Colonial Style Moulding

Colonial style moulding dates back to the early designs of New England in the 1800s, and it can be found in most traditional colonial style homes. It is a popular choice for moulding remodeling in general because of its mixed origins. It sits right between the grand and somewhat imposing Georgian styles and the more humble and simplistic Federal styles. Colonial style moulding is the perfect match for someone looking for a mix of dramatic beauty and simplicity. Colonial style moulding can take a room from plain to visually pleasing with ease. If you would like to remodel your home or prepare it for the selling market, adding colonial moulding can be a relatively inexpensive way to increase the value and attractiveness of the home.

How Do I Know If I Have a Colonial Style Home?

Colonial homes are very often simple in design. Their splendor lies in the beautiful moulding that can be found along the crown, base, and casing of the home. A key distinguishing factor in colonial homes is symmetry. Each side often looks like a duplicate of the other, and they are known for having paired chimneys (though this isn't a necessity). There is always an even number of windows, which are divided equally between the wooden, six-paneled front doors. Colonial homes are also known for medium pitched roofs, minimal overhang, and shuttered windows.

What Does Colonial Moulding Look Like?

Colonial moulding can be identified by the telltale beaded top. There are also many angles and smooth curves, which give it a beautiful yet effortless look. If you are wondering if your home has colonial moulding, there are many online pictures you can use to compare. Because of the desirability of colonial moulding, it is often listed as a selling point when on the market, so if you had it, you would probably already know. Most homes these days are built with very simple, inexpensive, mouldings that do not offer the same elegant feel that colonial mouldings do. If you do not have colonial moulding and would like to update your home, there are companies that will install them for you, or you can take the "do it yourself" route and learn how to do it on your own. Moulding may seem like a small, negligible feature, but it can add so much value to a home. It is definitely worth the money and the time.

Enid Glasgow is a writer with a passion for home-improvements, design, and architecture. Learn more about Colonial Style Moulding online.

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Contemporary Style Moulding

Contemporary style moulding is all about simplicity and understated beauty. It grew out of a response to the traditional, more dramatic moulding styles, like Georgian and Greek. While the older styles are known for their many impressive angles, curves, and sweeping waves, contemporary mouldings are very simple and low on intricacies.

How Do I Know If I Have a Contemporary Style Home?

Contemporary homes surfaced in the mid-60s and they are characterized by their minimal architectural flair, oversized windows (which let in natural light), open floor plans, and smooth, clean lines. Their beauty comes from the lack of ornamentation and design. Contemporary homes are low on fancy frills and high on functionality and space. They are usually the home of choice for anyone who is turned off by the "overdone" look of older style homes.

Unlike the symmetrical shape of colonial homes, contemporary homes are often irregular in shape, usually with at least one part of the roof sitting higher than the other. Because of the appreciation for natural beauty and minimal modification, contemporary homes often have nice-sized yards with many surrounding trees (and sometimes animals). Rather than brick or artificial siding, these homes are usually made of a beautiful wood or a natural stone. The ceilings may be especially high (to accommodate all the natural light streaming through the large windows) and the beams may also be exposed. This style further adds to the very natural, somewhat rustic feel of the home.

What Does Contemporary Moulding Look Like?

Contemporary moulding is very simple and made to blend in or slightly complement the environment. It does not aim to stand out on its own as a focal point of a room. Contemporary moulding is modest, so you won't find fancy beading or huge, swooping designs. The lines are very clean and simple. Contemporary moulding does not mix curves with angles. It always prefers one over the other, either a few quick angles or one or two simple curves. Do an online search for "comtemporary moulding" to see pictures that you can compare to your home's moulding.

Contemporary style moulding is the perfect discreet touch to any contemporary home. It increases the value and visual appeal without distracting from the open floor plan and the expansive windows. This style moulding is all about simplicity and understated beauty, and is a great choice for those looking to add something small and uncomplicated.

Enid Glasgow is a writer with a passion for home-improvements, design, and architecture. Learn more about Contemporary Style Moulding online.

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How to Install Crown Moulding in 4 Easy Steps

If you know anything about home design and the housing market, then you know that crown moulding is desirable. If you are interested in improving your home and want to know how to install crown moulding yourself, use the following steps to guide you along the way.

Step 1: Choose Your Type of Moulding

Before you can do anything, you'll have to decide if you want to use wood, fiberboard (usually referred to as MDF, medium density fiberboard), or polyurethane. There are pros and cons to each type, depending on what you are looking for. Wood is classic, but more expensive. Fiberboard is cheaper, but poorer in quality. Polyurethane is even more expensive, but the most durable.

If you plan to paint your crown moulding, do so before installing it. It will be much harder afterwards.

Step 2: Cut the Corner Pieces

Once you've chosen your material, you'll want to start with the corners. They are the hardest because of the angles. All the other pieces will lay flat against the wall, but the corners will have to be cut in a special way in order to fit. You will need a coping saw to do this. If you are a novice and are uneasy about getting the corner cuts just right, use a premade corner block. They are already cut, so all you have to do is attach them. You can use caulking, but nails would be more secure.

Step 3: Measure the Length of the Walls and Cut the Moulding

Next, you'll want to measure each section of the wall to see how much moulding you will need. With your corner blocks in place, measure from one block to the next. Be as exact as possible in your measurement because you want the piece to fit perfectly in the middle. Cut the moulding pieces according to the measurements you recorded.

If the room has a complicated shape (meaning it's not a simple square or rectangle), you can buy precut outer edge pieces that are already cut at forty-five degree angles. When you use two right up against each other on an outside corner, they fit seamlessly and look professional.

Step 4: Attach the Moulding to the Wall

Since the corner pieces have already been secured, all you have to do is attach the long middle pieces. Attach the moulding between the corner blocks, adding nails every twelve inches or so. (A nail gun makes this process go much faster.) After all the pieces are securely attached, you can use wood putty or paint to disguise the nails. This may not be an issue if you have used a dark wood for the moulding. If you have painted the moulding, you can use the same paint on the nail heads prior to using them. That will cause then to automatically blend in.

These four steps can help you transform your room from mediocre to elegant in a matter of hours. Your friends won't believe you did it yourself!

Enid Glasgow is a writer with a passion for home-improvements, design, and architecture. Learn more about Crown Moulding online.

http://EzineArticles.com/6506832