The difference molding makes

November 06, 2009

The picture frame molding in the living room is done and I am soooo pleased with how this project turned out. 

After looking at it now, I wonder why it took me so. many. years. for it to occur to me to add molding in this room:

I did the molding in the foyer about four years ago, (using nails, a miter box and hammer, thankyouverymuch). 

Now, it continues throughout the whole front room and even on that half wall by the front door:
On an unrelated note -- why does it take me looking at pictures to see the Halloween stuff I didn't see walking right by it 15 times? I swear I find decorations months later in random spots.
 
I love it under the windows too:
For this room, I wanted a very traditional look, which for me is white on white. 

I used white high gloss paint on the whole thing:
Many of you had questions about molding and how to do the finished edge, so I did another video to answer some of those:
   

So here's my favorite part...take a look at this room years ago, when I was trying to figure out what the heck to do with it!: More recently, with the addition of some large picture frame molding above the sofa:
Now, even though the sofa covers most of the wall, the molding totally finishes it off. Nice. The reason I decided to go ahead with this project right now (I swore I was not doing any other big projects till after Christmas!), was thinking how beautiful our Christmas tree will look in the corner with the molding as a backdrop. 

Can't you just see it?: Uhhhh...I mean, can't you just see it?:
Uh huh. Yes. It did fall down. If you were here last year, you remember that. :)

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Comments

  1. It looks so pretty! Really does finish off the room. Great job - I'm in awe. :-) Have a good weekend!

    pk @ ROOM REMIX

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  2. Alright - it looks fabulous. Now I absolutely HAVE to do my dining room. Never would have thought of high gloss paint, but it makes sense! I mean, real wainscoting is a bit glossy. Thanks for all the great tips - off to Lowes I go...
    Have a great weekend!!

    Danielle

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  3. I agree. Molding looks beautiful, and makes a huge impact. We have been wanting to do it to our downstairs area, we currently just have a chair rail. Ok, how on earth did your tree fall? :-)

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  4. Way to go TDC! I love the transformation of your room. All of the pictures really show off your beautiful work and have inspired me to give it a try too. Thanks! Amy

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  5. Oh, I just love you - you thrifty funny decor chick! :)
    Your room looks so beautiful! It's amazing what a difference the moldings look. Your home is so pretty.
    Now, I missed it about your tree! I'll have to scroll back to discover the horribleness!
    Be a sweeie,
    Shelia ;)

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  6. It looks AMAZING! I love it. That's how I feel about my bead board in the kitchen. I wonder WHY didn't I DO this YEARS ago?! LOL Oops on the tree! Did ya tie it off with fishing line after? ;-)

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  7. The moulding looks really wonderful! We are thinking about doing that in the dining room..so sorry about your tree last yr!

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  8. It looks great & you make it looks so easy! I would like to try this but not until spring. I AM through with projects until then. :)

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  9. that room keeps looking better and better... what's next?

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  10. Love the molding - and the tree will look great too ;)

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  11. Terrific work, it looks loverly.

    I'm loving the video's, keep it up.

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  12. I LOVE the before, mid-way and after pictures!! Gorgeous, and it really does make a big difference!

    I cracked up at the Christmas tree!! I need to go find out what happened . . .

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  13. sooooo much better. i really like what you did behind the sofa!

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  14. You da bomb! It looks fantastic!!!

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  15. The tree face down on the floor is hilarious!! Been there!

    I love how all of your moulding has given your home a rich, custom look. Good job!

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  16. I had forgotten about the tree from last year! LOL! Ok, I'm going to have to read through the directions and watch the video's a few more times, and maybe I will get the courage to try!

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  17. All of your molding is stunning. I love it all. We have those awful rounded corners, so I think I really need to put my thinking and creative cap on. I can't wait to see your Christmas decorations against all the beautiful molding. I know it will look stunning. Hugs, Marty

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  18. It looks beautiful! I LOVE molding...I'm thinking I might have the courage to try it in my living room now! I've wanted molding in their for over 5 years. Thanks for all the great tips on your blog....it is still one of my favorites!

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  19. Hi, I'm new commenting on your blog, but have been following it for a few months now! I love all your ideas and feel so inspired whenever I visit. Feel like "I can do it!". I might have missed some of your instructions before, but how do you know how wide to do each picture frame? I know some are and need to be different sizes. How do you figure that out? My email is "jhlaperle@gmail.com". I'd love to hire you sometime in Jan. for room ideas! Love your blog!

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  20. Love the molding! BTW I lost a Christmas tree to my two year old one year. It was real and when it toppled it split the trunk. So we lost about a foot and a half on the bottom! I called hubby crying and he thought that something was seriously wrong because I was soooooo hysterical! At least now I can laugh (and commiserate).

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  21. I swear when I move out of this apartment into my own house one day I'm going to copy every. single. one of your brilliant ideas! They look just loverly :) I almost fell out of my chair lauging when I scrolled down and saw the picture of the Christmas tree flat on it's face! Whew. I hope that does not happen this year!

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  22. Yep...even though it's mostly covered, it totally finishes it off! Lovely, lovely, lovely!

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  23. Bwahahahahaha! I laughed out loud at your Christmas tree picture. I forgot that happened last year!! And I know it isn't funny...but it is funny now..right?

    And the molding is TO DIE FOR gorgeous! I actually just fixed a little WHOOPS in our master bath with a little molding and I wish I would have done it a long time ago! I can't wait to get into our new house so that I can put molding EVERYWHERE! I think I am buying a nail gun as my house warming gift. My dad had his super fancy nail gun and I fell in love! Although I am not going to fork out $400 for the one he has I think I will buy one.

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  24. Yes I remember the picture of yours falling last year, and ours a few years before too. That was the year we had a real tree with lots of water come crashing down on Christmas Eve, just as we were drifting off to sleep.
    Your moulding is indeed the perfect touch. And I'm amazed that you were able to get it completed so quickly.

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  25. WHAT?!??!! Is that a CORD I see?? :P Just trying to drive you nuts! Forgive me....

    Now, honestly... I love that molding. I'm looking around here and HATING the fact that I have all this 90's stucco. I just don't think it would be easy to cover it up. It this was def. my 'forever' home, I would try. Love yours though! ;)

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  26. It is gorgeous! And I applaud your DIY skills- we also just put up wainscoting, but we did the painting and left the trim to the professionals. It was fascinating to watch the trim guy work though! I blogged about ours here:

    http://yoga-gal.blogspot.com/2009/10/trimapalooza.html

    I am like you, I like my rim to be high glossy white. Great job!

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  27. Love your molding projects. In fact that's how I first discovered your blog. I've been wanting to do this for over a year, but can't figure out how I'm supposed to know what size to make each box. (I've got the height part, just need to figure out the width.) Any tips???

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  28. I think you did a wonderful job with the tape demonstration and installation of the molding. You should be very proud! Beautiful Home and equally beautiful blog.

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  29. It looks very very good. Thanks too for the video. It was much easier to understand. One day I'll have my own house to do whatever I want. Til that day I will dream of yours. :)

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  30. GORGEOUS molding! In fact, after seeing your photos and showing them to hubby, I do believe we're going to give it a go in our living room! Thanks for sharing your videos and photos!

    Heather

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  31. Beautiful, beautiful, BEAUTIFUL! You did a great job - it really changes the feel of the whole space. And I love your sofa! It looks so comfortable...yummy!

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  32. It's looks beautiful and gorgeous !

    You have lovely home , i love it!

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  33. Lovely molding, me like :)
    and yes...I remember the tree.

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  34. Can you tell me the dimensions of most of your molding squares along your normal sized walls?

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  35. I have lots of round cornered walls. Any ideas for putting up molding/chair rails next to those? Should I just end the molding when it gets close or should I try and wrap it around the corner??

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  36. SO fabulous looking!!!! You are so uber talented!

    Janell

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  37. TOTALLY FAB!! It's amazing what a little molding can do!!

    GREAT JOB!!

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  38. BTW - I do remember reading about your tree... I would've just died! ;-)

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  39. I love the molding videos. I was told you can even buy styrofoam molding and paint it like wood.
    Check out my un-do of my re-do of my kitchen cabinets. Just scroll down. www.rivieraboardwalk.blogspot.com

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  40. Absolutely LOVE everything about the room (actually the whole house). I noticed a glimpse of a wrought iron looking, scrolly thingy in the windows...please show more of that!! (please, pretty please!!)

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  41. HI... I have been following your blog for some time now and I LOVE what you can do!! I am totally in LOVE with molding but have not yet put it up in my home. I have a question for you... does it matter what type of texture you have on your walls for the molding to lay just right? and thank you for sharing all your projects! I am truely inspired!!

    Marcee

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  42. I do remember it! It was shortly after I found your blog and I felt so bad for you.

    The molding looks amazing! So very custom and classy.

    LUUURVE the high planter and ting in the corner. Is that new? ~Fabulous. :)

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  43. I HAVE to do this!! We need molding in a few rooms and now it is time to tackle this!!!
    ~Nancy

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  44. sarah, it looks awesome, and once again I am amazed at how quickly you completed the project! i think that i will do this kind of work in my entryway and "library" (it aspires to be one)... after i finish my current to do list!

    thanks for the inspiration!

    angie

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  45. Love the moldign! I am a molding fan myself. But I have to admit I was looking at the molding on your little pillar in the middle of the pic. I have those darn pillars and was always wanting to put some molding on them, now I know it works! GOOD JOB!

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  46. oh... and my tree fell down last year too. LUCKILY all my 3 little ones (twins were 6 months old) were asleep, such a BLESSING!

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  47. I have been reading your blog for a few months now, but this post inspired me to finally make a comment! First of all, I'm in love with your molding!!! I have an open concept room much like yours (including the half wall) and I think it would really take the room to the next level, but I was wondering your thoughts on textured walls. They are everywhere :( Do you think it would look bad with just doing the high gloss paint? Please email me at malone.amanda@gmail.com with your thoughts. Thanks so much!

    Amanda

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  48. I LOVE the videos! The room looks amazing...of course! One question- how do you decide how big to make each picture frame box and how many to put in each room? That is the only thing holding me back. ok. more than one question. Have you ever done them going up stairs, how would you calculate the angle and cuts for that?

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  49. Love love LOVE molding! All looks so fantastic! I must remember this if we ever own a house again someday...


    And how did you get the gorgeous pic of the tree and the lights? Any special hints? I finally have a good camera and would love to come up with a pic like that!

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  50. I just want to say I think you are amazing. I never leave comments (sorry) but I have read your blog RELIGIOUSLY since I discovered it a few months ago. I have been dying to try some molding projects, but I have only basic tools. I'm thinking I may start with buying a little miter box. Keep blogging. You are so inspiring!

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  51. It looks so beautiful! Your house is gorgeous :) Nice job!

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  52. What a huge difference! It all looks amazing...I know you're thrilled with the final outcome, although I'm sure there's no such thing as a "final" outcome at your house. I love seeing all that you do. I do tons of projects but am mainly a seamstress fanatic. ...go check my blog for my newest clothing creation. I used vintage fabric to make a YUMMY Christmas set... DIVINE. It'll make you wanna eat Christmas Cakes!

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  53. What a huge difference! It all looks amazing...I know you're thrilled with the final outcome, although I'm sure there's no such thing as a "final" outcome at your house. I love seeing all that you do. I do tons of projects but am mainly a seamstress fanatic. ...go check my blog for my newest clothing creation. I used vintage fabric to make a YUMMY Christmas set... DIVINE. It'll make you wanna eat Christmas Cakes!

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  54. I finally had a chance to watch your video and realized you answered my question about textured walls in it. Thanks again for all your wonderful ideas!

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  55. My tree fell down three years in a row. It now gets anchored to the wall.

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If you have a specific question I will do my best to answer you back here!

You can find our paint colors and links to items at the "Our Home" tab at the top of my site.

THANKS so much for reading!