Interior trim is often overlooked when updating a room, but when done properly trim can give a room definition, balance and proportion. Trim creates a focal point of architectural interest and is available in many different forms including window and door casings, wainscoting and paneling, baseboards, pillars and mantels, picture and chair-rail molding, and crown molding. Think of trim as being like a picture frame that highlights and enhances the beauty of whatever is placed inside it.
Choosing Interior Crown Molding, Baseboard, Window & Door Trim
Trim defines the elements you wish to focus on in a room, for example crown molding gives dimension to where the wall ends and the ceiling begins, the baseboard emphasizes the transition between the walls and the floor, while casings on the other hand define doors and windows. It is important to consider the architectural style of a home before selecting trim, heavy Victorian trim for example would not be suitable for a Cape Cod style home and minimalist style trim would look strange in a Georgian or Victoria style home. Selecting trim is a design decision that should never be taken for granted and you should always consider your end goal before proceeding. The knowledgeable design experts at L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc can help you convey your design style form classical to modern, formal to dramatic and eclectic to sophisticate along with many others.
Types of Interior Trim Molding
Trim is most often constructed from either wood, medium density fiberboard (MDF) or polyurethane.
• Wood Trim: Pine, poplar and basswood are often used for interior trim projects. Moldings that are stain grade are typically made form single pieces of lumber. Paint-grade moldings often have flaws and are made up of several shorter pieces of wood that are finger jointed together. Oak, cherry, and maple are specialty hardwoods that work perfectly for clear-finished trim work.
• MDF Trim: is a paint-grade trim that is less expensive than wood. When painted, MDF is very difficult to distinguish from real wood and has a smooth surface. MDF comes pre-primed and can normally be finished with only one coat of paint with very little sanding and is much more resistant to dents than softwoods.
• High-density Polyurethane Trim: is a lightweight and inexpensive alternative to wood. It is available in many different patterns, is easy to install and does not require sanding or priming before painting.
The experienced painting professionals at L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc have provided the following decorating tips to using trim to enhance the beauty of your living space
• Lower the Ceiling: Install chair-rail molding on the walls of the room and paint the chair-rail and the area above it a darker color than your wall color to draw the ceiling downward.
• Raise the Ceiling: Install crown molding around the perimeter of the ceiling, painting it a darker color than the ceiling will draw the eye upwards, making the ceiling appear to rise.
• Make a Room Appear Larger: Paint the trim either the same color or a slightly lighter color than the color of the wall. This technique will make the walls appear as though they are receding.
• Highlight an Architectural Feature: Paint the architectural element a color that contrasts with the wall but is also of equal intensity.
• Leave it Natural: For rooms with high-quality natural wood trim, leave them in their natural state to highlight the texture of the wood and enhance the natural warmth of the room.