RSS
Home
Adding Architectural Details To Your Home
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Part of the charm of older homes is the beautiful architectural details you will find throughout the interior. As homes became mass produced in America, we saw a decline in these special details and thus homes all became very assembly line looking in appearance. Wood trims that were once commonplace in home design, vanished and the era of cookie cutter homes swept across the land. Home builders and designers have seen especially in recent years how every detail matters in a market of declining home sales and as a result, such architectural details have resurfaced. If you are living in a home void of such wonderful details do not fret, adding these lovely touches are still a sound investment.
Molding/Wood trim- When considering adding this type of detail to your home, take a walk through your home and see what is already in place, and what can already be built upon. Depending when your home was built, you may already have a few key architectural features happening. These can usually be enhanced with adding trim to them, so first discover what is already there.
Baseboards- Most all homes have baseboards installed along the bottom of the wall. The original intention of this addition was, like with most molding, to protect the bottom edges of the walls from shoe and boot scuff marks and damage. Baseboards are pretty standard in construction, some with a quarter round (toe molding) some with out. If yours is missing this piece, adding it will enhance your baseboard and give it a finished appearance. If you have a baseboard and you would like to update it, there are many updated, upgraded versions at your local hardware or home center.
Chair Railing- As the name would indicate, this originally was intended to protect walls from damage caused by chairs. Today, it is an architectural detail that is more cosmetic in its appeal. This detail is showing up all over in newly built homes. Chair rails are no longer being limited to dining rooms and it isn't beyond the realm of possibility to find it all over the house in new homes. The decorative possibilities are endless with the addition of the beautiful detail. It is easy to install, and comes in beautiful styles. Painting the area beneath the chair railing, called a "Dado" is often done to highlight both the chair railing and the baseboard details.
Cornices- This is usually called by most "crown molding" and was first intended for a cosmetic way to hide the seam of where the wall meets the ceiling, it is fashioned to be installed at an angle. It is one of the single biggest investments one can make in their home in an architectural way. It is very desirable and considered a selling point with any home that has it. Wide styles and varieties make this addition a great feature and a beautiful enhancement. Cornices are a little tricky to install but many moldings now come with pre-made corners to make the installation easier for those doing this project themselves. Keep in mind when installing crown molding of scale. High ceilings can accommodate larger molding, but 8 foot ceilings or lower should stick to smaller molding to keep the walls from appearing too short or the giving the ceiling a lower appearance.
Picture Rails- This is a railing typically found in much older homes and it was usually installed around one foot beneath the crown molding. Its intended use was to have a place for pictures to be hung from. Slowly this charming detail from the past is making a comeback. However its application is usually limited to homes with high ceilings. It is easy to install, and can have a contrasting color painted between it and the crown molding for an extra touch.
Related Articles:
Comments
