Small historic communities and historic Victorian homes can be found throughout the United States that reflect the time, attention to detail, and love of craftsmanship that went into building homes during that period. A common feature of Victorian home design is the use of decorative trim. Crown molding is the sculpted molding that is normally applied to the wall where it meets the ceiling. For hundreds of years, the use of decorative trim has been a mainstay in home construction and restoration. Decorative molding is fairly easy to install if you are a DIY enthusiast and the elegance it advertises is unmatched.

In fact, decorative trim adds charm and vibrancy to any space. Choosing the right trim can transform the simplest room into a room full of character and warmth. Charm aside, installing crown molding is one of the lowest-cost investments with the highest dollar return you can make in home improvement. This is attractive to many people, especially in today’s economic climate, when buying or building a new home may not be the right time.

While a new home may not be in your budget, a home renovation that will add enjoyment to the home you live in while increasing the value of your home might be ideal, especially if you are thinking of selling your home in the future. Start with custom accent trim if you are interested in updating and enhancing your home or even a room. Adding custom accent trim will help you achieve a stylish, unique and functional space that you will enjoy living in. Even if you decide not to modify door trim or baseboards, the impact that crown trim alone can have on the appearance of a room is remarkable.

You should select crown molding and trim styles based on the architectural style of your new addition. There are many profile options; Visit your local home and trim center for samples of different types of trim profiles. You may also want to consider MDF as an alternative. MDF is an engineered wood product that comes primed and ready to paint. It is also less likely to expand and contract with climatic changes as real wood does. Place your trim samples in the addition and see how they look in the space, or you can even have a professional trim service come out and provide an on-site quote with visual samples for the space. If you don’t want a DIY project, this is a great stress-free solution. Once you select the desired trim, you can experiment with different types of paint and stain for your trim.

Please note that crown molding comes in various sizes. Let the size of the space and the height of the ceiling determine the crown molding you choose. For instance; Crown molding that is about 5-1 / 2 inches wide is often used in rooms with 8-foot ceilings. If you have a space that is substantially larger with higher ceilings, then you may consider installing a wider crown molding. The general rule of thumb is “the wider the trim, the lower the ceiling will appear.”

In larger rooms, crown molding can be difficult to install. For crown molding to be effective, it must look good, which means that exact cuts must be made to ensure gap-free seams. If you are considering installing trim yourself, having the right tools will make your job much easier. You should have a miter saw large enough to completely cut through the trim. If you are installing 5-inch crown molding, you will need a 14-inch miter saw. You can check with your local accent trim supply center to see which saw is right for you. You can even rent all the equipment you would need for the job for a small fee, ultimately saving you hundreds of dollars on buying new equipment and waste from poorly cut materials.

It’s always good to complete your room by finishing it with complimentary baseboards, door frames, and windows. Baseboards can be easily installed using a simple one-piece trim, or you can create a more substantial look by combining the base with a base cap and shoe trim. Door frames that work cohesively with bedroom window frames and crown molding are a wonderful accent that can create a very dramatic effect by establishing a nice transition between rooms.

It is not always necessary to buy a new home to have a new home. Just by adding accent trim, you can transform your home into a true display piece that recalls the details, character, and craftsmanship of Victorian homes that we all love and adore.

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