Discover new wall molding ideas that add architectural interest to your home, with only a few basic DIY skills needed.
Adding trim to blank walls is nothing new, yet it's still one of the easiest ways to add architectural detail to a home. It's also a manageable DIY project, which makes it ideal for homeowners who want more character without overspending.
Wall moulding and trim range from the casings around doors and windows to the ever-popular shiplap and board and batten. They include everything from picture molding to chair rails, and you can get as creative as you like!
The recent rise of wall trim is actually nothing new. Placing different types of molding on walls as architectural decoration has been evolving for a long time.
Wall Moulding Trends in Interior Design
In the 2010s the big push was shiplap, or vertical planks, and board and batten. Shiplap wasn't new in 2010, but the Fixer Upper and Farmhouse movements made it hugely popular. Both treatments still have their place, but they've fallen out of favor compared with the 2010-2020 decade.
Now trends have shifted back toward more traditional styles, such as picture frame molding, chair rails, wainscoting, and more!
What is Wall Trim or Wall Moulding?
There's a slight difference between trim and moulding. Wall trim is the general term for any wood or other pieces placed on a wall, including baseboards, window casings, crown moulding, and so on. Trim often covers the gaps left during construction.
Wall molding/moulding is purely decorative trim used to ornament a wall, such as wainscoting, chair rails, and picture frame moulding.
Wall trim and moulding can be made from any type of wood, MDF, plaster, or stone.
Personal Experience with Wall Trim
In our previous home, I completed my first DIY wall trim project by adding board and batten to my large living room. The home had an open floor plan, and the board and batten helped separate the space from the adjoining rooms. It also added interest to an otherwise open, blank canvas.
I added board and batten again in my girls' bathroom in that same home. It served as a hook system for their bath towels in a room that lacked storage. It was a lovely, fun, colorful way to put hooks on the wall!
In my current home, I added double picture frame moulding and a chair rail to bring a bold splash of color and interest to a small, plain powder room! The wall ornamentation packs a punch and gives the room a whole new feel.
My dining room, in both my current and previous homes, has wainscoting. But the wainscoting in my current home is much more elaborate and chunky than what I had in my previous dining room.
Overall, I've loved how adding simple trim moulding to the walls can completely change the look and feel of a room.
Different Types of Trim and Wall Molding Ideas
1. Picture Frame Molding
Picture frame molding is named for its shape, which mirrors a picture frame. It can be as elaborate or as simple as you like. You can layer multiple rows of picture frame molding or use it to divide up a room, as I did in our powder room.
In my powder room makeover, I used two boxes to divide the room and topped the picture frame molding (tutorial) with a chair rail before hanging the wallpaper above it.
2. Wainscoting
Wainscoting is a wall treatment usually found along the bottom third of a room. It's often used in traditional dining rooms and classic homes. The most common installation is picture frame molding topped with a chair rail on the lower third of the wall.
3. Raised Panel Wainscoting
This wainscoting is a bit bulkier than the regular kind. It uses deeply beveled squares or rectangles set into panels for a classic look. You would use 1-inch-thick boards to build a framed pattern on the lower third of the wall, then trim the inside of each frame with decorative molding.
My current dining room features raised wainscoting.
4. Picture Rail
A picture rail is a simple molding placed horizontally around the room, a few feet below the ceiling. Originally people hung pictures from it so they wouldn't damage the walls. Today people install it with or without pictures!
5. Board & Batten
Board and batten gets its name from the boards placed on the wall with vertical battens spaced evenly across them. Adding a horizontal board or ledge trim at the top completes the look. It has a more casual vibe than picture frame molding or wainscoting, and feels less stuffy or formal.
I used this architectural element in the huge living room of our old house. It was an open-concept floor plan, and the board and batten helped define the space.
I also used board and batten to add interest to my girls' old bathroom. It gave me a place to hang their towels on hooks in that small space!
6. Shiplap or Vertical Plank
Shiplap has been so popular in interior trim over the last decade that people often aren't sure exactly what it is.
So, what is shiplap?
Shiplap boards are planks at least 4 inches wide with two rabbeted edges, one on the top and one on the bottom. The top edge of one board overlaps the bottom edge of the next to form a flush joint, creating the grooved look. You can install it vertically or horizontally.
You can also use vertical or horizontal planks spaced slightly apart to mimic the look of shiplap. You'll get a similar effect without the price tag!
7. Beadboard
Beadboard is a style of wood paneling marked by long, continuous vertical grooves and raised beads spaced every inch or two. It was originally built from individual tongue-and-groove slats that created the beaded look. Today it's sold in solid panels, which are much easier to install.
I'm planning a beadboard treatment in my laundry room makeover, topped with a chair rail. The ceilings in my screened-in back porch have beadboard paneling, as do the half walls.
8. Chair Rail
A chair rail is a very simple horizontal piece of trim about 32 to 36 inches above the floor. Installers originally used it to keep furniture from scraping the walls. Over time it has taken on a more decorative role.
It can separate two different wall colors, wallpaper, and paint or, in my case, serve as basic decorative trim for no particular reason at all.
Picture frame molding, wainscoting, or beadboard is often topped with a chair rail.
I hope you've found some inspiration for wall trim ideas to add to your home. I love how easy it is to add them with a few simple DIY tools and beginner skills. Be sure to check out my picture frame molding tutorial if you want to try it yourself!
More Posts You Will Love:
