I *HEART* Molding!!
I can’t express the difference molding can make in a builder basic home.
Molding can take your house from just ok….to WOW!
When we moved into our house we had ZERO molding. Unless you count the skinny shoe molding they called baseboards…but I don’t count it!
We added some chunkier baseboards a couple of years ago, but I have been dreaming of adding faux wainscoting to the dining room and hallway.
When I repainted last spring, I painted the bottom half of the wall white in both of those spaces.
Nearly a year later…we finally got around to installing the molding!
It is FABULOUS!! I love it. It is amazing how something so simple can change the entire look and feel of the room.
I finished most of the painting in the dining room last weekend. It still needs one more coat, but I couldn’t wait to show you!
Here’s what our dining room looked like last spring:
AND…..Here’s what it looks like today!!
We added the chair rail, boxes, and the molding around the window.
(We didn’t even have a window sill before!)
It took me a long time to find a formula for the boxes, so I though I would share it with you.
Here’s the formula:
Width of the wall minus the total width of the molding minus the space between the molding
Divided by the number of boxes = the width of the boxes
Here’s an example:
I did 3″ from the baseboard and chair rail and then 3″ between each box.
First you measure the wall and estimate how many boxes you think you can fit.
Let’s say your wall measures 101″, the molding you are using is 1 1/4″ wide, and you want 4 boxes to fit on the wall.
101″ (width of wall) minus 10″ (1 1/4 x 8 – total width of the molding for four squares)
minus 15″ (3″ between each of the squares – 4 x 3″ plus an additional 3″ at the end)
= 76″
76″ divided by four boxes = 19″ per box
SO…
When you mark the wall you would measure 3″ from the end and place your first piece of molding.
Then measure the INSIDE of your box at 19″ and place the next piece of molding.
Then measure 3″ and place the next piece of molding and so on…
You should have 3″ remaining when you get to the end.
Does that make sense? Please let me know if it doesn’t and I will try to clarify.
ANYWAYS…The molding is up in the hallway, but it still needs to be caulked, puttied, and painted.
What fun!!
I still want to paint the bookcases in the dining room and I hope to add crown molding.
BUT..
Until then, I love the difference a little molding can make!
I’m linking up at Thrifty Decor Chick’s Before and After Party!
Totally jealous! This turned out beautiful! Our bedroom window doesn’t have a sill, and it drives us crazy. Especially when every other window in our house is all framed out too.
Hope you’ll link up to my new link party!
Mauvin’ Monday Link Party
Cheers,
Jessica
This room is so beautiful! I absolutely love the architectural elements you’ve added. Thanks so much for linking up on Fabulous Friday.
Warmly, Michelle
Hooray, hooray, you were featured today! Check out this week’s Refresh Your Nest Friday:
http://makinglemonadeblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/refresh-your-nest-friday-21.html
XOXO,
C.
Yea!! Thank you, Carrie!!
I love this and I have that same exact chandelier…..in the after picture, that is! Love it!
wow!! that looks so beautiful! I know that crown molding pays for itself when you sell the house!!
I am your newest follower..pls follow back if you can.
I am inviting you come and be part of my blog hop:
http://juliejewels1.blogspot.com/2012/02/lobster-stuffed-mushrooms-show-your.html
It looks great! So elegant and fresh-looking!
What a difference this makes in the room! I love that you kept it cheap and easy.
Amazing job! I’m following you on Linky and thanks for following me. I so love molding too. But as Maria above mentioned I’m a renter. I’m presently painting my bedroom and you’ve just inspired me to add a faux painted chair rail around my room, just what was missing in my plans to give it the extra touch! I’m so excited now; haven’t done this in quite a few years. I’ll let you know when I finish so you can check it out. By the way, love your creative blog.
Beautiful job! Such a transformation and I know that you are really happy with the results (doesn’t it just make you smile when you see it everyday?)
Would love for you to come by and say hi when you are out “blog surfing” and see some of the projects that my dh and I have done in the foreclosure we bought about two years ago.
http://cdm-arewethereyet.blogspot.com/
Thanks -
Carol @ arewethereyet
Wow.. I love your new dining room, the walls, the shelve with valentine’s day decor everything is so Home-y
Thanks for linking it up at friday fun party..
Have a great weekend
You really transformed the room with the addition of the molding. It’s so clean and fresh looking now that the walls are white! thanks for coming by- I’m following on LF, as well.
Sue
What a trasnformation! I also love the fence thing behind your family picture. So cute! Thanks so much for linking up to Feature Friday Linky Party!
http://blissfulanddomestic.blogspot.com/2012/02/feature-friday-linky-party.html
Have a Great Weekend!
I LOVE your faux wainscotting (and your whole space!), Jennifer!
I would LOVE it if you’d link this up at Feature Friday FREE-FOR-ALL going on right now!
http://www.fivedaysfiveways.com/2012/02/feature-friday-free-for-all-6-little.html
Hope to see you soon!
~Abbie
Thank you, Abbie! I’ll head over and link up…Thanks for the invite!
It looks great!! I’m like you! I loove moldings!! I’m trying to put them all around my house!
following you!
Thank you, Christina! I have a LONG list of where I can add more molding. My poor husband!
How beautiful! I have a friend who just did this and it makes such a difference! Wish we didn’t live in a rented apartment so I could do this too! One day…
The molding looks beautiful. I can think of a few spots in my home that could use this update. Thanks for sharing the details.
Thanks!! Go for it…You’ll love it!
This looks great! We did this type of treatment about 3/4 up the wall in our daughter’s nursery. It makes a huge difference for what you call a builder grade home.
I love your tutorial. I’m definitely sharing this with my friends. 
Love it! We’re going to do a similar thing to part of our den, but more for functionality than form
you’ll see it on the blog hopefully next week! I love your whole dining room thought, that window is so elegant.
Thank, Bri! I can’t wait to see your den!
Wow! Turned out beautiful! LOVE it!
Thanks for sharing your tutorial!
~Angela
Hi Jennifer! I just found your blog – visiting from Delightful Order Link Party. Love your dining room makeover – so beautiful, bright and cheery!
Would love if you could stop by my blog sometime and say hi!
Have a great day!
Heather @ http://settingforfour.blogspot.com
Ya’ll are so sweet!! Thank you for the wonderful compliments!!
Absolutely beautiful, Jennifer! It added so much luxury, class, and elegance to the room! Thanks for the tips and advice, too!
xoxo laurie
Wow! What a change! I agree, it totally makes the room look custom rather than basic builder grade… especially the grand moldings you added to the window. Great job!
How awesome is this? You totally rock and that is a super makeover. I have pinned this post. I am a new Pinterest follower visiting from Not Just a Housewife. Vicky from Mess For Less
Wow! I love the transformation!!! Great job!
It looks fantastic! I love molding too. It just can add such an amazing impact to a room! Way to go!
Wow! It all looks so fantastic! We did the same wainscoting in our dining room and it truly does transform the space and brighten everything up. I LOVE what you did around your windows too! Well done!
Vanessa
Thank you, Vanessa!
I love wainscoting! I have beadboard upstairs and this traditional style downstairs. I want to add this on my staircase but I want the hubs to do it. Looks great! I have a red dining room too and thinking about changing it!
I love wainscoting on stairways, but I can’t imagine figuring the math on it!!
I liked the red in our dining room , but with only one window it looked very dark. The lighter paint in there really suits the room.
We did the same thing! And I love how it brightens up the room. I let me hubby build the boxes (it involved math which is not my strong suit) and I did the caulking and painting. Go see here:
http://cannaryfamily.blogspot.com/2011/04/wainscotting-love.html
YOURS LOOKS FAB!
Thanks! Yours looks great, too!!
You did a really great job. I think molding is so important to making a home look spectacular. Thanks for sharing at DIYbyDesign.
Thank you! I agree…It makes the room feel finished.Thanks for hosting!
I pinned this in case I ever get ambitious.
Go for it!! It’s so worth the work.
You did SUCH A GREAT JOB! Wow! This looks awesome! Would you do me a favor and link this up at my place today if you can? Would love to feature this!
Melody
ChattyChics.com
http://chattychics.com/2012/02/07/need-inspiration-wild-wednesday-2/
Thank you, Melody! I would love to link up my project and I will add you your button to my party page.
Wow it looks really good! You did a great job. One of these days I will get the nerve to do it in my house.
Thanks, Amy!! I say go for it…you will love it when it’s finished!
What a transformation! I love the new look. I’d love for you to share this at my VERY FIRST link party.
http://adventuresofadiymom.blogspot.com/2012/02/terrific-tuesdays-link-party.html
Thanks! I’ll head over and link up now.
It looks great! Wanna come over and help me tackle my living room?
I really like the new look going on in your dining room.
Thank you!!
….I’ll help when I finish the rest of mine, but it might be two years from now at the rate I am working!!
Wow! What a huge difference! The molding that you added to the window is very elegant. Great job!
Thank you all for your sweet comments!! I really appreciate them!
This looks wonderful. I so wish I could do this in my dining room but I’ve got too many windows and doors, it would never look right.
Please visit us at Whimsically Homemade
I love the transformation!! It makes the room look so much better proportioned and so warm and inviting.
those walls were really really red & now they are soothing & serene & fresh – well done!
http://www.NorthernCottage.net
Yeah…don’t ask me what I was thinking with the red!! I painted it about two weeks after we moved in, because I thought I always wanted a red dining room?!?! It took 6 years to repaint, because I knew how hard it was going to be to paint over the red. I love it now!! There’s only one window in the dining and entry, so it makes it so much brighter.
This looks great. I like the color change as well.
this looks fabulous, jennifer! what a wonderful transformation. you’ve got a totally upscale dining room now!
It looks gorgeous!!! Great job!!!