accent wall

Molding and trim create a beautiful, stylish accent wall.

9 Accent Wall Molding and Trim Design Ideas

Are you interested in elevating the look of your accent walls? By creating intricate and thoughtful designs out of molding and trim, it’s a simple task to take your accent wall to the next level. Here are nine accent wall molding and trim design ideas to get those ideas flowing:

1. Use a Subtle Hand with Minimal Chair Rails

The molding added to this accent wall enhances the look of the baseboards and trim along the windows.

The designer for this beautiful room utilized a flat, angular molding to create a chair rail that perfectly accentuates the minimal aesthetic. This choice provides a break in the taupe-colored accent wall, adding a subtle touch of personality.

Notice how the molding enhances the look of the baseboards and trim along the windows. Each piece adds energy to the room without pulling focus or overwhelming the design. This is a perfect choice for any dining room, where family, friends, and guests can gather to eat, socialize, and celebrate.

2. Elevate the Look of Your Fireplace

Molding elevates the look of your fireplace.

This living room exemplifies the idea of an accent wall by focusing all the attention on the fireplace. This is a fixture meant to grab and hold your attention as soon as you walk into the room.

The built-in woodgrain shelves pop in contrast to the white shiplap covering the fireplace wall. The crown molding used at the top and bottom of the wall accentuates the fireplace, making it stand out even more. Instead of a typical wooden mantel, they’ve mounted a flat-screen television that perfectly matches the width and deep black of the fireplace. This living room belongs to a family that entertains in style.

3. Create Sharp Angles with Dark Molding

It’s impossible not to notice how well the chocolate trim around the door perfectly complements the courtyard green of the accent wall.

Let’s challenge the idea that molding and trim need to be white. This room utilizes molding with chocolate tones to cut a sharp angle along the edge of the ceiling, floors, and windows. This pairs well with the industrialized light fixtures and darker design elements throughout this kitchen.

It’s impossible not to notice how well the chocolate trim around the door perfectly complements the courtyard green of the accent wall. The choice to keep this color uniform allows the accent wall to pop. Everything about this room feels modern and luxurious.

4. Create Floor-to-Ceiling Panels

The choice to use molding to create panels from the floor to the ceiling took this standard accent wall and transformed it into a showstopper.

The choice to use molding to create panels from the floor to the ceiling allowed this designer to take a standard accent wall and transform it into a showstopper. The molding is also utilized on the non-accent walls, creating a striped texture to accentuate the décor.

The best decision here, by far, was the decision to keep everything the same color. This allows the molding to create contrast with shadows. Depending on the lighting and where you’re standing, the panels will have a different look and depth.

5. Transform Your Ceilings and Walls

This design utilizes molding to create a focal point that draws your attention to the accent wall and fireplace, which perfectly complements the design aesthetic of the built-ins on the adjacent wall.

Aside from the blue steel accent wall, this room is packed with intricate design techniques that create an awe-inspiring and cozy living space. The molding accents on the ceiling and along the top of the accent wall create a sense of dimension that is anything but typical.

This design creates a focal point that draws your attention to the accent wall and fireplace, which perfectly complements the design aesthetic of the built-ins on the adjacent wall.

6. Create the Look of Picture Frames

Create the look of picture frames.

Dark accent walls are quickly becoming a hallmark of modern design aesthetics. They draw your attention immediately and offer a splash of personality without making the room feel too dark.

But why stop there? The designer of this living space transformed the green accent wall by creating the look of empty picture frames. They used actual picture frames to create this effect, but the same can be done with molding. In fact, if you want the edges more uniform and the sizes more customizable, molding is the ideal choice.

7. Embrace a Chic and Minimal Office Design

This accent wall is cut in half with an elevated chair rail.

Less is more with a minimal office design. This accent wall is cut in half with an elevated chair rail. This is a smart choice because the room still feels warm, bright, and inviting, even with the darker shades of blue.

The designer of this room decided to take the chair rail concept a step further by adding molding to create panels along the wall. This makes it almost feel like the room is split into three sections. This is both intriguing and modern, but also timeless.

8. Utilize Thin Molding to Create Narrow Panels

Utilize thin molding to create narrow panels.

While we’re into the idea of revolutionizing accent walls, let’s focus on a different type of paneling. You don’t have to use thick molding to create this effect. In fact, you can use thinner strips of molding to create narrow panels that look both expensive and sophisticated.

This navy accent wall is the definition of luxury. The thin panels give a touch of personality to the wall without drawing too much attention. The white baseboards highlight the accent wall, drawing warmth and brightness from the rest of the room.

9. Get Creative with Intricate Molding Designs

Get creative with intricate molding designs.

No rule says you can’t have fun with your molding and trim designs. This room is a prime example of that. By creating an unconventional striped pattern along this juniper-colored wall, you immediately feel like this room is ripped straight from a modern interior design catalog.

Adding a touch of nature to this design aesthetic, the rich dark color of the accent wall perfectly complements the plants, woodgrain, and wicker basket. Pairing it all with the industrial black light fixture and grey metal headboard makes this bedroom absolutely stunning.

What’s Your Design Style?

After seeing all these inspiring design ideas, you’re probably itching to do something with your own accent walls. If you don’t know which molding or trim to choose or you’re unsure of how to get started, I’m here to help you determine the molding and trim styles that are perfect for your design aesthetic. I can show you all kinds of design treatments that would work best for your space, so just let me know if what you’ve seen here has inspired you. I’m easy to reach – you can choose a contact method right below this blog post, or click this “contact” link. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com, and, of course, you can always call me anytime at (407) 743-2399.

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No Entryway? No Problem! Here are 5 Beautiful Solutions!

No Entryway? No Problem! Here are 5 Beautiful Solutions!

I’ve found some exciting ideas for creating what might be described as a “faux entryway”, especially useful for homes that don’t have a foyer! These DIY small-space solutions will help you hack your way to an entryway (whether you already have one or not) — like hanging shelves, narrow tables, and cute cubbies — so you can store more in your faux entryway with style.

 

1. Shelf Solution

Install a wall-mount shelf that can house keys, sunglasses, and other rushing out the door essentials, while a large mirror allows for last minute checks. Be sure to use a shallow shelf, or you can risk nicking the door each time it opens.

 

2. Another Shelf Solution

Create your own side table with a large corbel and interesting top, the chalkboard is the perfect place to scribble last-minute reminders.

 

3. Color Explosion

Let the accessories do the talking. An intricately-carved table topped with glossy orange lamps and turquoise knickknacks is impressively eye-catching against white walls. Stacks of books on the bottom shelf, which doubles as storage, adds additional touches of color.

 

4. Vintage Charm

Old furniture is perfect for repurposing. A vintage desk, dresser or armoire near the front door collects everyday items but is also a conversation piece. This particular piece evokes country French charm; fresh florals and a hinged lamp complement the look.

 

5. Italian Marble Top Entry Table

Marble tables look incredibly artistic, and when attached to a wall in this fashion, can make your entryway look like an art museum. The metal bottom with the details breaks the monotony of the table and gives it an additional focal point.

Let me know what you think of these ideas! Have you created something similar in your home? Would you like to? I can help you determine what works best for your interior situation – I’d love to hear from you, just message me here, right below this blog post or at the “contact” link, or you can email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com And, of course, you can call me anytime at: (407) 947-7718.

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Living Coral is Pantone’s 2019 Color of the Year – Are You a Fan?

Living Coral is Pantone’s 2019 Color of the Year – Are You a Fan?

Color management company Pantone Color Institute announced its pick for Color of the Year for 2019. It’s an eye-popping orange-pink hybrid called Living Coral. You may sense and appreciate its boldness and vibrancy, so lets look at some successful uses of the new “it” color.

Pantone describes Living Coral as “an affable and animating shade whose golden undertone gives it a softer edge.” While I don’t find Living Coral particularly soft, if I’m going this bold to decorate a client’s home, I prefer to be a little less trendy. But if you’re loving this intense color, here are some ideas of how to use it in your home and yard.

Living Coral is bold and bright. Here are places to consider using it indoors and out: 


1. Textiles. An easy way to integrate and play with a bright color in a room is to start small and simple, such as with accent pillows and throws. These pieces offer a dash of color that isn’t overwhelming, and they aren’t a big commitment since they are affordable enough to swap out down the road if you get tired of the color.

2. Decorative accents. If you want to take things a bit further with Living Coral, think about sprinkling it in a few small areas throughout a room via artwork, floor or window treatments, or side tables or other small pieces of furniture. It’s a small amount of a big color, so this application doesn’t look too busy. By dispersing the color, you draw the eye all around the room.

3. Furniture. If you want to go bolder, consider larger, more statement-making coral-colored furniture. Now I would never advise someone to decorate with a color simply because it has been deemed fashionable, but having your favorite color become trendy means it will be easier to find all manner of items in that hue. So if you are a big fan of bright coral and want to decorate with it, 2019 will be your year to stock up on home furnishings.

4. Accent wall. Ready to go really bold with Living Coral? Painting one or two walls in a saturated coral is a great way to pack a punch with this color. Just think about keeping the other wall or walls light and neutral, especially if you are using this color as an accent in a bedroom. Too much of this hue could start to feel busy and anxiety-inducing, in my opinion.

5. Architectural accent. Because Living Coral is such a striking color, it can be called into service to bring attention to interesting architectural elements in your home. Whether using it on a beautiful built-in desk and bookcase or in a cool and contemporary stairway, go bold to make it stand out. Just keep in mind, if you attempt to make everything in a room stand out, then nothing does. So use the vivid hue thoughtfully on only those elements worth the attention.

6. Outside. A smart way to use a vibrant color that you love without knocking yourself or your guests over the head with it is to take it outside to furniture or accessories. Because of the abundance of natural light during the day (or the forgiveness of darkness at night), outdoor areas can take vivid color more easily than indoor rooms, especially dark or cramped indoor spaces that can feel claustrophobic when decorated with intense colors.


7. Front door. A favorite place to use a daring color is on the front door. The kinetic coral in this photo is energetic and inviting. To me, this is the best use of the lively hue — to welcome visitors to your home.

Let me know what you think of Pantone’s color choice? Have you used it in your home? Would you like to? I can help you determine what works best for your interior situation – I’d love to hear from you, just message me here, right below this blog post or at the “contact” link, or you can email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com And, of course, you can call me anytime at: (407) 947-7718.

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