Updating Foyer with Frieze Molding

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frieze molding
Adding frieze, or “fake” molding in our foyer.

Adding molding in a two story foyer can be a bit of a DIY challenge, especially when you don’t have the right equipment (or are afraid of heights).   Knowing how to make it aesthetically pleasing is also important and sometimes tricky.

Frieze molding ideas
Frieze molding ideas, Snazzylittlethings.com

The finished model homes are deceptive.  They lure the buyer in with all of the finish work complete.  What buyers forget is that the model is often about $100K MORE than the actual “base price” of a home.  Such was the case for me in 2005.  Back when I built my home, I had to forego many of the cool embellishments that you see in a fully decorated model home.  Crown molding was one of those “nice to haves” that I just couldn’t swing, and I took pictures of the model home, knowing that I would imitate (or improve upon) the trim work someday.

After several years of putting this off, hiring my cousin, Jarrod to do the job was the best thing I could have done.  He once worked for a large builder and had all the right equipment to get it done right.  (And didn’t fear heights like we did).

We called him to describe our desire to have “fake” molding in our foyer, but he corrected us and explained that this is actually called “frieze” molding.   Yeah, that.

So here is what I learned:

In interiors, the frieze of a room is the section of wall above the picture rail and under the crown moldings or cornice. By extension, a frieze is a long stretch of paintedsculpted or even calligraphic decoration in such a position, normally above eye-level.   –courtesy, Wikipedia.

Snazzy Little Things – two story molding ideas
Looking towards my daughter's room.  Two story frieze molding ideas.
See how the molding “ends” on the right?  This is looking up from the great room towards my daughter’s room. Two story frieze molding ideas.
Our two story foyer with frieze molding. (Or, "fake" molding in my case)
Our two story foyer with frieze molding. (Or, “fake” molding in my case)

 

What do you think?  What have you done in your foyer? 

Other ideas for large spaces in the foyer:

Shadow box wainscoting
Shadow box wainscoting (Photo credit: Crown Molding)

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One Comment

  1. Love the black railings! What paint did you use?