The Importance of Adding Molding, Wainscoting, Trim, and Built-Ins to Create a Timeless Home

It has been a while since I talked about the importance of molding, trim and its effect in a home.

Recently, I was filming a video for my Youtube channel about creating a timeless home.  This video focuses on the importance of trim, wainscoting, moldings, wall panelings and built-ins.

Still Trying to Figure all this Out

Initially, I was going to post only on YouTube about this topic – as I am still weaving my way into figuring out what topics do best on which platform. I try not to be too redundant with my posts but it has been difficult to decipher exactly who wants to see what and where. Please bare with me, as I work through this, especially if you are one who follows me on my different platforms: Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube and my blog. I like variety and try to keep it all different and interesting but still struggling to figure it all out. For instance, a post can blow up on Pinterest and bomb on YouTube or blow on on my blog and fail on Instagram. I do try to use different platforms to cross promote but don’t want to get too redundant for my readers and followers. If you have ideas and suggestions, I’d love to hear them!!

Other Happy Haute Home Posts about Trim and Moldings

Let’s get onto this post and talk about trim 🙂

I have many blog posts already about moldings and trim such as:

Timeless vs Trendy

My video focuses on how moldings and trim create a timeless look in a home. In the video, I use pictures from many of these posts to show the effects molding has in a room. These looks are very traditional, making them classic and timeless. Trends come and go and when a look gets overdone, (and there are many out there now) the trend disappears. The traditional look has been around for 50 plus years and isn’t going anywhere….it’s still very relevant today.

In our prior homes, I updated several rooms to include molding and show many “before” and “after” pics.

Let’s do a deeper dive into different types of molding.

Shadow Box Trim

In our first home, we added shadow boxes to the lower one third portion of the walls in our dining room.

The home has been sold a couple times and I would be interested to see what it looks like today but the bottom trim is a timeless and classic look. The gray paint trend is over, I redid this room over 10 years ago but the trim can remain forever.

I also still own this dining room set today, you may notice it looks familiar 😉

Raised Panel Trim

In out current home, we have raised panels on our kitchen island. This is when the outside trim is raised and the boxes are inset into the paneling. Which is different that shadow boxes, which are raised and installed on top of drywall. This look is classic. Other aspects of the kitchen come and go but the wood trim will remain timeless forever.

Board and Batten Trim

This picture is from our second home, the one we lived in before moving to our current home. In this dining room, I added board and batten trim two thirds of the way up the wall. Let’s take a look at the “before”:

See the dramatic difference the panels give to the room. In addition, we changed the floors and chandelier which significantly helps the appearance too.

Accent Wall with Trim

In the living room, I created an accent wall with a board and batten type style. It’s important to measure the wall carefully before installing the trim, as you want all the boxes to be symmetrical and the same size.

Built-Ins are another very Important Wall Feature

In our office, we installed built-ins on two sides of the walls creating a dramatic effect in the room. Take a look at the “before”:

The floors were changed out too but those built-ins! Love!

Here is the other side of the room. We went to the ceiling and added plenty of shelves and file drawers to the space.

Another example of built-ins in our master bedroom.

Built-ins were added to the sides of the fireplace.

Look at the before pic without them? Big difference right?!

Wall Paneling in a Bathroom

In our current home, we installed wall panels in our powder room, changing the look of the room significantly.

Window Trim

The type of trim you add to windows also plays a huge role in the look of a room. Thicker and heavier molding will create a more dramatic look than smaller and thinner molding. But, the trim needs to match the scale of the room and windows. You don’t want to add small molding to large windows, or small molding to a bay window, it will look disproportionate. The molding on these windows is heavy enough to handle the contrast.

Notice how the crisp white paint looks in this room against the contrast of the blue walls. Take a look at the “before” pic.

One paint color sprayed throughout the room does nothing to accentuate the look of the windows.

This is a trend today to color everything the same color including the window trim, the look is pretty especially with a dark color but it’s not necessarily classic and timeless. But with that being said, it’s simple enough to repaint the window trim a different color later if you decide you want the contrast. What is important is that you have the basic trim in place and can play with paint anytime.

If the trim on these windows was smaller and thinner, we would have had to stick to all one color and not accentuate the small trim…if you know what I mean.

If you are interested in seeing more “before” and “after” pics of our prior home, drop me a comment down below! I look forward to hearing from you!

Shopping Link for your convenience –

Sunroom 

Dining Room

Living Room

Kitchen

  • Pendant Lighting  https://amzn.to/3A9i7Md

    Denise

    XO

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