Trim Types That Will Improve The Appearance Of Any Room

Baseboard trim is sometimes called base molding or skirting board. It's a type of molding that runs along the bottom of an interior wall where it meets the floor. It's usually made of wood but can sometimes be a composite material, too. There is no standard trim size. Instead, it all depends on the height of your ceilings and your preferences.

Baseboard trim improves the appearance of the room in several different ways. First, it covers the gap between the wall and the floor, which gives the room a more finished look. Trim makes the room more polished and put together when properly installed. If not done correctly, it can be clunky and stick out, so be sure to take your time when putting things together.

Second, baseboard trim can protect the wall from damage caused by furniture or foot traffic. It acts as a barrier against dirt, scuff marks, and dents. If you have a large family, love to entertain, or are trying to fit a lot of furniture into a small space, adding baseboard trim is perfect for keeping things looking newer for longer.

Chair rail trim is a decorative molding that you install horizontally on the wall, typically at the height of a chair back, hence the name. Sometimes it travels all the way down to the floor, sometimes it's just a strip. Chair rail trim adds a nice visual point of interest to a room, but it also serves a highly functional purpose.

You usually install chair rail trim about 36 inches up from the floor. When you pull a chair back from the table, it hits the trim, not the wall. This barrier protects the wall from scuff marks, holes, and other types of damage. Most homeowners find it easier to repaint trim or buff out a mark, than try to patch up their walls after damage from high traffic. Because of this, designers most often use chair rail trim in dining rooms and breakfast nooks as the furniture in these spaces is moved around the most.

While it does serve a functional purpose, chair rail trim is also beautiful and can provide a nice decorative element to a room. Adding an eye-catching element halfway up the wall makes your dining space no longer plain but elegant, as this type of trim was often found in many Victorian-era homes. Chair rail trim can also create a great sense of depth and dimension in a space, particularly when used alongside other types of trim, such as crown molding or baseboard trim.

Window casing trim is sometimes called window molding. As its name suggests, you install this decorative trim around the perimeter of a window. As with most trim types, there are several reasons window casing elevates your room's appearance. It can cover the gaps between the window frame and the wall. The gaps might be small, so they only cause a visual problem. However, larger gaps might also compromise the home's seal, allowing temperature-controlled air to leak out and bugs and other pests to crawl in. Installing window casing trim can help solve both problems, as it adds an extra barrier.

While the trim is very practical, many choose to include it in their home design because it simply looks fantastic. Occasionally, designers struggle to incorporate windows seamlessly into interior walls. By adding a touch of trim, the windows seem framed. Some might paint the border in a color that complements the color scheme of the room, while others prefer a classic white option.

Wainscoting is a type of fancy paneling that goes on the lower part of a wall, usually between the floor and a decorative strip near the top. It can look different depending on your design taste, but it usually has flat or raised panels with a frame around it.

The most common type of wainscoting is beadboard. You can recognize beadboard by its narrow, vertical panels with a line between them. On the other hand, raised panel wainscoting has flat panels that stick out from the wall a little bit. Wainscoting can be made from different materials, like wood or even wallpaper. It can be painted or left natural, too. It looks nice and makes the room feel cozier, while also helping to protect the wall from damage. Plus, wainscoting was very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, so having it in your home instantly adds a touch of elegance, as this is such a classic style.

Sometimes plain trim doesn't suit the style you hope to achieve. If you want your trim to be a décor element in its own right, consider using rosette trim in addition to the plain options to spice things up. Rosette trim gets its name from the circular, flower-like designs often used as a decorative motif on the block.

Unlike trim that runs the length of the wall or window, rosette trim is usually just one decorative wood block. You can use it to accent doorways and window frames by placing one in each corner. You can also evenly space the blocks across the molding to simply make a break in any type of trim.

Rosette trim is typically made of wood, but you can easily paint it to match the color scheme of the border surrounding it. It works well in its natural wooden color to show off the beautiful grain. However, when painted white, black, or even purple, it blends in perfectly with its surroundings and helps the door or window frame seem more finished.

Fluted trim is designed after the majestic fluted columns of the Greek and Roman empires. It has vertical grooves running down its length, and designers often use it on columns, stair banisters, and support beams in modern homes. Because of its continued use for thousands of years, including fluted trim in your home gives the room an air of effortless elegance. Most of us are used to seeing fluted trim in museums, palaces, and important government buildings. When we see it in a living room, it's natural to assign that space the same reverence.

One of the best places to use fluted trim is around the fireplace. Framing the hearth with this trim can help draw attention to the fireplace as a focal point in the room. It's also a good idea to explore using fluted trim on door and window casings if plain trim seems too boring. It's an easy, stylish way to instantly improve any room's appearance.

You will most often find bead molding in homes built during the late 18th century in the United States. These homes, typically known as Georgian and Federal-style houses, result from the period's obsession with classical architecture. Bead molding has the perfect name, as the wooden panels look like a series of small, rounded beads or indentations. This look gives the space a very dainty and elegant feel.

In the 18th century, designers who used bead molding tried to conjure ancient Rome's reputation and grandeur. In modern times, bead molding works twice as hard to remind us of ancient power and the Revolutionary War-era style. While you can add bead molding along the tops of doorways, across walls, and even as picture rail trim, you typically use it in smaller areas as decoration. Think of things like in corners and around doorways to make them seem more exciting, along the edge of a stairway, and even on larger pieces of furniture.

Bullnose trim has been used in architecture and design for centuries, dating back to ancient times. However, it became particularly popular in the United States during the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Designers loved its rounded edges and used it to finish off the edges of countertops and stair treads. These areas are typically neglected by more popular trim types, like crown molding or baseboards that focus on the walls.

Instead, bullnose trim adds a fun pop of playfulness where you expect it least. Even though bullnose trim adds visual interest to even the smallest elements in a room, it is not visually overstimulating. Because of this, it's perfect for people who enjoy dabbling in a maximalist style without overwhelming a room with moveable decorations like paintings, vases, or furniture. It also provides the perfect amount of flow and continuity in transitional spaces by softening the otherwise sharp edges of staircases, countertops, and the like.