Ways to finish a room

I used to look to model homes for inspiration.  There are so many of them in Charlotte.  There were even an abundance of home shows where incredibly high end homes would be open for viewing.  Those were my very favorite.  This girl loves to dream.  And what I noticed is that there are a number of ways to truly finish a room.

While I hate painting, I believe it is still far superior to wallpaper...which is a nightmare to remove and hang...as I understand.  I have only been on the wrong side of the removal process.  And because of that...no wallpaper...ever.

What I have discovered, between the model homes and my own personal experiences, is that trimming out a room makes a huge difference.  Yes, the answer is in the trim choice and installation.

1. In the bathroom.  We decided upon a bull nose trim to top off the edge of the chair rail height tile.  It truly separates and finishes off the room.  It costs a little more to go that route, but in the end it's so worth it.
2. In the great room.  We went with a double layer chair rail.  This would be entirely too much for some rooms, but since we have a vaulted ceiling in the room that peaks at about fifteen feet we can get away with it.  In other homes, the single layer chair rail would be enough.
3. Using baseboard.  The baseboard in the home is being entirely replaced with wider base.  There are a variety of styles available that will better match other style homes, like Craftsman, Colonial, and contemporary.
4. Crown molding.  Nothing finishes a ceiling of a room better than the use of crown molding around the top of the room.  It gives such a finished look.  And depending upon the size of the room, the crown can vary, too.  In the bedrooms, we use a triple layer crown.  It gives a very distinctive look and makes an otherwise boring room have a lot of character.
5. Picture molding.  Again, this molding works really well in certain rooms.  Try it in the study, or the great room, or especially in the formal living room.  You will love the end result.

These projects aren't for the amateur remodeler.  Investing in trim is expensive.  You should definitely hire a trim carpenter to get the desired results and save money in the long run.  Bad cuts cost way too much money.