Photo courtesy of Greg Roth.
[This is part of my How to Install Crown Molding Series.]
This room is a gallery in the Detroit Institute of Arts that has a vaulted ceiling. I chose to post this today because it’s such a beautiful example of what a few simple moldings can do for your great room.
Let’s Strip: A Visualization Exercise
You may think this dramatic example does not translate to a design that is applicable to your humble home. But it does.
Try this:
Look at the basic profiles of the moldings in the picture above and then use your imagination to strip them of their ornament.
What you’re left with is a cove crown molding, like CM-003, to act as the flying crown molding; a plain frieze instead of the Greek key, and a small picture rail molding like PR-001, or a panel molding like PM-001.
The architrave molding above the ornate panel could be made from a casing profile like CA-004 that should be in stock at any lumber yard that knows what’s good for their customers.
Architectural Ornaments
Here’s some really good news for those of you who like your moldings with ornament — inexpensive versions of the moldings above can be bought from companies like Focal Point, Balmer Architectural Moldings, White River, Outwater Plastics and, my personal favorite, Decorators Supply.
The materials your architectural ornaments are made from depends on the company you buy them from. Some make their ornaments from resin, some foam (polystyrene), wood, plastic, plaster or compo.
So do a little poking around and see if you can find some architectural ornaments that suit your decorating style.
Color! Color! Color!
Now just think of all the color you can use in your great room with this one molding combination, and, if you include ornaments, you have even more color combos to choose from.
Why, it’s enough to make your head spin.
Have a great day!
[This is part of my How to Install Crown Molding Series.]
