Written by: Tim Layton (aka Remodeling Guy)
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Molding Ideas
Great images spark new ideas for me, and Melissa does a wonderful job finding them. A photo she shared in her article on colored walls caught my eye — not just for the paint, but for the trim treatment.
Take a look:
House To Home
What I love is the way the top and bottom of the wall are framed with similar bands of white. It perfectly sets off the bold wall color. At first glance it looks like crown molding, but on closer inspection it isn’t traditional crown molding at all.
My initial thought was that they used the baseboard turned upside down — a clever trick — but the solution shown is even simpler. It appears they installed a narrow picture molding or thin trim and painted the area above it white. It creates the look of a framed wall without complicated profiles. How easy is that?
I also found a photo of a similar method in progress on HGTV.com, which shows the idea up close (though the painting could be neater and the popcorn ceiling less visible). The concept is straightforward and accessible to most homeowners.
You can buy narrow molding that works well for this treatment and it has several practical advantages:
- Lightweight and easy to transport (you can likely fit it in a car).
- Quick to install with small nails or a little construction adhesive.
- Easy to miter at the corners using a basic hand miter box.
- Simple to paint — and the painting approach I recommend will give the cleanest result.
My recommended painting method
Keep it simple and efficient:
- Paint the wall first. Extend the paint past where the molding will be installed so the main wall color is complete.
- Paint the molding before installation. Finish the trim on the ground so it’s smooth and fully covered.
- After attaching the molding, paint the narrow white area above it with the same paint you used on the trim. This avoids fiddly blue tape and produces a cleaner edge between wall color and trim.
The thin strip of trim right at the ceiling is optional — the look works either way.
There you have it: a simple, elegant alternative to traditional crown molding.
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More from The Inspired Room:
How to Decorate: The Secret Ingredient Every Room Needs
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