Crown molding question for those with insight

[swimmer]

I am at a loss. Have made too many house decisions and am overwhelmed, needing your help.
9 foot ceilings, typical (for old new england house) molding around windows and doorframes in super white semigloss, now what to do for the crown molding? How many inches?

Wall color is crown point sand, ben moore, floors are hardwood with 7ish inch baseboard, tall skinny windows with 3.45ish inch trim. I know I'm going to stick with the super white semigloss paint for the molding, but need to pick something rather quickly and don't want to go either too bold or too conservative. House is tiny, colonial-ish with central stairs, stone and clapboard exterior, almost 100yrs old. I want the ceilings to look high, keep things open...am I making a mistake putting in molding? I just don't know.

Our furniture is mostly antique and wooden, but a few modern things like a squareish espresso leather couch. The molding will only be in the front rooms, living and family room as the other rooms have cabinets, funky ceilings, or built ins that make it too irregular to do there.

All thoughts greatly appreciated!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I think 3-4 in moulding in a classic and traditional pattern would look nice. Are you planning on doing it yourself or having a pro do it? If you go the DIY route let me know, DH has put it in before.

 

[Selkie]

Congratulations on the house. Now, pictures, woman! We need pictures! What year was the house built? I would lean toward very simple style, relatively narrow. Perhaps a dentil style molding, for a little visual interest: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_03003343000P.

 

[swimmer]

Hugs HH! the painter said he would paint and hang it for $200 for both rooms so i am all set with them doing it while they are painting the place. Did you do the dentil stuff? I do love the work you guys did, love when it looks like it has been there forever, even in a new space. Going to Anderson McQuaid to look at their stuff, but much like paint colors am having issues visualizing it on the wall.

 

[swimmer]

Selkie! when are you moving here? Sigh, we would be great neighbors.

That looks awesome, but so daring! yes, i am a conservative when it comes to house stuff; that molding might be sexier than I am.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Hey, swimmer! Congrats on the house!

When I read the description of your trim, it sounded identical to mine. Antique house, 9 foot ceilings, 4-inches traditional trim around windows (painted white). We don't have molding in our house, either, however I have seriously considered adding it. Just curious, do you have any chair railings in the rooms? I only ask because we do have chair railings in all rooms (3 in. wide) and if I were to put up molding, I would match the chair railing and likely do 4-inches. I'd love to see some pics!

 

[Selkie]

Daring? Depends on the size of the dentils, I guess!
Well, it probably also depends on the size of the room, but I think you could get away with it. I can't even remember if my parents' old colonial has crown moldings, and if so, what they are. Either way, I agree with HH, 3-4 inches is typical.

Our house has what I thought were crown moldings, but are actually picture rails. They sit about 6-7 inches below the ceiling, and have a curved top on which an old-fashioned picture hanger rests. The wall is painted blue or green up to the rail, and then white above, giving an illusion of more vertical space. http://house-made.com/?p=429. That's not our house, of course, but you know where to find pics.

 

[swimmer]

Thanks ladies!

NEL, oh chair railings are lovely. We don't have your kind of sq footage, so sadly the rooms are on the smaller side. DH says the better to heat them, sigh. A really nice look to keep it all with the times, I'm jealous of yours, just thought it would shrink our space even more. Wait, we have a chair rail molding going up the staircase. So clearly no chairs there but that is some of the only original wall material up. Oh yeah, we have drywall. After ages of rented horsehair plaster walls we can safely put up some art, I'm inordinately pleased about this. We also love the character of older homes, but some of the inconveniences, well you know how it is. Hugs to Byron.

Selkie, I love that blog, so sad they aren't updating it regularly. The color "weimeraner" is just lovely and appealing to me on many levels. You know i have stalked your photo album, you and J do amazing work! Now how are the outside kitties?

HH, again, thanks. I went with 4.25" and am hoping it looks right! we shall see on W. kisses to you and A!

 

[gardengloves]

6" crown molding, the bigger the better - go for it... the one thing I never regret is the size, scale and presence of glorious crown molding. I walk by it every day and swoon!

I've got 6" dentil crown molding in tiny powder room and oh my, does it make a beautiful statement-

 

[pennquaker09]

If you have 7 inch baseboards, your crown needs to be in proportion to it.