Wall Moulding Designs for Classic Rooms

Good moulding is decided on paper. We measure the wall, mark every switch, socket, window, door and air-conditioning unit, and then divide the remaining space into boxes with equal margins. The margin between boxes, the gap above the skirting and the gap below the ceiling or rail should repeat consistently, even if the box widths change to work around a window.

Switches are the usual trap. A socket that falls half inside a box looks like an accident. Either the box is resized so the socket sits clearly in a margin, or the socket is moved before painting. On a bed wall we also decide where reading lights and their wiring go, because chasing a wall after the moulding is fixed spoils the work.

Most moulding is painted the same colour as the wall, so the panels read through shadow rather than contrast. That calls for an eggshell or satin finish on both, because a flat wall paint against a glossy profile makes the work look stuck on. In a darker room, painting profiles a shade deeper than the wall adds definition without becoming busy.

Every joint is filled and every nail hole stopped before priming. The top edge of each profile is caulked with a flexible sealant so a fine line does not open as the wall and profile move at different rates. This is slow, careful work and is where most of the difference between good and mediocre moulding lies.

Through the monsoon, plaster walls take on moisture and dry out again in the dry months. The profile, fixed with adhesive and pins, moves differently from the wall behind it. The result, if nothing is done, is a fine crack along the top edge or at a mitre after the first season. Flexible sealant at the junctions and a good bonding primer keep this to an occasional touch-up rather than a visible fault.

Older houses often have lime-plastered laterite walls that need to breathe. Moulding is compatible with these, provided the paint used is breathable and the profiles are not used to cover patches of active damp. If a wall shows salt bloom or flaking paint near the base, that is a sign to deal with the source before decorating it.

Termites travel along walls at floor level, inside plaster cracks and behind anything that gives them cover. A timber or MDF skirting and a low wainscot are therefore the parts most at risk. Where a house has any history of termites, we use PVC or polyurethane for the skirting and lower rails and keep timber, if wanted at all, to the upper wall.

The same logic applies to water. Floors in Goan homes are mopped often, and a wet mop against an MDF skirting will eventually swell its cut edge. A moisture-proof material at the bottom, sealed to the floor with a fine bead, keeps the whole scheme sound.

Many villas and older houses have ceilings well above standard height. A plain wall that tall can feel cold. A picture rail placed roughly level with the top of the doors creates a frieze above, which can be painted a lighter tone or the ceiling colour so the room feels more enclosed and comfortable.

Cornices should be sized to the room. A thin cornice in a tall room disappears; a deep, ornate one in a low room presses down on it. We bring sample lengths so the scale can be judged against the actual ceiling, not a drawing.