Custom and screen moldings may not look like much on commercial shelves. But when applied to plain walls and cabinets, they give lots of personality. In addition, they relatively cost little and demand small effort on your part. You can improve a room’s appearance just by adapting different molding styles to your own wall decor.
A long and tall wall can be divided using both vertical and horizontal strips of molding. Consider the height of your ceiling, the length of the wall and other architectural features. Spacing of your moldings will depend on these factors.
Using a level and lead pencil, start drawing the horizontal line on the wall. You can apply wallpaper or paint below this line and a different approach above the line or vice versa. Nail the horizontal custom molding through the studs. Studs are posts in the framework of the wall.
You can recognize these posts by tapping along the wall with a hammer and listening for solid thuds. If you are having a hard time distinguishing these sounds, do not worry. Commercial stud-finding devices are readily available. Once you hit the first stud, measure the intervals and you are on your way to finding subsequent studs for nailing.
Flat cabinets can be given a lift with a little trim, wallpaper and imagination. Apply a new coat of paint, then measure in from the edge for wallpaper placement. The wallpaper pattern and door size will show you how wide the painted outer edge of the molding wall art should be.
After cutting the flat screen molding and painting it to match the wallpaper, glue and nail it in place. Make sure the wood strips will cover the edge of the wallpaper. The glue will secure the molding to the cabinet door while keeping it flat. Fill the nail holes with glue, sand them lightly and finish with paint. Add wooden knobs painted to match the trim of the molding.
Custom framing a wall is easy to do when similar frames show a series of artwork. Most home improvement centers will rip boards for you at a minimal fee. The measured rip boards will be used to build the frames.
For a DIY, you can shape the outer edge of the frame with any commercially available power tool with a shaped cutter for cutting grooves. Measure the outside half of the moldings, then cut from the inside edge to the outside edge. Make a measured cut or groove on the inner back edge to hold the artwork, mat and backing.
Glue the edges and attach corner fasteners by holding them in place, right sides up, in a framing clamp. Paint the frame and put together the artwork, mat, glass and backing in the frame. You can hang them from a hook, or nail them to the wall to prevent movement. Molding wall art makes it easy to wake up your wall. It is just one of the myriad ways to make your home look like a masterpiece.
By: Alyssa Davis
© 2010 Abstract Wall Art
