Know Your Moldings: 10 Popular Trim Styles to Spiff Up Any Space

Casing is designed to cover the unfinished gap between walls and door or window frames. Though different variations of door casing styles are readily found, the width of casing usually spans two or three inches.

This molding is the "crowning" architectural feature of a room, as it decorates the transition between walls and the ceiling. Crown moldings, also known as cornice moldings, typically boast intricate silhouettes – although many types of crown molding exist.

Chair railing is functional molding meant to protect walls from being damaged by furniture. Of course, it can also serve a purely decorative function, delineating two different types of wall coverings—paint and wallpaper, for instance.

Also known as coving, cove molding is plain, concave-shaped trim employed where walls and ceilings meet. It can also be used on stairs, at the meeting of risers and treads. In essence, cove may be considered a less ornate version of crown.

An ornamental detail with a Classical pedigree, dentil molding consists of small, evenly spaced blocks in a repeating pattern. Incorporated into crown molding, dentils are frequently found in historic homes.

Batten, also called board-and-batten, is a wall trim piece used to hide the joint between two pieces of paneling.

Bead and pearl moldings are two different, though very similar, types of trim. Both feature a row of small, symmetrical spheres. Paired often with other designs—leaves, darts, or spindles—this variety of molding typically accompanies crown or chair railing.

Discover and admire beautiful and innovative home architecture, from grand Victorians to quaint cabins and all the styles in between. Take a look at the latest images and inspiration!