Trim is known as “casing” and “crown molding” in the business of construction and architecture. It includes the pieces of wood around windows and doors, baseboards, chair-rails, and crown molding. Modern style houses usually have a minimum of casing or trim. But more traditional style homes might have quite a lot of casing and crown molding. Sooner or later, you will have to select and/or approve these items.

When it comes time to choose the design of the casing, your architect and/or builder may show you a catalog of trim shapes. These are usually a cross section view, or profile, of the piece of wood. And unless you’ve ever installed this material, you probably have never looked at a baseboard or window casing from this viewpoint and the section drawing looks unlike anything you have seen before.

It’s much easier to choose from real physical samples. Your builder may roll his eyes when you ask for samples, but be firm and tell him it’s essential for you. He, or his millwork supplier, can bring samples to the jobsite. They may show you installed samples in his office or in a showroom, but I think it’s better to see mockup samples in your new house. that way you can see the choices in context. Have them nail up a couple of pieces around a door or window opening. Put up a few feet of the crown molding and baseboard.

But don’t stop there. Here’s my “trick” to help you. Don’t leave the wood bare. The grain of the wood can be distracting and keep you from seeing the true shape of the trim profile. Have them paint or stain the trim in a color close to the color you will have in your finished house. This will give you a true look at the trim and you’ll understand what the finished product will look like.

Doing mockups and reviewing several choices may take a little time. But it is worth it. After all, you’ll be living with your choice of trim and casing for many years to come.

If you would like to read more articles about house and home design, please visit my other website, www.about-home-design.com.

“Curious what you might recommend for a tall (10 ft) loft bathroom to make the room feel a bit less huge and uncomfortable. Unfortunately, I can’t frame down the ceiling because of a building sprinkler system.  Thanks! Steven”

In the years before air conditioning, especially in warmer climates, rooms often had high ceilings to let the heat rise and make the rooms feel more comfortable in the summer months. These days, high end houses often have high ceilings.

We often deal with the “too high” ceiling in small rooms by simply framing down a lower ceiling just in those spaces. But Steven can’t do that because of the sprinkler. So I suggested that he employ an architectural trick from days gone by.

Here was my suggestion to him. Install a cornice (a piece of crown molding with a solid top, like a plate rail) at the height you would like the ceiling to be. That might be eight foot high if the bathroom is not large. If there is any crown molding where the wall meets the ten foot high ceiling, remove that.

Then paint the wall color only up to the cornice. Paint the cornice the trim color. And paint the wall above the cornice and the ceiling all the ceiling color, presumably ceiling white. You will trick the eye into thinking the room stops at the cornice height because the top part of the wall will blend in with the ceiling. The room will magically feel better proportioned.

Let me know how this turns out.

If you would like to read more articles about house and home design, please visit my other website, www.about-home-design.com.