Plaster coving, or cornicing as it’s sometimes known, is often overlooked by modern designers, but used correctly, plaster coving can develop the look of any room and provides a great finish to a themed interior. I’m going to take you through a few reasons why coving almost always makes a great addition to any room in ANY property, regardless of its age or its style.
Drawing The Eye Up
Plaster coving can add embellishment to the space between the walls and the ceiling and provides extra design interest above the eye-line. You can use its design to set off other features in the room or go as intricate and ornate as you dare and make it a real focal point of its own. On the other hand, if you’re going for more of a minimalistic look, coving (along with the clever use of colour) can also be used to blend the wall with the ceiling and create a seamless join.
Period Coving
The unique charm and appeal of plaster coving can complement any room that’s trying to achieve the look of a particular period in history. Victorian coving in particular is a big hit with property owners who want to evoke the elegance and sophistication of the 19th century – typical Victorian coving designs range from the bolder, more involved designs inspired by early Victorian times to simpler coving intended to collect less dust. Georgian coving takes inspiration from classical influences.
Size Matters
Be smart – use the dimensions of your plaster coving to create the illusion of more space. Smaller rooms will benefit from thinner, narrower coving, while larger rooms will be able to pull off more intricate and eye-catching designs.
Why Not Choose Polystyrene Coving Instead?
Many people opt for polystyrene coving instead of plaster products. This material is much lighter and easier to work with if you’re not experienced in designing or installing coving. It’s also normally a great deal cheaper. However, it’s much more fragile than its plaster counterpart and is very porous, plus it doesn’t look as smooth, bright and authentic as plaster so doesn’t always have the same impact.
Call In the Experts
I’ve seen far too many amazing rooms ruined by poor plaster craftsmanship. Remember to ask a qualified and experienced professional to install your plaster coving for the best results. Dealing with uneven ceilings and difficult corners is much harder than it looks and a bad job could ruin your room rather than enhance it!
