When it comes to pulling a room together, color isn’t everything. Molding adds an architectural touch that can make a room look truly finished—it makes wall color pop, and is a long-time favorite in interior design blogs and magazines.
However, a lot of people hear “molding” and think it’s not for them. The truth is, molding is a great option for just about any home, and can work in virtually any aesthetic.
Here are some of the major myths about molding:
1. CROWN MOLDING IS ONLY FOR TALL CEILINGS
One major myth about crown molding is that it will visually lower ceilings, so it’s only appropriate for tall rooms. In reality, the right crown molding can work wonderfully in shorter rooms, and can even help visually expand the space. The trick is picking a concave design, sometimes known as cavetto. A concave crown molding shape that extends further outward along the ceiling than it does down the wall will provide a touch of flourish without visually cutting into the space.
2. MOLDING IS CRAZY EXPENSIVE
Molding tends to look more expensive than it actually is. The price tag can climb depending on the type of molding, area you want covered, and whether you or not you choose to DIY. The materials themselves aren’t terribly expensive, and there are plenty of videos online that can show you how to install it yourself.
But, a word to the wise: you will get what you pay for. When selecting a molding, it’s worth it to pick the design you really want, in a material that makes sense for your home. A poor installation job will ruin a room and may end up costing you more in the end, so it’s worth it to call the pros. Done right, molding can add value to your home, making it a worthy investment. Ask for an estimate—you may be surprised at just how affordable your dream molding is.
3. MOLDING IS OLD-FASHIONED
Maybe it’s because it looks expensive that some folks assume molding only fits in with an old-money aesthetic—but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Some bolder types of molding, like wainscoting and picture frame molding, may undergo dips and peaks in popularity as trends come and go, but they’re stylistically adaptable and ultimately timeless. Crown molding is especially classic, and baseboards are generally considered essential.
Some molding styles are central in establishing a colonial look—but that doesn’t mean all molding has to look early American. Plenty of molding styles can look modern and even edgy.
Which brings us to our third myth:
4. MOLDING IS MOLDING
Far too often, people underestimate the vastness of molding styles. It’s easy to imagine a white, generic, minimal traditional molding style, and assume all molding is a variation of that. In reality, there are TONS of different styles of molding, from ultra-minimalist to grand and ornate.
There are wooden, polyurethane, and even metal moldings, and they come in all sorts of shapes and styles, from narrow and sharp to wide egg and dart patterns. Whether your style is elegant, modern, or rustic, molding can fit right in as the perfect finishing touch.
Not only are there tons of different molding styles—there are a lot of things you can do with molding, which brings us to #5:
5. MOLDING IS ABOUT FLOORS AND CEILINGS
The term “molding” just means adding decorative paneling to walls—it’s a broad category! Baseboards and crown molding are only the beginning.
Other types of molding include:
Door and window casing: molding that frames your doors and windows.
Picture frame molding: usually-rectangular patterns of molding that create framed spaces.
Chair molding: a strip of molding that runs chair-height along a wall.
Wainscoting: decorative paneling, usually covering the lower three or four feet of a wall.
Each of these can add a different style element, so get creative. Rustic wainscoting is a great way to get that warm hygge look that’s blowing up style guides this year. Tone-on-tone picture frame molding is sophisticated, and using a contrasting molding color is edgy without being campy. Another especially hot look is using chair molding to add a pattern without overpowering a room: use a bold wallpaper below and solid color on top for an ultra-chic touch of fun.
If you’ve put in the work of getting a perfect paint job, molding is the best way to get even more bang for your buck. From simple crown molding to two-tone picture frame designs, molding can show off your style any way you want it to.
