Adding Character to your home {Molding}

Today starts a new series here at Eat.Sleep.Decorate! One day every week I am going to talk about how you can add character to your home. We bought a builder grade home 5 years ago and I am still trying to make it feel homey. Do you know what I mean by homey?

{Can you believe this is the only pic of the outside of my house that I have!? Before Painted Door}

Track builders build homes fast just to get them on the market and get them sold for their company. They will do minor upgrades here and there, but they don't take the effort to make a home stand out from the rest. That is where a little DIY or help from a local contractor can help add some character to blah and lifeless homes. I am very lucky to have a brother that is a contractor. I throw out an idea and he rolls with it.

When we moved into our home 5 years ago, I thought it was such an amazing blank canvas from which I could start making it "my home". We have added a little character here and there without breaking the bank or losing our minds. Because it was a brand new home, I didn't HAVE to make any changes, but who wants to live in a blank canvas forever? Not me!

Today we are talking about Molding or Moulding (however you want to spell and say it)...Yep! Crown, wainscoting, chair rail, planked, coffered, board & batten, boxed...whatever! Molding is what gives a home so much life by adding some texture and architectural charm!

One place where you can make a statement is on your ceilings. Adding Crown Molding can make the room look taller and more grand. I think the bigger the better when it comes to adding crown molding. It will then make the room stand out!

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Another great type of molding that could be added to an office space or dining room is a coffered ceiling. Coffered ceilings are usually boxed and give the ceiling a 3-D effect. We installed a coffered ceiling in our dining room so we could add a chandelier without going through the mess of tearing into the walls to run the electrical wires.  It has become one of my favorite rooms in the house because of its charm!                                     

A great way to make a statement with guests is to make a show stopper with boxed, board & batten or wainscoting in your entryway. 

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We also added some wainscoting to our entryway and what a difference it has made.

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Stairways are always the place that gets the most wear and tear and damage. How about adding some molding up the stairway that is pleasing to the eye and easy on the scrubbing!?

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Have short baseboards that really don't make an impact? Stack some molding on top to add some height and class without breaking your budget.

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My friend Brenda made her baseboards pop by adding casing to the top and shoe molding to the bottom of her existing molding.

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House of Smiths had a similar idea, but extended a new piece of molding above the existing molding then painted in between to make it look a lot chunkier than it was. Genius!

There are so many fabulous molding and trim ideas that you can add to your home to really give it that character that it deserves. During this series we will be talking about a few other places in your home where molding can be added. 

Are you inspired? What areas of your home could use a little molding to add that extra charm?

Linked up: Liz Marie Blog