I love the look of chair rail  in a room. Chair rail is one of the most versatile types of molding and adds a decorative border around the wall. It is used as a dramatic accent separating two colors of paint, paint and wallpaper, or wainscot and paint or wallpaper. Chair rail gives a room dimension and adds a lot of character to the design. Chair rail also comes in many widths and styles to suit any application. There is a lot of debate about the history of this popular molding? It has been proclaimed for years that chair rail began as a means to keep chairs from marring walls. It’s true, that has been one purpose of chair rail since colonial times. It is interesting to note, the Shakers had pegs in their chair rail to hang the chairs on when sweeping. I like this idea as I never know what to do with the chairs when I am vacuuming around the dining room table and I am constantly moving them out of the way. By doing a little research, I discovered that excavations of ancient Greek and Roman ruins have shown these civilizations used wood trim to divide walls into visually pleasing proportions.

So, we know something similar to chair rail dates back at least 2,000 years. Chair railing, or a dado rail as it is sometimes called, is often used in combination with crown molding and baseboard molding for a finished look. Panel molding and corners are used to create various shapes for a wainscot look that is often capped with a chair rail. What is the proper height of chair rail? The most often question asked when installing chair rail is the height of the rail from the floor.  A general rule of thumb is 1/3 the height of the wall, or 32-36 inches from the floor for an 8-foot ceiling. Many designers prefer a lower rail at 1/4 the height of the wall. A mistake many DIYers make is putting the rail too high according to many professional designers. Colonial homes and early 18th century designers used the height of the window sill as the rule for placement of the chair rail. I will be adding chair rail in my living room soon as part of a room makeover and like the idea of having the chair rail at window sill height, which is 33 inches for my project.

1 – MEASURE the distance from the floor to determine the height of the rail. 2 – MARK a level line across the wall. 3 – MARK AND CUT molding pieces (You can get an inexpensive plastic miter box with angles already calculated at your local hardware store for less than $20.00) 4 – ATTACH molding to wall with glue and nails 5 – DETERMINE corners using either miter cuts or corner blocks 6 – PAINT (some prefer to paint or stain before installing the rail).Buying Help Moldings & Accessories Moldings & Trim Whether your home features a modern or traditional design, molding and trim adds a decorative element to any space and smooths the transition from wall to either floor or ceiling. A simple way to increase the value of your home, installing moldings can provide a unique architectural feature to your home. What’s more, many options are easy to install, making them the perfect do-it-yourself project. But before you select any molding, you should know what’s available, where they go, and the range of different styles.

With that in mind, here’s a look at moldings: The decorative borders in your home are collectively called trim, and they come in different types. Knowing what these are and where you should install them will help you shop for trim: Working from the floor up, you’ll first encounter baseboards. These are long strips of wood adhered to the base of your walls that abut the floor. bloom high chair ageThey help create a transition between walls and floors. throne chair rental fort lauderdaleBaseboards can be simple in shape, or have additional pieces, like shoe molding, that provide a decorative touch.lazy boy chair covers uk Not a trim necessarily, wainscoting is paneling that exists between baseboards and picture rails that’s installed over the wall. best budget chair for gaming

However, you can also find pseudo wainscoting that features decorative trim installed right on the wall between the baseboard and chair rail. Some homeowners even do away with the trim and just paint the area that would have wainscoting a different color from the rest of the wall. A chair rail, also known as dado rail, rests partway up a wall, about where the back of your dining chair would hit the wall. where to buy the revenge chairIn fact, that’s where the molding got its name. chair caning supplies in canadaOften chair rails are only installed alongside wainscoting. high back chairs perthHowever, that’s not always the case.cheap office swivel chair

Picture or plate rail Rather than hanging pictures straight on a wall, some homeowners display their art by attaching it to picture rail, which is a type of molding that runs horizontally around a room (usually at the same height as the top of a door). This molding can help prevent damage to your walls and creates an additional layer of decoration. balance ball chair childPlus, it’s an easy way to ensure all of your art is hung at a uniform height. Many people set up plates on the rail as well, using dishware as a decorative element. Picture rails are less common than they used to be, but look great in traditionally styled rooms with other decorative moldings. Casing surrounds doors and windows and is often the same color as the trim in the rest of the house. Located at the seam between the ceiling and wall, crown molding sits atop your room like, well, a crown. There are many different styles of crown moldings that range from simple to ornate, so you’re sure to find the perfect look for your space.

Various styles of trim can also be paired with other decorative pieces, such plinth blocks, which are transition moldings between door casings and baseboards. With moldings and trim, you can add as much or a little detail as you like, depending on the architectural style of your home. Trim, molding, and baseboards can be made out of a number of materials, giving you flexibility in your design choices, sometimes quite literally! Wood is the most popular and traditional trim option. It’s lightweight, easy to paint, and flows naturally with your walls. You can also find alternatives, such as foam, rubber, plastic, and polyurethane. These alternatives are generally engineered to resemble wood, but offer benefits such as resistance to moisture and the ability to bend. The features and cost of the materials should both factor into your molding choice. You can install trim in any room of your home, from the kitchen to the living room to even the bathrooms. Generally, if you have baseboards and crown molding in one room, they should continue throughout the house for consistency.