypsum, PVC or any material that can create interesting focal points. You are quite likely to have at least one type of moulding in your home, even if you didn’t know it. Here’s your chance to know more about them, and see how and where they can be used.
Cove moulding
Also known as coving, cove moulding is a plain, concave-shaped crown employed where walls and ceilings meet. It can also be used on stairs, at the meeting of treads with risers. Generally, cove moulding is considered a less ornate version of crown.
Browse through cove moulding designs
Also known as coving, cove moulding is a plain, concave-shaped crown employed where walls and ceilings meet. It can also be used on stairs, at the meeting of treads with risers. Generally, cove moulding is considered a less ornate version of crown.
Browse through cove moulding designs
Skirting (or baseboard)
A skirting board is the moulding that runs along the bottom of interior walls, creating a protective and decorative barrier between the wall and the floor. The skirting doesn’t have to match the wall. Here, this dramatic dark-hued skirting is an effective design tool in a long hallway. The eye is naturally drawn to the darker bands of colour, leading the focus to the far end of the space.
A skirting board is the moulding that runs along the bottom of interior walls, creating a protective and decorative barrier between the wall and the floor. The skirting doesn’t have to match the wall. Here, this dramatic dark-hued skirting is an effective design tool in a long hallway. The eye is naturally drawn to the darker bands of colour, leading the focus to the far end of the space.
Tip: The skirting and crown moulding do not always have to match in terms of width but should be similar in visual weight. Remember, proportion is key. A large crown moulding with ultra-slim skirtings or vice versa would look awkward.
Chair rail
A chair rail is functional moulding meant to protect walls from being damaged by furniture. It can also serve a purely decorative function, dividing two different types of wall coverings – paint and wallpaper, for instance. Or it can provide visual relief for a solid-coloured wall, like the white chair rail moulding here on the orange wall.
A chair rail is functional moulding meant to protect walls from being damaged by furniture. It can also serve a purely decorative function, dividing two different types of wall coverings – paint and wallpaper, for instance. Or it can provide visual relief for a solid-coloured wall, like the white chair rail moulding here on the orange wall.
Casing
Casing covers the gap between the wall and door or window jambs. Well-crafted casing or moulding creates boundaries around interior openings and ensures a sense of comfort and enclosure.
Tip: If you don’t want sills, you could simply have windows cased in a ‘picture frame’ style.
Look up more designs of casing mouldings
Casing covers the gap between the wall and door or window jambs. Well-crafted casing or moulding creates boundaries around interior openings and ensures a sense of comfort and enclosure.
Tip: If you don’t want sills, you could simply have windows cased in a ‘picture frame’ style.
Look up more designs of casing mouldings
The wood casing is a delineating feature of this doorway, strongly marking the division between two areas. Moreover, the rich colour of the wood is accentuated by the pale marble floors and white walls.
Corbel
Corbels are load-bearing, albeit embellished, architectural elements meant for both interiors and exteriors. In interiors, the more practical side to corbels is their ability to support wall shelves, mantelpieces, kitchen counters and so on. In this contemporary kitchen, apart from providing support to the counter, they are also a subtle decorative touch that adds a dimension of warmth to an otherwise minimalist design.
Corbels are load-bearing, albeit embellished, architectural elements meant for both interiors and exteriors. In interiors, the more practical side to corbels is their ability to support wall shelves, mantelpieces, kitchen counters and so on. In this contemporary kitchen, apart from providing support to the counter, they are also a subtle decorative touch that adds a dimension of warmth to an otherwise minimalist design.
Here, the corbels create a beautiful defining detail as a transition point where the beam meets the wall.
Tip: If you are using your corbel for aesthetic value, not function, you should still keep it proportional to the size of the room and its structural elements, to maintain balance.
Tip: If you are using your corbel for aesthetic value, not function, you should still keep it proportional to the size of the room and its structural elements, to maintain balance.
Decorative moulding
Thin, delicate mouldings bring a sense of sophistication to a ceiling, giving the whole surface an embellished look. The effect here is subtle and is well-suited to a more formal or classical room design.
Tip: Similar moulding trims can be used on a wall to create a feature wall.
Thin, delicate mouldings bring a sense of sophistication to a ceiling, giving the whole surface an embellished look. The effect here is subtle and is well-suited to a more formal or classical room design.
Tip: Similar moulding trims can be used on a wall to create a feature wall.
Picture rail
A picture rail allows picture frames to be hung without nails having to be driven directly into the wall. Often combined with crown moulding, this type of moulding is one or two inches wide and is placed seven to nine feet off the floor. Here, the picture rail, skirting board and cornice are painted black, in harmony with the surrounding features.
A picture rail allows picture frames to be hung without nails having to be driven directly into the wall. Often combined with crown moulding, this type of moulding is one or two inches wide and is placed seven to nine feet off the floor. Here, the picture rail, skirting board and cornice are painted black, in harmony with the surrounding features.
Picture frame moulding
A picture frame moulding can break up the monotonous appearance of a wall and add sophisticated detailing to it. The shape and width of the moulding can vary from simple straight lines to elaborate designs.
Tip: Paint a section of the mouldings in a contrasting colour or decorate with textured wallpaper to create a focal point.
A picture frame moulding can break up the monotonous appearance of a wall and add sophisticated detailing to it. The shape and width of the moulding can vary from simple straight lines to elaborate designs.
Tip: Paint a section of the mouldings in a contrasting colour or decorate with textured wallpaper to create a focal point.
Wainscoting
Similar to the chair rail in terms of function (that is, protecting the wall), wainscoting covers a much larger portion of the lower part of a wall. It not only protects the wall, but also adds a design statement to any space. Corridors are prone to bumps, scratches and scraping. This lattice-style wainscoting grabs eyeballs in this sophisticated corridor.
Similar to the chair rail in terms of function (that is, protecting the wall), wainscoting covers a much larger portion of the lower part of a wall. It not only protects the wall, but also adds a design statement to any space. Corridors are prone to bumps, scratches and scraping. This lattice-style wainscoting grabs eyeballs in this sophisticated corridor.
While the finish of the wainscoting can match the wall, it doesn’t have to. In this dining room, the white wainscot is set off by the dark hues of the floor and the upper reaches of the wall.
Tip: Maximise your wainscoting in a functional sense by adding a shelf on the top. This creates a place for decorative knick-knacks, adding extra character.
Read more:
7 Ways to Create an Accent Wall Without Paint
9 Ways to a Stylish Boundary Wall
Show us:
Have you used any kind of moulding in your home? Do share your ideas or pictures in the comments section below.
Tip: Maximise your wainscoting in a functional sense by adding a shelf on the top. This creates a place for decorative knick-knacks, adding extra character.
Read more:
7 Ways to Create an Accent Wall Without Paint
9 Ways to a Stylish Boundary Wall
Show us:
Have you used any kind of moulding in your home? Do share your ideas or pictures in the comments section below.
This moulding is the ‘crowning’ architectural feature of a room, as it decorates the transition between walls and the ceiling. Crown mouldings, also known as cornice mouldings, can range in design from simple straight lines to intricate silhouettes, depending on the décor. As the mouldings project upwards from the wall, creating a gradual transition from wall to ceiling, they can create the illusion that the ceiling is higher than it actually is.