I am currently doing some renovations to my prewar apartment in the village. This question relates to replacing and perhaps redesigning the moldings in my living room and dining room. The two rooms are side-by-side; they are nicely proportioned but not enormous: dining room is 14x20, living room is 15x25. Each room has two exposed ceiling beams running perpendicular to the long wall between them,... [more]
I am currently doing some renovations to my prewar apartment in the village. This question relates to replacing and perhaps redesigning the moldings in my living room and dining room.
The two rooms are side-by-side; they are nicely proportioned but not enormous: dining room is 14x20, living room is 15x25. Each room has two exposed ceiling beams running perpendicular to the long wall between them, which is punctured by a large opening.
Currently there are old picture moldings running along the walls, along with small crown moldings along the walls and along the beams across the ceiling. The effect of this is, to my eye, way too many lines crisscrossing the upper walls and ceiling. I would like to eliminate the picture moldings. But if I do that, I am not sure where to change the the paint color between the wall color and the ceiling color. Right now we change at the picture molding, but without the molding, it seems like the wall color will have to go around the beams, creating a crenelated look that might be even busier-looking than what we have now.
I am also considering eliminating the crown moldings that run along the beams through the room, and only having them between the beams along the walls. Is that feasible or will it look wrong?
My architect and designer have opinions on all of this, but I know we have some experienced renovators on here and I was wondering if anyone could make suggestions.
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Response by alanhart
about 15 years ago
Posts: 12397
Member since: Feb 2007
I'd leave the picture moldings (or replace with subtle, low-profile ones if they're to crusty) -- for paint-change and to hide cables easily (assuming non-drywall construction) ... and remove all the other moldings.
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Response by villageowner
about 15 years ago
Posts: 43
Member since: Oct 2010
wires are hidden under the baseboards but still, that's an interesting suggestion and one i had not considered. wow.
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Response by Wbottom
about 15 years ago
Posts: 2142
Member since: May 2010
if you want it to be sleek and minimal, rid yourself of all moldings--ceilings seem highest and rooms biggest, the less detail and contrast appears in walls--and this insures that your plaster guy does a good job--often crowns and big baseboards are used to hide sloppy work that can lead to cracks in main wall surfaces--and if you change your mind, if plaster is done well, molding can always easily and cheaply be applied any time later
ditch the molding--
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Response by alanhart
about 15 years ago
Posts: 12397
Member since: Feb 2007
I also prefer a minimalist look, but I disagree with Wbottom. Creating a "big sky" effect by having a white ceiling extend down a foot or so of wall makes a room seem larger and ceilings higher, IMO. That's IF you're going to paint the walls pistachio ... all-photographer's-white, of course, favors no molding.
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Response by front_porch
about 15 years ago
Posts: 5321
Member since: Mar 2008
I'm a bit jealous of thinking of a 14 by 20 dining room as not enormous, but ... that's a side issue.
Or maybe it isn't.
I think, without seeing the place, that it's not that your moldings are in the wrong place, it's that they're not proportional to the room volume as perceived by your modern eye. I go with AH in saying new, subtle picture moldings, but ... I think much larger crown moldings are actually your answer. Maybe new tall baseboards too.
ali r.
DG Neary Realty
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Response by alanhart
about 15 years ago
Posts: 12397
Member since: Feb 2007
Crown moldings make me sad ... except maybe in townhouses & non-city houses. They beg for a putti-adorned rosette in the middle of the ceiling. Big.
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Response by Primer05
about 15 years ago
Posts: 2103
Member since: Jul 2009
Village,
We had the same issue on one of your projects. We took down the existing picture molding and made our own line.
Primer: it's not the 7th project. Can you direct me to what you mean?
Alan and Bottom: don't you worry that a prewar apartment denuded of all moldings looks sort of like a fashion-victim trying to be something she isnt. I live in an eight room prewar apartment, and no matter what i do to it it will never be a loft in Soho or a glass box on Bond street. I want to town down some of the more traditional elements, but I don't want something that looks sleek and modern now and eventually looks hopelessly dated. So I am very torn.
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Response by Primer05
about 15 years ago
Posts: 2103
Member since: Jul 2009
When you go to my website and click on portfolio you should see six projects. If you click on the plus sign you will see more projects. It looks like there is crown molding but it isn't we just stopped painting before we hit the ceiling
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Response by nyc10023
about 15 years ago
Posts: 7614
Member since: Nov 2008
Wowee - I like how you're slowly drawing out our envy. 8-room prewar in the Village.
There is prewar and there is prewar. I'm not sure if there were always "crown" mouldings in the younger prewar buildings. Definitely in the turn of the century prewar bldgs & townhouses.
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Response by Wbottom
about 15 years ago
Posts: 2142
Member since: May 2010
whatever you do re molding, it's cheap to add to well-finished walls--very expensive to remove
with molding less is always better
over-molded apts remind me of cars with every possible strapon accessory installed--mudflaps, bumper protectoctors, fake gps antennae.......
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Response by nyc10023
about 15 years ago
Posts: 7614
Member since: Nov 2008
Check out www.victoriahagan.com. She has decorated some rooms with very elaborate mouldings, but has nicely neutralized the overfussy look with whites & furniture.
Have you looked at other apts in your buildings? Sometimes, I go to OHs for interior decorating ideas alone.
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Response by Wbottom
about 15 years ago
Posts: 2142
Member since: May 2010
true that...befriend and, if possible, view apts of any in your line who have recently renovated..ive done that, prevented mistakes and got good ideas
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Response by villageowner
about 15 years ago
Posts: 43
Member since: Oct 2010
wbottoms,
does your dislike of moldings extend to door frames? my designer mentioned the possibility of enlarging the door between the living room and dining room and eliminating the door frame for a cleaner look. do you think this would look overly stripped-down?
I'd leave the picture moldings (or replace with subtle, low-profile ones if they're to crusty) -- for paint-change and to hide cables easily (assuming non-drywall construction) ... and remove all the other moldings.
wires are hidden under the baseboards but still, that's an interesting suggestion and one i had not considered. wow.
if you want it to be sleek and minimal, rid yourself of all moldings--ceilings seem highest and rooms biggest, the less detail and contrast appears in walls--and this insures that your plaster guy does a good job--often crowns and big baseboards are used to hide sloppy work that can lead to cracks in main wall surfaces--and if you change your mind, if plaster is done well, molding can always easily and cheaply be applied any time later
ditch the molding--
I also prefer a minimalist look, but I disagree with Wbottom. Creating a "big sky" effect by having a white ceiling extend down a foot or so of wall makes a room seem larger and ceilings higher, IMO. That's IF you're going to paint the walls pistachio ... all-photographer's-white, of course, favors no molding.
I'm a bit jealous of thinking of a 14 by 20 dining room as not enormous, but ... that's a side issue.
Or maybe it isn't.
I think, without seeing the place, that it's not that your moldings are in the wrong place, it's that they're not proportional to the room volume as perceived by your modern eye. I go with AH in saying new, subtle picture moldings, but ... I think much larger crown moldings are actually your answer. Maybe new tall baseboards too.
ali r.
DG Neary Realty
Crown moldings make me sad ... except maybe in townhouses & non-city houses. They beg for a putti-adorned rosette in the middle of the ceiling. Big.
Village,
We had the same issue on one of your projects. We took down the existing picture molding and made our own line.
Look at the 7th project on the portfolio section of www.primerenovationsnyc.com
Primer: it's not the 7th project. Can you direct me to what you mean?
Alan and Bottom: don't you worry that a prewar apartment denuded of all moldings looks sort of like a fashion-victim trying to be something she isnt. I live in an eight room prewar apartment, and no matter what i do to it it will never be a loft in Soho or a glass box on Bond street. I want to town down some of the more traditional elements, but I don't want something that looks sleek and modern now and eventually looks hopelessly dated. So I am very torn.
When you go to my website and click on portfolio you should see six projects. If you click on the plus sign you will see more projects. It looks like there is crown molding but it isn't we just stopped painting before we hit the ceiling
Wowee - I like how you're slowly drawing out our envy. 8-room prewar in the Village.
There is prewar and there is prewar. I'm not sure if there were always "crown" mouldings in the younger prewar buildings. Definitely in the turn of the century prewar bldgs & townhouses.
whatever you do re molding, it's cheap to add to well-finished walls--very expensive to remove
with molding less is always better
over-molded apts remind me of cars with every possible strapon accessory installed--mudflaps, bumper protectoctors, fake gps antennae.......
Check out www.victoriahagan.com. She has decorated some rooms with very elaborate mouldings, but has nicely neutralized the overfussy look with whites & furniture.
Have you looked at other apts in your buildings? Sometimes, I go to OHs for interior decorating ideas alone.
true that...befriend and, if possible, view apts of any in your line who have recently renovated..ive done that, prevented mistakes and got good ideas
wbottoms,
does your dislike of moldings extend to door frames? my designer mentioned the possibility of enlarging the door between the living room and dining room and eliminating the door frame for a cleaner look. do you think this would look overly stripped-down?