We are reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
If you’re browsing through Pinterest looking for ways to update your house, you’ve likely seen endless ideas. Many tricks can make a room feel more timeless and classic — but crown molding might be the best. It’s easy to install, and you can enjoy the decoration for years.
Which Home Styles Should Use Crown Molding
Technically, you can use crown molding no matter your home’s characteristics. There’s no correct way to decorate a house. However, most homeowners want to keep their space aligned with a single design, whether that’s Mediterranean, contemporary or Tudor.
Those who want to add crown molding should think about their property’s overall look. It’s a trim technique that dates back to the ancient Greeks and was widely used across the United States in the 18th century. Therefore, you can mainly find it in traditional houses that draw inspiration from the Victorian and Colonial eras.
There are ways to incorporate minimal crown molding into modern homes since you can use various designs and styles, but you’ll probably still find that the decoration looks best in older houses.
Is Crown Molding an Easy DIY Project?
This project rarely takes more than a day to complete — and you don’t need much skill to do so. It’s the perfect task for weekend DIYers. Aside from the crown, you’ll need:
- A nail gun
- Nails
- A hammer
- A level
- Caulk
- Paint
- A paint brush
Note that you need a saw to cut the crown, too. Experts recommend compound miter saws so that you can achieve perfectly clean cuts. It’s usually not enough to use a hand saw, so you might want to rent or borrow a compound miter saw in case you don’t want to buy one.
1. Mount Between the Wall and Ceiling
Here’s the most common way to install crown molding. Mount the material at a 45-degree angle between where the wall and ceiling meet. Then, you can connect it at each corner with either mitered or coped joints to create a cohesive look. Be sure to add same-colored baseboards to tie your project together.
2. Install Under and Around Doorways
If you have arched passages in your house, you can jazz them up with crown molding. These dressed-up entry points can help your rooms flow from one to the next. This project requires wider trim with a butt joint placed at the left and right top corners. Install doorway casing to achieve a similar look around doors.
3. Add to Wall-Mounted Cabinets
Frequently, older homes don’t have enough room for crown molding to look good. If you want to elevate a space without crowding, you can add the material to your wall-mounted cabinets. This technique will connect the cabinets to the ceiling. It’s usually best to use a bolder trim such as classic revival top trip to make a statement.
4. Incorporate Into the Bathroom
Do you have a shower stall built into your wall? If so, you might want to install crown molding around the top to help the room feel more refined. This trick should tone down how modern your bathroom feels so that your entire house flows better.
5. Place Above Living Room Bookshelves
If you want to make bookshelves look like built-ins, you can add crown molding. It’s an effective way to take your living room to the next level. Try to install a more decorative style to make your bookshelves pop. However, you can also be more subtle.
6. Create Classic Curtain Rods
Elements like curtain rods can feel transformed when you install crown molding. If you have a balcony with French doors or a large bedroom window, you probably have drapes to block sunlight. Why not add crown molding to the curtain rods for an elegant feel? It’s a smart solution for sometimes bulky and unattractive curtain rods.
7. Attach Corner Blocks
There’s a chance you already have crown molding installed between your walls and ceilings, but you want to add a little flair to a specific room. That’s when you can use corner blocks. For instance, you could place curved corner blocks in different corners to help the space stand out.
These Are Just a Few Ways to Use Crown Molding
There’s nothing like crown molding to make a room feel a bit more put together. If you have a traditional home, you can achieve beautiful results with it. Try a few ideas from this list to take any room in your house to the next level.