Roots of Style: The Origins and Meaning of Colonial Revival Trim
See how today’s traditional crown molding, window trim and baseboard relate to features of ancient architecture
Crown Molding
The most familiar detail in traditional design is the ceiling trim known as crown molding. The origin of the Colonial Revival crown molding, such as that shown here, comes from the top, or cornice, of a classical building. In ancient buildings, this detail flares out and away, shedding water away from the foundation. A classical building’s top always extended just far enough beyond the pedestal to keep water from dripping into the structure.
Today, crown molding at the top of Colonial Revival interiors relates to the roof elements of classical architecture. It is the crowning piece of the cornice and still reflects the shape of the gutter that would line the edges of a roof in a classical building. Though it no longer needs to shed rain, it remains as a terminating element where wall meets ceiling, and a reference to the pleasing style and proportions of classical architecture.
As a rule of thumb, cornice proportion should relate to the room’s ceiling height. Roughly:
The most familiar detail in traditional design is the ceiling trim known as crown molding. The origin of the Colonial Revival crown molding, such as that shown here, comes from the top, or cornice, of a classical building. In ancient buildings, this detail flares out and away, shedding water away from the foundation. A classical building’s top always extended just far enough beyond the pedestal to keep water from dripping into the structure.
Today, crown molding at the top of Colonial Revival interiors relates to the roof elements of classical architecture. It is the crowning piece of the cornice and still reflects the shape of the gutter that would line the edges of a roof in a classical building. Though it no longer needs to shed rain, it remains as a terminating element where wall meets ceiling, and a reference to the pleasing style and proportions of classical architecture.
As a rule of thumb, cornice proportion should relate to the room’s ceiling height. Roughly:
- 4- to 5-inch crowns for 8-foot ceilings
- 5- to 6-inch crowns for 9-foot ceilings
- 6- to 8-inch crowns for 10- to 11-foot ceilings
Window Trim
In classical architecture, the structural element that stretches over columns, archways and doors is called an architrave. Today, this translates into window and door casings — the trim that frames the sides and top of the opening and that serves to conceal the joint where walls and openings intersect.
In the illustration at the beginning of this article, you can see an element called the taenia that tops the architrave. Today, the taenia is represented by the outer edge of the casing. It always protrudes farther than the portion toward the opening.
At windows, the casing rests atop the windowsill, which is the horizontal shelflike piece that underlines the window opening. The trim under the windowsill, called an apron, should return its shape into the wall and extend to the sides no farther than the casing above it. To get this affect, a mitered joint of the trim material must be cut at a 45-degree angle to the vertical section of the trim.
Various door and window casings within a room should match, but they may differ in proportion and detail from room to room, depending on the scale and importance of that room.
In classical architecture, the structural element that stretches over columns, archways and doors is called an architrave. Today, this translates into window and door casings — the trim that frames the sides and top of the opening and that serves to conceal the joint where walls and openings intersect.
In the illustration at the beginning of this article, you can see an element called the taenia that tops the architrave. Today, the taenia is represented by the outer edge of the casing. It always protrudes farther than the portion toward the opening.
At windows, the casing rests atop the windowsill, which is the horizontal shelflike piece that underlines the window opening. The trim under the windowsill, called an apron, should return its shape into the wall and extend to the sides no farther than the casing above it. To get this affect, a mitered joint of the trim material must be cut at a 45-degree angle to the vertical section of the trim.
Various door and window casings within a room should match, but they may differ in proportion and detail from room to room, depending on the scale and importance of that room.
Baseboard
A baseboard is essential in traditional architecture. With its detail carved into the top, it reflects both the plinth and base of the column and the pedestal. Also, it conceals the joint between the floor material and the wall material that would otherwise appear uneven and jagged. Here’s a good rule of thumb for baseboard proportions:
A baseboard is essential in traditional architecture. With its detail carved into the top, it reflects both the plinth and base of the column and the pedestal. Also, it conceals the joint between the floor material and the wall material that would otherwise appear uneven and jagged. Here’s a good rule of thumb for baseboard proportions:
- 5 to 6 inches tall for 8- to 9-foot ceilings
- 6½ to 7½ inches tall for 10-foot ceilings
- 8 to 9 inches tall for 11-foot ceilings
Door Jamb and Wall Paneling
A door jamb is the trim within the opening that creates a place for the door to be stopped when it is closed. It also refers to the material that lines the inside of openings that do not have doors.
The casing, or trim around the door jamb, provides transition to the wall. It rests atop a thicker piece of trim called a plinth block, which hides where the baseboard ends. In this way, the door casing relates to the architrave, as shown in the diagram at the start of this story. This baseboard also has a base shoe, a small convex strip that conceals uneven flooring surfaces.
The lower portion of the wall paneling in this example represents the die section of a pedestal in the diagram. The baseboard is its plinth, and the trim above the first panel, known as a chair rail, is its cap. As in all elements of classical design, each panel follows the same rules of proportion and order as it relates to the other elements.
Tell us: Is there a trim element in your traditional house that you’d like to know more about? Tell us about it in the Comments (with a picture, please)!
See these features applied to a range of traditional interiors today
More Roots of Style
Your Home May Have a Renaissance Classical Past
Meet Your Traditional Home’s Classical Ancestors
A door jamb is the trim within the opening that creates a place for the door to be stopped when it is closed. It also refers to the material that lines the inside of openings that do not have doors.
The casing, or trim around the door jamb, provides transition to the wall. It rests atop a thicker piece of trim called a plinth block, which hides where the baseboard ends. In this way, the door casing relates to the architrave, as shown in the diagram at the start of this story. This baseboard also has a base shoe, a small convex strip that conceals uneven flooring surfaces.
The lower portion of the wall paneling in this example represents the die section of a pedestal in the diagram. The baseboard is its plinth, and the trim above the first panel, known as a chair rail, is its cap. As in all elements of classical design, each panel follows the same rules of proportion and order as it relates to the other elements.
Tell us: Is there a trim element in your traditional house that you’d like to know more about? Tell us about it in the Comments (with a picture, please)!
See these features applied to a range of traditional interiors today
More Roots of Style
Your Home May Have a Renaissance Classical Past
Meet Your Traditional Home’s Classical Ancestors
This illustration provides a map to the assemblage of parts in classical architecture, which still inform today’s Colonial Revival homes. You can see the 12 primary parts as you study it from right to left. There are three main components:
- The entablature, or roof element, topped by a cornice
- The column, topped by a capital
- The pedestal, with a plinth at its base
Each of those three parts is then divided into three more parts. (Click or tap the image to enlarge it.) Those parts again break down into even smaller pieces you may have heard of in reference to traditional architecture and interior design.The shapes of modern-day moldings, columns and trim imply the same purposes of these historical details. For example, supporting elements such as base trim may bulge out, as if supporting heavy columns and roofs. And the top of crown molding may flare out and away, like the top of a classical building. And each works best when used in similar proportions to its ancient counterparts.