

For standard 8-foot-high ceilings, the crown/cornice height should be 2½ to 6 inches for 9-foot ceilings, 3 to 7½ inches, and for 10-foot ceilings, 3½ to 8 inches. Ceiling height is the ultimate arbiter of size, according to architect Richard Sammons, coauthor of Get Your House Right. An appropriately sized cornice is either the same height as, or slightly smaller than, the baseboard. Look to your baseboards and door and window casing to determine the right scale.

By contrast, smaller, less elaborate crown was generally used for private spaces-a powder room or bedroom. The size would remain consistent from one first-floor entertaining space to the next. Traditionally, crown was incorporated into impressive cornices in public rooms, such as entry foyers, dining rooms, and parlors. Keep these rules of thumb in mind when selecting crown for your house.Ĭonsider the room’s purpose. Similar to Shown: Custom 9-inch-high cornice in wood, about $7.50 per linear foot Stark Custom Millwork Anatomy of Crown Pictured: White paint in a high-gloss sheen accentuates the carved detail in this wood crown and adds a classic touch to the entry foyer and living room.

While these materials are still top choices for traditionalists, today’s handy homeowner can also choose moldings made from foam and flexible polyurethane, which go up with greater ease than the Greeks, or even our grandfathers, could have ever imagined-no chisel, trowel, or nails required. Rather than the original heavy stone, 18th-century American craftsmen opted for more malleable and relatively lighter-weight plaster or wood crown. It also elevates a room’s stature, drawing the eye up to the ceiling and echoing design motifs seen in other moldings to create a cohesive and polished look for the space.Ĭrown’s lineage reaches back to the ancient Greeks, who created the profiles and the rules of proportion that we still use some 2,500 years later. Lording high over casings, chair rails, and baseboards, it cuts an impressive profile with elegant curves and distinguished angles.
