Homeowners with a yen for a little more interest in a plain room may find that molding can be a great solution. It does not take great skill to cut molding with today’s materials and tools plus a steady hand and a little patience.
Today you can find deep crown moldings that are light as a feather, being constructed of sturdy foam with a light plaster coating. Crown molding will add architectural interest to any room. You can find many moldings in different styles and great tutorials on-line to help you install it.
If crown molding seems a bit too formal for your country home, but you still want a little interest in a plain room, consider a slim molding framed out long rectangles along a wall. Painting them the same color as the wall will give it subtle interest without appearing to be too traditional. Painting the molding a contrasting color, say white or even beige over a colored wall, will give a room a soft traditional look. Adding a bright contrasting accent color can add just the punch a quiet room needs.
Casing your windows with molding is an investment that will pay off immediately with your enjoyment and later when you sell your home as molding will be an added feature that not all homes can boast.
A long, uninteresting wall can be upgraded with a simple chair rail plus molding to represent panels below the rail. Panels can be painted or wall papered for additional charm. Using a rail and panels in a room that lacks personality is a good way to add color and pattern without a big expense.
Panels would be an excellent way to add a color punch in a child’s bedroom. Also, consider painting a single panel with chalkboard paint; this paint comes in a variety of colors now, not just black.
Molding that is painted the same color as the wall can stand alone nicely as architectural element; later, if you decide to change the look of the room you can do it simply by painting moldings or the walls.
Changing out your baseboards is another way to give a room a fresh update. Doing one room at a time is a budget wise way to increase your enjoyment and the value of your home.