A Touch of Sophistication: Ornate Moldings

Molding is a concept that people in the real estate business or architecture aficionados would know. However, for most people, it might be just another word that can mean a lot of things. This is why those who are interested or in the process of doing home furnishings might have a hard time getting on board when it comes to the installation of moldings for their property.

If this is a concern you might be having at the moment, do not fret. The concept of moldings can be pretty easy to understand, as easy as counting 1-8; maybe even 1-2 to some. To help, this article will provide a brief overview about moldings and different types that can be used as reference as one spruces up their place.

What You Need To Know About Moldings

What is a Molding?

To briefly explain what a molding is in the world of home construction and furnishing, it refers to the decorative trim pieces that are usually used for ceilings, doors, walls, and windows that serves as a transition between different elements of the property.

There are different styles that moldings can be inspired from. It usually depends on the overall architectural design and inspiration that the property owners wants to showcase. It can go from Colonial times to Victorian era, which is very distinctive because of the use of fancier materials compared to other styles.

In short, moldings provide dimension which adds to the charm and character of the property. With the right molding installed, the place will be transformed and communicate a distinct style that will amaze both homeowners and spectators alike.

Molding Throughout Generations

Decorative molding is a term coined in recent years to have a unified word to describe the art and technique that the forefathers showed in many architectural wonders throughout generations. As previously mentioned, molding is evident in Colonial and Victorian-style homes and buildings which helped in identifying the architectural design prevalent at the time. The use of ornate moldings in these times have shown the elegance and sophistication, that was a huge deal at the time.

After many years, modern techniques in architecture and construction emerged that the Greeks, Romans, and other colonists introduced machine-cut, manufactured moldings that started the decline in the cost of moldings and other construction necessities in general.

Different Types of Moldings

Crown Molding

Crown molding, often spelled as crown moulding, is probably the most popular type of molding used in modern home furnishing world. It refers to the decorative element that extends outward from where the ceiling and the walls meet. the ceiling and walls where they meet. Some use the term cornice molding for it as well, and there are a bunch of different styles and cuts according to the overall design the property adapted.

Aside from being a decorative piece in the property, installing a crown molding is actually meant to help in hiding the flaws that commonly appears in areas where two elements meet. In this case, the ceiling the walls. Usually, there are issues with the gap between these two elements that homeowners does not want to deal with on the daily.

Chair Rail Molding

Guessing the purpose of this type of ornate molding is easy enough. From the term itself, chair rail moldings are meant to act as a shield between the wall and chairs in the area that might cause dents and scratches while in use. With this reason, this type of molding can usually be seen in dining and living areas of one’s home.

Aside from being a functional decoration, chair rail moldings can also be used to incorporate different paint colors in one area. This will make the place pop and introduce depth and vibrance to the space compared to just having one paint color for every wall.

Casing Molding

This type of molding is something that majority of the people see every single day yet fail to recognize. It is because casing molding are used literally as “cases” to surround doors and windows, either or both inside and outside of it.

If the purpose of installing moldings is for decorative purpose alone, it usually goes to these parts of the house. This is why there are plenty of bits and pieces of ancient architectural designs just by looking at these elements because homeowners tend to decorate these areas before anything else.

Dentil Molding

Historic homes, usually from the Victorian era, feature dentil molding around ceilings and doors. This type of molding originated by Greek architecture and can be seen in most of the artifacts left preserved. To describe what dentil molding is, it looks like teeth-shaped blocks that are mainly used as decorative pattern both inside and outside of homes and important buildings such as temples during the ancient times.

Since the design really reminds people of its ancient roots, dentil molding is not usually used these days. In addition to that, installing dentil molding is expected to be pricey since it rests on top of crown moldings and is labor-intensive. It will really take time to furnish a home that required dentil molding since each block has to be carefully measured, trimmed, and positioned per piece.

Egg and Dart Molding

It’s fairly obvious at this point that it is not that difficult to distinguish the different types of moldings because their main characteristic is already in the name. In this case, this type of molding is named this way because its design looks like alternate egg-shaped ovals and darts installed around a ceiling. Some also call it egg and tongue, since the dart shape are sometimes looking like other things such arrows and anchors.

Egg and dart molding is usually installed in conjunction with crown molding. However, it is also not frequently used anymore because just like dentil molding, the design does not go with trendy and modern architectural designs. These are usually seen in preserved family homes from decades ago.

Picture Frame Molding

Last but not the least, picture frame moldings are exactly what the name suggests. They look like empty square or rectangular picture frames that are used to accentuate walls in specific parts of the house such as hallways and stairwells. This ornate moldings add a great deal of elegance and sophistication in one’s home.

The Ornate Italian Moldings at Brittany’s Vista Alabang

If there is one inspiration in the architecture world that shows perfect balance of elegance and sophistication, it is none other than Italian architecture. But there is no need to fly to Italy to appreciate the beauty of Italy’s finest architectural works, Brittany Corporation‘s Vista Alabang brought it closer to those who want to experience luxury living in their own homes.

Vista Alabang’s luxury homes showcase a masterpiece of timeless wonder that the old-world Italy architecture has. Vista Alabang brings to life the ability to live in a community of charm, elegance, and beauty. To know more Vista Alabang and other Brittany Corporation’s luxury real estate developments, visit their official website or follow their social media pages for the latest updates. Live the luxury life with Brittany Homes!