Top 70 Best Crown Molding Ideas – Ceiling Interior Designs
Crown molding has been used for centuries in homes and state buildings to accentuate architectural details and add a touch of much-admired elegance. It not only adds value to your home by alluding to the upscale, but the quality of your home’s construction.
Ornate or understated, crown molding is proof that you view your home as an elite domicile.
Painted, stained, or left in its natural state, there are numerous styles of crown molding to choose from, each guaranteed to blend in seamlessly with your home’s aesthetic. From classic Grecian to turn-of-the-century Edwardian, there are many eras of inspiration in which to delve, with each period perfectly highlighting the evolution of crown molding.
Many even choose to install lighting within their crown molding for added ambiance, while others err to the side of streamlined simplicity.
Crown molding is just one example of the many details that made older homes so superior to their incarnations of today, but that doesn’t mean it’s off-limits where your own modern abode is concerned.
What makes this, and many other facets of the past, so timeless is its accessibility for all homes, no matter their period.
So why not reassess your own house and see if you can’t usher a bit of the spellbinding bygone into the present day? Here we take a look at some great crown molding ideas, what types there are and where you should put it. Let’s get started!
Why choose crown molding?
Before diving into the world of crown molding, it’s worth considering why you should install it. You may be reading this still wondering whether or not crown molding is a good idea or not.
The number one reason most people choose crown molding is aesthetics. It can help to break up that sharp edge between your wall and ceiling to give a much softer and warm appearance.
That edge where your ceiling meets the wall is a place that is very hard to paint, is often where settlement cracks appear, and can also be a cozy place for spiders to hang out. If you want to improve the look of a room, crown molding it a great way to do it.
Style isn’t the only reason to use crown molding. It can also be used at waist level to protect walls and also provide a boundary on your walls between paneling, or perhaps even two shades of paint. It can also be used over door frames or significant features such as a fireplace to draw more attention to them.
We mentioned that it’s a great way to cover cracks but there is also something else you can hide behind it, wires. There are specific moldings that are made to high wires but in truth, most cornice designs have a little space behind them.
If you’re now sold on the idea of crown molding then it’s time to work out what material you should go for and what design is best for you.
Materials
1. Wood
Wood is a material that a lot of people love when it comes to crown moulding as it gives it a more traditional feel. Wood molding can be highly attractive, as long as it fits into your existing space. It can give warmth to a room but can be a more expensive option.
2. Plaster
If you want to have an intricate molding profile then plaster is brilliant for that. It works well for custom designs as it can be cast however you want. Painting it is easy but it can be hard to install as it is usually very heavy so you’ll probably need an expert.
3. MDF
For those looking for something cheap and easy, MDF could be the crown moulding material for you. It’s an ideal alternative to solid wood and is also very easy to paint. If you wanted to install it yourself, then this material makes it as easy as possible.
4. Polyurethane
Polyurethane comes in a wide range of crown moulding profiles. It’s a popular choice due to it being both light and bendable. It also works well in bathrooms due to its water resistance. Painting the trim, however, can be very difficult.
5. PVC
PVC is a material that has many similar properties to polyurethane but not quite as popular. Due to this, you don’t usually find the same variety in crown moulding profiles. This is another ideal material for wetter environments.
6. Flex
Flex is a great trim for curved walls but it being a rubber-type material. It can be difficult to work with and break easily. This makes it more difficult if you wanted corner pieces and corner blocks. Despite these difficulties, it’s good for those with uniquely shaped walls.
7. Polystyrene
Polystyrene is cheap and easy. The beauty of crown moulding is that when well pained, you can make cheap materials look great. For a quick and easy fix, polystyrene is great. It’s also very lights and therefore easy to install but can great easily.
Wall or ceiling
Do you want your crown moulding to be predominately on the wall or the ceiling? Here we take a look at which one you should choose.
Wall
If you think that your walls are a little boring, then you can opt for crown moulding that is predominately on the walls. This helps to make rooms with high ceilings feel a little warmer and looks fantastic with intricate designs.
Ceiling
Having crown moulding on your ceilings can help to make a large room more interesting. The more expansive moldings helps to break up large blank spaces. If you have a huge space to fill, then both large wall and ceiling mouldings can work well together.
Balanced
While some opt for a dominant side, most people opt for a crown molding that fits snuggly into the corner and is nether predominantly on the ceiling or wall. It’s a safer bet for home decoration and the most popular choice.
Type
Crown moldings come in all different shapes and sizes. You have choice between a vast array of profiles where you can go for a common shape, something more modern or perhaps look at a crown moulding with a more intricate design. Here we look at your options.
1. Common crown
The most common type of decorative trim is to go for a series of concave and convex curves. Probably the most common shape is the cavetto which is a gentle concave curve that flows from the wall to the ceiling.
Others like to go the other way and have a convex curve that bulges out. You have endless crown moldings that are in this style with subtle variances between them.
2. Intricate molding
Want something that has more of a wow factor? If so, then look for decorative molding that has an intricate design. This type of decorative crown molding is ideal for those who want a custom design and something that will be unique to their home.
3. Stepped molding
A more modern way to have your trim is stepped molding. This is where you have a series of flat surfaces built on top of each other. Crown molding can be seen as old fashioned, this style isn’t.
Professional installation is important as the inside corner and outside corner need to match up exactly with minimal caulking or wood filler.
4. Beading
Beading is where you have a series of bumps along your crown molding. It is essential a more complex version of the common crown molding. You have a series of bulges which can be just a couple or a vast series of bumps for a more unique design.
A heavily beaded design can be a good idea if you have a large room and want a very large crown molding to go with it.
5. Coffered ceiling
A coffered ceiling is one that has a series of square or rectangle blocks across the ceiling, as the picture below shows. It can be worthwhile solution for rooms that have high ceilings and can feel a little cold.
Best places to have crown molding
1. Living room
Living rooms are generally quite large areas that lack warmth and intimacy. Crown molding can help to make them feel more cozy and homely.
2. Kitchen
The kitchen is a great place for crown molding, especially on top of kitchen cabinets. It prevents you from having that awkward gap and can make your kitchen appear much cleaner.
3. Bathroom
If you want your bathroom to have more of a stylish appeal, then add some crown molding. You just need to ensure that it can hope with the high levels of water vapor.
4. Staircase
If you want to make a statement, then there is no better way to do that than with some high-class crown molding. It gives the space an epic and luxury appearance.
5. Bedroom
If you want to make your bedroom feel warmer and more stylish then you can do it easily with crown molding. It takes away those harsh corners to give a much softer appearance.
6. Wardrobe
Another great place to install crown molding is on the top of wardrobes. As with kitchen cabinets, it takes away that awkward gap at the top.
7. Foyer
If you want your foyer to have that ‘wow’ appeal, then install some crown molding. It a grat way to break down that vast space and stop it from looking cold and uninviting.
FAQs
The purpose of crown molding is mostly aesthetic as it helps to add elegant detailing between your wall and ceiling. That’s not the only place it’s used, however, as it can also be used for baseboard molding or even door casing to improve the look of your room.
If you’re proficient at DIY then you should be able to install crown molding. A precision cut is required which is why you’ll probably need more than a coping saw. A miter saw would most likely be required to make that miter angle.
There are a few ways that you can install the molding, depending on the material you’re using. Once you’ve finished, you’ll most likely need to use paintable caulk to give it the smooth finish it needs. miter cut
The easy answer is yes but it does depend on other factors. Poorly installed crown molding or one that noticeable brings down the ceiling height may not be desired. You may also have a prospective buyer who simply doesn’t like crown molding. For most people, however, it improves the appearance of a room and makes a home more sellable.
It does but you need to be careful not to use a porous material, such as untreated wood. It’s best to use something smooth and water resistant such as polyurethane or PVC.
