Adding Character To A Room: Part I

One of the not so subtle differences between homes built a hundred years ago and those being offered today is the lack of those simple architectural details that give a room character. In some instances those classic details -- crown molding, picture rail, chair rail, wainscoting, baseboard and shoe molding -- were ripped out of older homes in a misguided attempt to modernize them. In more recent homes, apartments and condominiums, these trim details were simply omitted as a cost-saving measure.

Fortunately for homeowners today, those trim features are available unfinished as either hardwoods, such as oak and poplar, or softwoods like fir and pine. With the assistance of stains and finishes, it is an easy task to add these architectural details to a bland and lifeless room, giving it charm, character and added value.

The first step in adding architectural details to any room is to make a sketch of the room, including key measurements. When buying trim it is always a good idea to add twelve inches to any measurement to compensate for miter joints and second attempts!

The tools needed for this project are relatively simple and readily available. They would include a tape measure, a fine-toothed miter saw and miter box, a level, a hammer, finish nails, and a nail punch for countersinking the nails beneath the surface of the wood.

Here, then, is a quick rundown of the different types of architectural moldings available in home improvement centers:

Crown Molding - This wide piece of trim is beveled at the top and bottom to enable it to fit snugly against both the ceiling and the wall. Its purpose is to soften the appearance of the harsh 90-degree angle and, in the case of especially tall ceilings, to visually bring down the height of the room.

Picture Rail - Also referred to as a 'frieze' rail, this special piece of trim is attached approximately twelve inches below the ceiling in a band that encircles the room. Its original purpose was to hold a special curved brass clip and wire from which artwork could be suspended without pounding holes in the wall. Today the picture rail is used to visually reduce the height of a tall ceiling and to create a border around the room that can be wallpapered or painted a different color for more character.

Chair Rail - This, too, once served a different purpose than it does today. At a time when homes were furnished more sparsely than they are today, a chair rail trim would be added to the wall at the exact height of the back of the dining chairs. After a meal it would be customary to push the chairs against the wall, so the chair rail would protect the plaster, wallpaper and paint from any damage. Today the chair rail serves as an architectural detail that helps to break up large expanses of bland, painted wallboard. It can also disguise the jagged top edge of wainscoting.

Wainscoting - Installed as either individual tongue-and-groove boards or as four-foot wide sheets, wainscoting typically covers the lower third of the wall. The top edge is finished with a piece of chair rail notched on the back to accommodate the thickness of the wainscoting. In the case of thick wainscoting for which no chair rail can be found to cover, the top edge can be finished with a piece of standard molding along with a smaller diameter of shoe mold (see below).

Baseboard - Although baseboards in historic homes once were as much as eight inches high, they have shrunk steadily in recent years until some have been reduced to little more than two inches. Fortunately, these new versions can easily be removed and replaced with wider baseboards that add more character to the room.

Shoe Molding - Also known as 'quarter-round,' this narrow strip of wood is rounded on the front to ease the transition from the baseboard to the floor. Its other purpose is to hide the uneven edges of a wooden floor or carpeting.

Next Week: Part II -- Choosing, Staining and Finishing the Wood Trim

- Bruce