Interior Design Crash Course: Molding

"Dining room with beautiful crown molding!" can now mean something to you.

Which molding do you spot here?

Which kind of molding do you spot here?
Photo credit: Brian Moloney via Flickr.

Ever heard the term “crown molding” and knew it had something to do with home design, but…er, weren’t sure what exactly? You’re not alone, so we figured you’d like to see it for yourself.

Below our picks of the top most popular moldings you’ll find in a home.

Baseboard 
Closer to the bottom portion of a wall, baseboard usually comes in white and separates the wall from the floor. It’s also referred to as skirting board or base molding.

 

 

 

Crown molding 
Much like baseboard, crown molding acts as a transition place between the wall and another surface, except in this case the other surface is the ceiling.

 

 

 

Picture rails 
Picture rails look nice by themselves, but can also serve as a place to hang up…well, pictures. Convenient for if you don’t want to stick a nail in the wall!

 

 

 

Chair rails

As the name implies, chair rails were originally intended for protecting walls from the backs of seats hitting them. Today, they can serve the same purpose, but can also function as simple decor as well.

 

 

 

Wainscot

Similar to chair rails in that their location tends to be at bottom end of walls, wainscot differs in that it’s a panel moulding. They’re often made of wood and can be quite tall.

 

 

 

Photo credits:
Flickr user Logan Ingalls
Flickr user Bryan Moloney

TheJoyofMoldings.com
Again, Flickr user Bryan Moloney
Flickr user Lara604