Seven Places to Use Decorative Molding

Decorative molding is a great addition to your interior design. Traditionally used in older architectural designs, decorative molding can be used in modern decor to express your decorative style and enhance the look of your home.

Here are seven places to use decorative molding, a few of which may surprise you:

Ceiling

Crown molding is often used to mask the seams between your walls and the ceiling. Depending on the size and style of your home, crown molding is available sized 2" to 20". Build up molding, combining different styles, to add your own unique and personal touch to your decor.

Walls

Use molding along the wall to create a chair rail or a frieze rail. You can break up your wall into three areas for a more visually appealing wall. The decorative possibilities are endless.

Floor

Molding is also used along the floor and the juncture between the wall and floor. Most homes are built with the standard baseboard. But why not choose something more unique or decorative, something that says more about who you are?

Door

Use molding on the door itself. Panel molding breaks up a flat, dull surface into more visually appealing surfaces. Use traditional top and bottom panels. Why not use a triangle or diamond pattern? It's easy to do and an inexpensive decorative addition. Do the same for your ceiling. Paint them or stain them. Use molding around your doors, too, to cover any gaps between the door and the wall.

Windows

Use decorative molding, called casing, to frame windows. Match your window casing with your door framing.

Fireplace

Use decorative molding around your fireplace to draw attention to it. Place it along the sides, or build it up to use for your mantle. Build your own new look.

Furniture

Frame a bookcase, armoire, or entertainment unit with decorative molding. Small rosettes can be used at the corners. Smaller molding sizes can be used around any plain furniture that you want to spruce up.

Now that you have a few ideas, you can get started quickly and inexpensively to give your home or individual room a whole new look. Stop by GoCeilingMedallion.com to shop for one of the largest selections of decorative moldings online today.

Top 10 Crown Molding Materials

Decorative crown molding has changed over the centuries. It has evolved from the beauty of the Greek forms to the simple curves of the Roman era; from the flowers and vines of the Gothic rounds to a return to the simple forms of the Romans during the Renaissance. Today, crown molding can be found in just about any type of material. So what's appropriate? Which one should you use? There are so many, it can be a little daunting. So let's take a brief look at the different kinds of materials that crown molding is often crafted from.

Crown molding has been made from milled hardwood and plaster. Wood crown molding can be made from several hardwoods such as hickory, ash, poplar, alder, cherry, maple, mahogany and oak. Wood crown molding enriches the character of any interior as it frames your ceiling and complements your decor.

On the down side, hardwood moldings can be quite expensive. Forest resources are limited. Wood moldings shrink and swell with humidity, they can be damaged by water, it is combustible, it can be damaged by rot and insects, it can crack, it requires mitering and coping skills, it may split and splinter when nailed or cut, and wood molding must be sanded and primed prior to finishing.

Renewed interest has been growing in decorative ornamental plaster. Decorative plaster molding can be found in all styles. Ornamental plaster crown moldings do not shrink, burn, warp or produce toxic fumes. Ornamental plaster can be formulated in a wide range of compositions to yield finished products which include a range of properties. They are versatile, safe, stable and economic. Ornamental plaster, although an excellent product, can be costly to install. Although it is no longer required to be manufactured in place, skilled craftsmen are in short supply and it has become almost a lost art.

MDF crown molding, a wood-based composite material that uses wood fibers with a synthetic resin, is another example of how a builder or decorator can accent any room or hallway. MDF is environmentally safe and requires less preparation. MDF won't split when cutting, is resistant to warping and is consistent in size and shape. However, during installation of MDF, nailing creates blemishes that will require repair, by hand, prior to finishing. Although it is a less costly alternative to other materials in use, most professionals do not recommend its use.

Polyurethanes, found in many items, are considered to be the best replacement for plaster. They are used in resins, adhesives, fibers, foam padding and insulation. They come in several forms, such as rods, sheets and liquids. Polyurethanes are frequently used as an alternative to such materials as wood, plastics, metal and rubber. Polyurethanes are resistant to wear and tear, weather, impact, scratching and erosion. They are also more cost-effective as an alternative as well. . Items such as domed ceilings, moldings and ceiling medallions are easier to construct of polyurethane foam rather than wood.

Flexible molding, which is one type of polyurethane, makes it a cinch to decorate around curved walls and arched doorways and windows. Flexible molding is made from a compound polymer resin that has been engineered to bend or curve around more challenging shapes. It can be bent or twisted without breaking or splintering. Flexible molding can actually be purchased in a range of grades, from very flexible to totally rigid.

The installation of crown molding cannot be made any easier than with peel and stick. Peel and stick comes in kits of plastic molding pieces which have self-adhesive backs and four outside corners. Peel and stick is available for the really low-tech, low cost way to decorate as no power tools, saws, nails or hammers are required.

Peel and stick, though, especially due to its low-tech and low cost, lacks relief. That is, there is no depth or thickness and it will appear flat.

Styrofoam crown molding is light weight, durable and versatile, inexpensive, and adhesive to most kinds of paint. Other advantages and reasons for its gain in popularity are that it requires no special tools to install, and in fact can be installed in less than a day by the average homeowner. Styrofoam does not rot, crack, decay or succumb to insect damage. It can however melt or burn when exposed to flame and must be encased, as it will release toxic fumes when burning.

Another material that is finding its way into popularity is vinyl. Vinyl crown molding gives that old plaster look. The advantage to using vinyl is its simplicity. It is low maintenance, does not blister or peel, swell or shrink when used in extreme moisture conditions, and will not rust, rot, pit or corrode and will not be attacked by insects.

Aluminum, stamped metal, crown molding featuring heavy-duty all aluminum construction is also available for use as a decorative accent. It is preformed inside and outside corners eliminate miter cuts, making installation easier. It is easy to cut, and installs like traditional moldings. It is durable and rugged. Aluminum is a tremendous bang for the buck. Use stamped metal for industry, factory, office, retail spaces, workshop, garages, kitchens, and trade shows.

Styrofoam, aluminum and vinyl moldings are primarily used for exterior decorative purposes.

At GoCrownMolding.com, we offer many, many styles of crown molding, as well as other decorative ceiling accents made of polyurethane. We also offer a variety of flexible moldings when your decorative molding installations necessitate a curved or arched product. All of our products can be custom ordered from a wide collection of crown, cornice, chair rail, frieze, and panel moldings. So take a look at our catalog and do something new to beautify your home today.

GoceilingMedallion.com Welcomes Partnership with the Medallion Factory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mesquite, NV January 31, 2008---GoCeilingMedallion.com is happy to announce yet another partnership. "We have partnered with the Medallion Factory in order to provide our customers with an even wider selection of the quality decorative accents they have come to expect from us,” states Bob Tomaskovic, product manager atGoCeilingMedallion.com.

"Our goal at GoCeilingMedallion.com is to provide our customers with the largest inventory of decorative ceiling items such as ceiling medallions, ceiling domes, and rosettes, anywhere around, on or off of the Internet. We believe that coupled with excellent customer service and competitive pricing, we are the GoTo people for all of your decorative ceiling accent needs," said Pat Tomaskovic, CEO and President of GoCeilingMedallion.com.

The Medallion Factory offers a unique and extensive line of precision crafted decorative polyurethane home accent pieces and ceiling medallions. The designs range from contemporary to Victorian architecture. The Medallion Factory offers a large assortment of decorative accents -- ceiling medallions, rosettes, domes and niches -- to grace your new home or for your interior renovation. They will also custom make products to our customer’s specifications. The medallion factory employs "master craftsman" who hand create original molds, from which each piece is produced. High density polyurethane foam or gypsum produced is then detailed and finished with only high-quality coatings. In this way, the product is able to keep its original beauty for years. As it resists warping, cracking, splitting or rotting, the exceptional detailing of each piece is evident for years to come.

In addition to precision crafted products, through the Medallion Factory, GoCeilingMedallion.com will be able to offer:

-- custom orders.

-- factory primed products.

-- over 150 more styles of medallions and other products.

-- products are in stock and usually ship within two days.

GoCeilingMedallion.com welcomes the Medallion Factory to their ever-growing catalogue of manufacturers of fine architectural details.

For the Internet’s largest selection of home decorative accent products, visit GoCeilingMedallion.com today.

2008 International Builders' Show

Builders, Decorators and Homeowners:

The 64th Annual Convention and Exposition is back in Orlando, Florida from February 13-16, 2008. The show, brought to you by The National Association of Home Builders, has everything that you need, all under one roof. There is no other place to see all of the latest home building products, services and trends. All in one place, at one time.

The show will feature:

-Over 290 educational sessions and special events
-1900 exhibitors, to include suppliers, manufacturers and 100's of new companies
-Over one million square feet of space showcasing all of the latest products in the building industry
-More than 100,000 professionals in the industry will be attending
-Networking opportunities abound

Daily featured speakers include experts in marketing, architecture, sales, interior design and customer service, to name just a few. Expect to see growing trends in green designing and building to protect and maintain the environment.

Education sessions will include trends in real estate, pricing, residential and townhouse design, marketing, building, construction, finance, greenbuilding, environmental regulations, trends in technology and organization and business management, among so many, many others.

Parties, receptions, savings and Disney's Epcot Center. You really can have it all in one place. For more information you can visit www.buildersshow.com to find out everything you need to know and to register.

Look for some of the newest and best products at GoCeilingMedallion. Our manufacturers are always improving on current products as well as introducing state of the art new products. Stay tuned for more exciting news from GoCeilingMedallion.