When you want to add personality to a room, try decorative millwork. Warm and inviting, this fanciful upgrade can turn a house into a home.

Decorative millwork covers an array of items, ranging from ceiling medallions to fluted columns to crown molding. When looking for just the right look, start by picking a few interesting architectural elements to highlight – an arched doorway leading to the kitchen or a set of French doors by the dining room. Then decide what style to add, focusing on how much drama you want and what style would complement your home’s architecture.

Millwork often is combined with other decorative accents, such as textured paint treatments, well-placed lighting and just the right furniture or rugs. If you have a large bedroom with tray ceilings, you could add a large ceiling dome and paint it with clouds and blue sky.

Experts advise adding the same style and size of trim throughout the house. While it’s fine to add pizzazz with medallions, columns and other decorative accents in a few rooms, stick with the same general style of trim for consistency.

You’ll find plenty of ideas online or at a lumber yard or home improvement store. If your tastes run toward the elaborate – or you’re trying to match trim from an ornate old house – try a custom millwork supplier. The beauty of decorative trim is that it can be shaped, carved and crafted into any configuration.

With custom millwork, we can match any profile and any style. If you are a homeowner who wants a one-of-a-kind look, custom millwork can provide that. There typically are no two houses alike.


When most people think of millwork, they focus on traditional oak, maple, cherry, pine or other wood species that have accented homes for hundreds of years. There are alternatives to wood, however, for those who want less maintenance and an easier installation.

One alternative is urethane, which can be painted or stained to resemble wood. Urethane also is designed to avoid warping and other issues sometimes encountered with wood. The advantage you have over wood is it will never warp so you can use it in high humidity areas of the house like the kitchen and bathroom.

Urethane millwork is poured in a mold, making it easy to create one tall piece of crown molding instead of having to piece together and nail three pieces of wood. It is priced around the same as traditional wood or a little higher, however, depending on the style and pattern. The savings comes in the quicker installation and the reduced maintenance over time.

While ornate millwork can boost the “wow” factor, it can get pricey, with some wood or urethane molding priced from $2,000 to $3,000 per room. There are ways to add it on a moderate budget, however. The trick is to find pieces that offer more bang for the buck. Instead of layering three sections of crown molding together to reach an 8-inch height, scale it down to two pieces with interesting detailing. Add a ceiling medallion with a Colonial flair and soft ceiling lighting for added effect.

If you’re big on entertaining, focus on dressing up the kitchen, dining room and foyer, the key places guests visit. You also can spend the design budget on the first floor and scale back a little on the second.

When debating where to spend your extra money, consider the visual appeal of each type of molding. Crown molding is a big hit because it creates a dramatic look and draws the eyes toward the ceiling. You’ll get the biggest impression with a nice crown molding.

Millwork also can be used in small doses throughout a room. “You see a lot of people taking a 4-foot-by-6-foot mirror over the sofa and encasing it with molding. You can really make a statement without spending a lot of money.

(chicago-tribune)