Richmond is home to so many rich architectural details from wide baseboard molding, framed entryways, and windows, to paneled pocket doors. Before you set one piece of furniture down the room already feels defined and decorated.

Love this look? New homebuyers can easily achieve this desired look and character during the building stages of a new home. However, there are tons of options to consider when adding trim to your new home. Here are a few descriptions of different trim options, and some basic rules to make your decision easier:

Baseboard Trim– This trim is found where the bottom of the wall and the floor meet and helps to serve as a visual anchor to a room. Typically, you’ll want to use a wider trim on your baseboards in rooms where you and guests spend the majority of the time (you don’t need this in your laundry room or closets).

Wainscoting– This trim includes raised panels and horizontal wood paneling, and is found on the lower half of a wall and offers something more ornate than sheetrock. The panels are typically finished in white with a semigloss finish. This is a great way to finish the look of walls and works in any room in your home.

Chair Rail– This trim runs horizontally in the middle of the wall, approximately 3’ off of the floor (at chair height). This is a nice option that helps to break the wall into two parts, giving you additional options for how to finish the wall.

Window Casing– This is one of the most common forms of trim in a home, and typically goes around a window like a frame. A separate piece of trim could be used to create a “window sill” at the bottom if desired. The most common windows that have sills added are in bathrooms or at kitchen sinks, offering a place to set objects for decorating.

Door Trim– Much like window trim, door trim frames the opening of the door. This trim should match whatever is chosen for the windows. Typically, front entry doors have the most intricate and widest trim, and interior doors and windows are generally the same size.

Crown Molding– This trim is located at the top of the wall and can transform any room into something more elegant. It helps to draw the eye up, elevating the space and making the room appear bigger.

Ceiling Details– Trim added to your ceiling offers dimension and character and helps a room to really stand out. We’ve added stained and painted beams both parallel and intersecting as well as coffered ceilings to family rooms, dining areas, and bedrooms.

Built-Ins– Shelving and cabinets permanently built into a wall. These can help to balance and add personality to a room.

Be sure that your trim style matches your home, and that each of your trim options work together. Overall, adding trim will add charm, elegance, and above all value to your new home. We encourage you to browse our gallery for inspiration on different trim styles available.

CraftMaster Homes is one of Richmond’s leading homebuilders, voted Builder of the Year five times in a row. We build new homes in Chesterfield, Midlothian, Mechanicsville and Hanover. Contact us today to get your design started.