Everything to Know about Custom Trim Molding - Can it Increase the Value of Your Home?
Can Custom Trim Molding Increase the Value of Your Home?
Homeowners are always looking for ways to beautify their living space and increase its value in the process. Upgrading your trim can make your home look nicer, increase its value, and help your home sell faster if it’s on the market. Our guide to custom trim can help you decide whether upgrading the trim in your home is right for you, and what you should consider before remodeling.
Types of Trim
There are countless styles of trim out there, so it would be difficult to cover all of them in one blog post. Standard trims are baseboards, crown molding, and casing. Baseboards cover the bottom section of the wall, where the floor and wall meet. Crown molding protects the upper part of the wall, where it meets the ceiling. Casing outlines doors and windows for added effect and depth.
Unique Trim Styles to Add Value to Your Home
Considering upgrading your trim? Not all trim styles are created equal. If you’re looking for more decorative trim, consider these fashionable and unique styles.
- Chair rail. This trim goes around the bottom third of the wall and protects the wall from furniture damage. It also adds decorative effect and adds more dimension to the wall.
- Picture rail. With picture rail trim, there’s no need to use nails or adhesives to display your photos or decorations. You can easily hang them on the picture rail without damaging the wall. Picture rail trim is great for the living room or hallway.
- Egg and dart. Egg and dart is the perfect ceiling trim for traditional and classic styles and maintains an elegant look.
- Wainscoting. This wood panel trim, like the chair rail, covers the bottom third of the wall and protects it from damage. It also maintains a traditional, classy look. It looks particularly good in hallways and stairwell landings.
- Dentil. This artistic trim looks similar to crown molding, apart from the evenly spaced blocks featured near the bottom border. Dentil is often found in Victorian homes and those with a predominantly historical style.
Tips for Choosing Trim Molding
Choosing the right trim is more challenging than you might think. Here are some tips on how to plan your remodel and choose the right custom trim.
- The bigger the baseboard, the better. If you do not want to rip out your old baseboards and add new ones, you can add a thin line of trim, such as bead or pearl, a few inches above your existing baseboards. Then paint the section of wall the same color as your baseboard. This is a cheaper and easier way of creating bigger baseboards without doing a full remodel.
- All of your baseboards should match. Feel free to vary the ceiling trim styles in each room, but make sure the baseboards stay the same. This maintains symmetry throughout your home. Too much variation looks unappealing and mismatched.
- Add accessories. Your baseboard is usually wider than your door casing. To offset the different widths, you might consider adding plinth blocks. Similar accessories, like rosettes and crown corners, can be used on other types of trim.
- Consider the current value of your home. It might not be a good idea to upgrade all your trim if your home’s value falls somewhere in the average price range. Evaluate the trim in each room of your house and decide which rooms need upgrading.
- Don’t add custom trim for the sole purpose of increasing your home’s value. If you’re considering upgrading your trim, make sure it’s for the right reasons. Although adding custom trim will increase the value of your home, it’s also expensive. You do not want the increase in value to be less than what you spent on the remodel.
- Spend money to make money. Cheap, low-quality trim will do nothing for the value of your home, so make sure you choose the right material. Potential buyers will notice flimsy and cheap trim.
- Know your home’s style. If your home is modern, traditional trims like the egg and dart and wainscoting may look out of place. Keep the style of your home in mind when planning your upgrade.
How can Great Pros Help?
A lot of homeowners may not consider updating their trim when remodeling, but we highly suggest considering. People are very attentive to details, and having some custom trim is a great way to impress visitors in your home. Need some help finding the right trim for your home? We’ve got you covered. Tell us a little bit about your project and the style of your home, and we’ll connect you with professionals who can get the job done for the best price.
