H2H: Period Details { cornicing }

Of all the period details you can add to a home, cornicing (or coving as it's also known by here in the UK) probably offers the most value for its looks. Capable of evoking a period long gone, cornice coving can create a startling difference to a room that can be completely unexpected. But what exactly is it?

Depending on the age of your house, or the competency of your builder, your ceilings may be wonky, cracked or not even reach the walls (like mine). Cornices are a great way to hide all the imperfections your ceiling may have, while creating a seamless finish and offering great choices in decor ideas. Other ceiling mouldings that might be used could be ceiling roses for your chandeliers (or normal pendant lighting) and decorative moulding on the ceiling itself, almost like a frame. 

Below are two examples of period coving, the left is Edwardian and very similar to my choice and the second is a far more ornate version that would suit a far grander house than my stone mid terrace in the Welsh mountains.

{ source: pinterest }

{ source: pinterest }

Just like architrave, the higher your ceiling the bigger your coving should be. Modern coving, often easily installed by the amateur DIYer, is usually a thin curved strip of polystyrene readily available from places like B&Q and Homebase. As with architrave, the smaller dimensions of modern rooms means that the slim fit coving works perfectly. Original cornicing from ye days of olde would have been handmade in plaster on to a horsehair back, was far more ornate, and much, much heavier, designed for the room size of period properties.

PLASTER vs POLY

Budget is really the biggest factor in the decision between plaster or the cheaper poly versions, not just because the cost of the coving itself will be higher if you buy plaster. Plaster coving is heavy, so heavy it bears repeating, and you'll need a professional to fit it unless you're handy with a nail gun and have a couple of experienced mates to help. Polystyrene coving is simple to install, just glue and go, and can even come with mitred corner pieces so you don't have to do any fiddly 45° angles in order to complete the room. Newer pieces on the market, usually made from duropolymer, even come in more period appropriate styles, but what it doesn't do is offer you a large choice in size, shape and style and, if installed incorrectly, can look terrible. Nor does it offer an easy fix if your walls and ceilings aren't perfectly straight. While plaster coving will require a professional to install, it's far better quality and at least you're guaranteed to have someone who knows what they're doing if you do your homework correctly.

TIPS

Again, just like architrave, you can build up your coving to create a period appropriate look should your budget not meet your requirements. Start with the cheap, modern style polystyrene coving and add strips of decorative trim to build up your look (much like this tutorial for skirting boards). Don't necessarily worry about installing a coving that's historically accurate but go with what you like and looks good, so long as it's the correct size it's not really going to matter if you end up with a Victorian cornice in an Edwardian house.

If you're wanting to add ceiling moulding to create a frame effect then consider using small pieces of wooden trim, but don't start unless your room has the height and size to carry the look off, and only consider if you have the DIY skill (or know a person who can) to actually complete the work.

If you are going to install your cornicing yourself then consider investing in a mitre box, it will help you get the all-important 45° angle for the corners without you having to fiddle around with a protractor, but be prepared to have to delicately fill any holes along the edges and along the corner joins due to uneven walls.

If going with professional installation, as with any workmen you invite in to your home, ask for references. Better yet, ask the people who's homes they've worked on if you can come take a look. I was lucky enough that the guys installing mine had worked on my mum's house, so not only had I seen the finished results but I'd met them previously on a number of occasions. Don't be afraid to ask to see their handiwork before you hire them, your home and your budget is at stake and if they're unhappy with the request then they're probably not the right contractors for the job.

PAINTING COVING
Most people tend to paint their coving the same colour as their ceiling, a great idea for anyone wanting to bring down the height of the ceiling to something a little more cosy feeling. For period homes that have ceilings standing at around nine feet high, creating a feeling of intimacy can be a priority so consider painting your ceiling a strong, dark colour to reduce the implied height, keeping the walls and coving the same, light colour to compensate. Alternatively, for smaller rooms that need additional height, paint the coving the same colour as the walls to create the illusion of continuing space and keep the ceiling a white or similarly light shade.

VENDORS & RESOURCES (UK ONLY)

• I really only have one here to recommend, but these guys are amazing. If you're based in or around south Wales and are looking for plaster coving, cornicing and mouldings then I highly recommend you get in touch with them. DP Mouldings installed my coving (see below) and I couldn't be happier with the work, service and finish. Unlike most contractors, the team are highly concerned with aesthetics and work hard to ensure it looks great as well as being technically flawless.

PUTTING MY HOME WHERE MY MOUTH IS

I've had new, plaster coving installed in every room of my period home except the front hall (original cornicing still intact) and the store room out back (lower ceiling and room unlikely to remain). DP Mouldings handmade every piece they installed, using period appropriate techniques (although they used hessian for backing rather than horsehair). Expertly installed, every crack and gap filled - and believe me, there were a lot courtesy of my wonky walls - the end result is stunning. Not only did they make and install coving, they also made plaster arches for my living room alcoves to help disguise a ridiculously large gas pipe my plumber couldn't be arsed to chase in to the wall when he installed my boiler. You can see their handiwork, pre-gap filling, in my 2012 roundup post and the finished results (after painting) below.

This last picture shows the original cornicing in the hall and decorative archway (and new, unfinished, doorway built incredibly badly by my builders). I decided against matching the coving to this small piece due to the cost implication involved as it wasn't a style the team I hired already had moulds of. Matching it would have involved the team taking a sample, creating new moulds and then handmaking the coving as normal. The sample taking and mould making pushed way above an already stretched budget. Given it's in such a small location and the coving I did pick was similar enough to blend in, I felt it wouldn't be noticeable - and I was right (thank goodness!).

As of now, every piece of cornicing in my home has been painted, except for the three bedrooms. This week we should have ceilings painted and the walls begun. I've opted to paint my coving the same colour as my ceilings (Antique White from B&Q Colours, a lovely chalky white colour), more for ease at this stage than because I want to keep them the same. In time, I hope to personalise the woodwork (architrave and skirting boards) and cornicing of each room to match the colour scheme of said room. Budget, however, constrains us at the moment and we're all about making do. Keep an eye out for my house update posts for completed pictures of the coving and if period details are of interest, check out my pinterest board for more examples.

Thanks for stopping by,