Wooden crown moldings have been used as decorative motifs from time immemorial. The early wood workers used various profiles that gave different shadow effects. Wood moldings were made from solid wood until gypsum or plaster of paris made its entrance and provided an alternative. With engineered woods and plastics, profiling of trims has reached another level for interior decorative trim.
Moldings have beveled edgings on two faces that are at right angles to each other. This allows fixing them to the wall and the ceilings. There are plain moldings, sprung moldings, cyma moldings, and ogee moldings among others. Moldings were introduced to add the dimension of shadow play on a wall. Adding a small overhang to the surface of the wall created different patterns of light and shadow to give an architectural effect. By changing the shape of the overhang, graded shadow effects became possible.
Decorative moldings from stone, plaster and wood are normal. Cyclopedia printed in 1728 has a chapter devoted for various types of moldings under the heading Table of Architecture. Woodworking tools were commissioned that were termed as specialized planes. At one time, a woodworking shop had to have as many molding planes as were the designs. You can imagine the shop with hundreds of planes. In the 19th century, the English multi-plane became the wood workers choice for molding work. This tool allowed interchangeable blades. When the crown moldings became large (in the order of 6inches or more) then pushing the plane required great force Sometimes two people needed to push and pull a plane for oversized moldings.
Today this is not a problem. Any woodworking CNC router will do the job in a matter of minutes. Profiles of moldings are stored as readymade drawings. The design can also be tweaked and in no time, a new molding design can be carved. Interchangeable router bits can cut variety of profiles.
Other than using between ceiling and wall, crown moldings are used in imaginative ways to enhance modern architecture with an ornate look. Using below the countertop of a kitchen island is one of the best ways of enhancing kitchen architecture. Adding molding to a plain door will instantly transform the door into an architectural delight and make it the focal point.Moldings are increasingly used to frame mirrors that will make it look more like an art piece.
