Deciding whether to use crown molding on your kitchen cabinets
Since the ancient Greeks, crown molding has been the finishing touch, that final decorative layer added to a room.
The Greeks gave us the graceful profiles and rules of proportion that we still use today when we are creating this traditional, elegant and polished look.
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When paired with a highly detailed, traditional cabinet, crown molding is elaborate and detailed, often consisting of several stacked pieces. In a traditional design we love using crown molding, especially in more formal kitchens.
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However, crown molding is not always needed when creating a “look”. As kitchen cabinetry tends to be sleeker and simpler in design, moldings begin to feel unnecessary; and to some clients, even fussy. Lately, my clients are asking “Do I need crown molding?”
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In contemporary style kitchens, there is not a ‘crown’ type molding to be seen. Cabinetry is left unadorned, or at the most a small flat piece of trim may be used.
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In a transitional style kitchen the rule is not so clear. Often a client chooses transitional for their kitchen as a way to unify the décor of a home; for instance to tie together a traditional living room with a modern, open family room. In this transitional kitchen there will be elements of both the modern and the traditional – which may include crown molding. Not an elaborate, ornate and fussy molding, but a cleaner more streamlined molding. For instance, we may choose a Cove molding – a nice blend of traditional and modern.
So the answer is: there is no rule. There is no right or wrong. The ‘kitchen police’ will not come to your house if you decide to skip the crown molding. So let your personal taste and design style decide whether you crown or not!
Posted by Sue LeVee
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