Thursday, October 13, 2011

What were they thinking Thursday? Bad Moulding

Since my last blog about moulding, I began to obsess and think about all the things I hate that builders put into our homes.  Yes, I know hate is a strong word and I really do mean HATE! It's the one thing that is always wrong when I go into my potential client's homes especially if they have new homes.  There is a science, geometry, scale, etc.. to moulding.  I must show you what exactly grates on my nerves...


This picture should look familiar.  It was on my last blog.  I hate when they paint the small ceiling wall the same color as the wall below.  It's supposed to look like a ceiling not a wall.

 
Here's an even better example of how they painted the ceiling. It looks like racing stripes!  It's such a weird shape that I wouldn't have wanted to emphasize it in this way.  It's just all wrong!

They really should have not put crown in the hallway.  Especially not as large of a crown and have it end at the opening.  It's better to down play this area since it is just a hallway or put an opening into the hallway so the crown doesn't have to stop like this.


Here's another familiar picture.  I just think this is so ridiculous!

Way too much built-up moulding in that cove!  What were they thinking?

 Another huge disappoint is applied moulding instead of paneling.  It's supposed to mimic paneling but when it is painted two different colors it just emphasizes "cheap"!  The geometry is all wrong too.  Nothing is spaced evenly.  That picture is way too small at the top and useless because you can't see it so high.  The Crown at the top is way too small. Nothing is right in this space. 

Same problem.

Bad spacing of the applied molding.  The top and bottom should always line up.  It crowds the niche which I don't like anyhow, because something very specific has to go in a niche and it locks you in and you can't change your art.  

Bad color choices.

A chair rail is used to prevent chair backs from damaging the wall which then dictates the height of the chair rail around 30" -36" depending on your chairs.  A picture rail is used to hang wire from to hang your pictures so you don't damage plaster walls.  So that needs to be close to the ceiling or above picture height.  This moulding while a good size is in the completely wrong location.  It prevents you from hanging anything interesting over the sofa.  

OK enough with my ranting, here's some clever and out of the box ways to use moulding...


This is a great use of contrasting paint- to emphasize the design!

So modern yet not too modern!


Love the ceiling!

Great idea for bringing color and pattern into a room!




In honor of Halloween coming up!




We need to have builders go to moulding school!  Or have Architects and Interior Designers design our homes like they did in the old days!  Do you have any moulding pet peeves?  Or great ideas to do with moulding?  Let me know!  ~Brandy

2 comments:

NJ Contractor said...

Wow...some of those moulding and paint jobs were just horrible...does the homeowner think they look okay?! I almost can't believe it! But thanks for sharing the other good ones...I love the one fireplace. It has that Federal style mantel with modern touches. Love it!

Anonymous said...

I mostly agree, although the first picture you posted as representative of clever molding design (the wall octagons) proves that some choices are subject to taste. ;-) I have come to think over the years that if there is ever any dispute over molding color, paint it white and living with it for a while is a good alternate choice. White trim works with nearly everything.

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