After looking at the beautiful, no expense spared, dream kitchens, I’m coming back down to Earth with a DIY project that (I think) adds an element of interest, value, and sophistication…
With all the architectural activity in our kitchen, the poor, lowly door surrounds really started to look puny and pathetic. They had to be addressed! I wanted to copy the cabinet design, so all the molding currently around the doors had to go – meaning ripped down.
Luckily, all my HGTV viewing had finally paid off and had taught me to do this: Spray warm water around the molding to soften up the caulk and just leave it there for a little bit. With a knife score the caulk around the doors. Then, insert husband 🙂 Works every time!! He then hammered a chisel into the molding in different spots and pried it off.
I used the same molding set-up as I did on the cabinets, but added a larger “shelf” on top to give it weight, which was just a thick board cut size.
I used (per door):
- 2 plinth blocks (bottom blocks)
- 2 bull’s eye blocks
- 2 lengths of fluted casing
- 1 2″x 8″ board (for the top “shelf”)
- 1 length of crown molding (matching cabinet tops)
- 1 length of frieze (matching cabinet tops)*
*This was the only thing I had to custom order. Everything else is available at Lowes, Home Depot, etc.
First, I laid the molding out on the floor the way I wanted it to go to see where things were going to meet. Then we dry stacked it (because not knowing what we are doing, we had to make sure it all would look the way I wanted it to and where to cut, etc.) Then, we started from the bottom and built our way up, nailing and puttying everything along the way. The frieze will go right on the top lip of the door jamb, between the two bull’s eye blocks.
We got fancy and copied what we did with our desk design and did little “punch-outs” , but it was a lot of work (for us anyway), so make sure you really want it and have an extra 30-60 minutes per door.
Really, you can get so creative with pilasters once you get over having to pull down the existing molding…but remember, the width of your molding will be hindered by your light switches, so measure how much room there is!!
I can’t tell you how many times I have gone to the library and checked out all the books they had on historic homes and just looked at door surrounds, molding, ceilings (which we will get into!!!) and paneling for ideas. I’ve done different pilasters in a few rooms of my house. In some other rooms, no existing molding had to be taken down to get stunning results.
I’ll show more options in future posts for pilasters and door surrounds, some easier and some….well, we’ll see!! I’m not sure yet because I’m about to start the project of adding split columns to serve as pilasters with Roman Corinthian caps and a heavy header! And of course, I have many more doors to go 😉
Thank you for reading my post and I hope to see you for the next post!
Looks great. A job well done and I am sure all the hard work was very rewarding!
Thank you!! I think we really appreciate it more – warts and all – because we did it 🙂 I really appreciate your comments!!
Gorgeous moulding! Great job. Mine’s basic and still getting painted, but its works for this starter home.
You’re very talented.
looks Great!
This looks AMAZING!
Actually stunning.
Looks great. I’d love to see the before shots :). Still giggling over ‘insert husband.’ I knew there was a tool I was missing!
Very much like your ‘molding’ recipe – we could do with more of that here in the UK!
It looks amazing!! I love your attention to detail and use of historical character 🙂
Hi Kearney,
Fabulous molding! I’m so envious, particularly since in humid and hot Fla, we tend to mainly have mold. 😉
Best
Erin
Lol!!
It looks great. Any chance of some before pictures? And I really like the punch outs, I would love a picture or two of how you did them.
I do really like the extra board on the top. Reinforces the molding and gives a nice wieght to it. I will definitely have to use that idea in my kitchen.
And thank you for taking the time out to show all of us, it is helpful.
Yes, that is a great idea! I will hunt down some before pictures.
For the returns, I’m sure we have some molding pieces to cut up and take pictures of. I kind of glossed over that detail, but if you are interested in it, I will definitely post more about it!! I was also getting nervous because it was taking me SO long to put together posts!! The dream pictorial ones take a while for me because I’m still learning the ropes 🙂
You have a good eye for scale – I had to learn the hard way!! I actually first had a thinner board on top at first, but once it was up, I realized it didn’t look right, so I added a thicker board.
Thank you for the suggestions and nice words!! It is very encouraging to hear!!
Talented. Beautiful job I LOVE it!!!!
Lovely! Reminds me of the historic homes on the National Trust.
That is a *huge* compliment and exactly what I was going for!!! Thank you!!!
All the preparation, including library work, paid off.
Thanks!
Looks really nice. I love the details!
i literally cannot believe how great this came out! i would be so intimidated to do this sort of thing as a DIY. great job!
susie@roomology
Thanks, Susie! Probably not as surprised as we were!! We looked at it in awe, not believing that WE did it and it made us appreciate it so much more because of it!
This turned out great! What a beautiful and somewhat simple way of sprucing up a worn down area. Something to keep in mind, forsure, when we buy a house that may not come “Move-in ready.” 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
You seriously have an eye for this. Great job.
You are ALWAYS such a source of encouragement for me and I really appreciate it!!!
Details can make or break a room.
I couldn’t agree more!!
Just look at that wonderful, beautiful crown molding. I absolutely love these photos. I really enjoyed this post
Very nice posts. We are doing some work in a Faye Jones house in Northwest Arkansas. Woodwork is very unique.
Wow… Your work is BEAUTIFUL! This is what we want to do someday to a home of our own! I’m for sure a follower of yours now! All my best!
You’re a very talented lady! 🙂 love the insert husband bit!
You must have the patience of a saint for all this but those door surrounds are magnificent.
what a cool blog to uncover! thanks!!
loved the finished product. looks great!!!!
Wow I’m so impressed! I love moulding. One of the best things about living in the northeast and being raised in Boston is that many of the homes come with the most fantastic architectural design. Many people don’t appreciate it. I do and if I could replicate it like you did with the door….I don’t want to think about it LOL
Thanks for liking my post… I don’t usually like back, but you are the exception… I have subscribed to a really good teaching blog…
Wow. I wish I had your artistry and handiness!!
What an inspiration you are!
-Susan
Wow, I am impressed and it looks so great. What a great job and adds so much character to the door. LOL on “insert husband” 🙂 Glad that I am following your blog and look forward to future posts.
Kathy
Agree with others here, the “insert husband” tool is amusing and a creative use for them when they are too immersed in televised sports! (not that I have that problem, mind you!) 😀
Lol!! I have to “insert husband” quite often!! I’m scared of saws!!
Agreed! Those things have TEETH! And don’t even get me started on the table versions.
The door moldings look fantastic! You guys did a really nice job and it looks very historic 🙂
Ashley
Thank you, Ashley!!
hello!,I like your writing so much! share we communicate more about your post on AOL? I need an expert on this area to solve my problem. Maybe that’s you! Looking forward to see you.
You can send me an email on my “Contact me” section. Thank you!
Beautiful!!! I wish I was that handy.
I love all the beautiful moldings you have used !
I cannot wait to see more pictures , from what I can see your home is stunning ! You just do not find many homes like yours anymore ,such a shame !! I am very interested in seeing what else you have done ! Thanks for sharing your lovely home !
Thanks, Stephanie!! I definitely will be posting all of our projects through out our home… and I have so many more I still want to do 🙂 I’m so glad you like my blog!!
great job – I love door surrounds/mouldings that have that older-home feel to them. An open house i went to recently had all the original moulding, and the corners were rounded, with a circular pattern set into the wood. So charming, I loved it 🙂
You are doing a great job, keep it up. When you’ve finished can I come round and add the finishing touches by widdling up each door post? No charge. hehehehe
Enjoyed reading your blog – love Bones
I love this type of thing and do it myself if I were not so knackered.
Good pictures and site.
I love this idea! I am often thinking about how I can do things like this myself. It’s fun to see others thinking the same way. This is a very helpful article. Best, Sarah
That looks great. There is nothing as satisfying as being able to tackle something like this yourself, particularly when you can do such a good job. Keep up the good work.
Stunning! Such a tall room, or it seems like it anyway judging by the photographs x
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Hi I love this. Where did you buy the frieze?
Hi Robert! Thank you! I’m so sorry for not getting back to you sooner, but I have so many catalogues at my home of building products
If memory serves me correctly, the frieze can be found multiple places, but I found the BEST price at Outwater Plastics, an odd source, I know, I source from mannnnyyyyy places 😀