Dining Room Table Dark WoodChair Rail In Dining RoomGray Dining RoomsDining Table BoardTwo Toned Dining Room WallsTwo Color Dining RoomDining Room With Dark FloorsTwo Toned Gray WallsForwardChair rail molding divides two-toned walls in this neutral dining room. Sheer curtains and white blinds feel crisp and airy against the dark hardwood floor and black dining table. Fresh flowers and a bowl of fruit add a refreshing splash of color.Catch up on the latest HGTV show and design news right here.Molding QuarterStandard MoldingCrown Molding AlternativeThin ChairPaint WhiteWhite PaintsPaint EctRound MoldingChair Rail MoldingForwardAlternative to crown molding: quarter-round molding and thin chair rail molding with four inches of white paint on the wall in between. Chair rail molding is a nice touch that adds a sense of refinement and proportion to rooms, especially if you’re planning to add crown molding, too.But many folks make the mistake of putting the chair rail at the wrong height — a mistake that can make a room feel lopsided and out of proportion.“
Moldings are sending you messages,” says Brent Hull, an author and molding expert. “Their purpose is to establish the scale and proportion of a space. And no molding does this job better than chair rail because it visually divides the room and instantly allows you to read the size and scale of the space.The Myth About Chair RailsThe popular myth is that chair rails protect walls from damage caused by the backs of chairs.The truth is that architects as far back as the ancient Romans and Greeks used chair rails and wood trim to divide walls into visually pleasing proportions, often with different colors to accentuate scale.By the way, the name “chair rail” came into popular usage with the Shakers, who installed boards with pegs on dining room walls to hang chairs off the floor for sweeping and cleaning.Correct Height for Chair Rail MoldingMost experts place chair rails at one-third the distance of the ceiling height. For a standard 8-foot ceiling, they should be installed about 32 inches from the floor.
Hull cautions that most people install chair rails too high on their walls.“About 28 to 32 inches is an optimum range for chair rail height,” says Hull. “Lower is always better than higher. For me, a good rule of thumb is to install chair rail molding at 25% of the height of the room. In a room with a 10-foot-high ceiling, the chair rail should be 30 inches off the floor.Chair Rail Size and CostA good baseline width for a wood or composite chair rail molding is 2-3 inches. Chair rail molding is available in other materials, such as metal, polymers, and vinyl. Depending on the width, complexity of design, and type of material, expect to spend from a few dollars up to $100 for an 8-foot length.And if you’re going through the trouble of installing chair rails, crown molding can complete off the look. Of course, you could opt for something entirely different.“If you’re a Modernist, you don’t even have to have a chair rail molding,” Hull says. “Simply use paint color to divide the wall, but follow human scale on where one color ends and another begins.”
Related:The 8 Most Financially Savvy Home Improvements You Can MakeCrown Molding IdeasLots of Style in a Small Space Optical Illusion Graphic Appeal Large-scale graphic prints can be wielded to make a space feel more substantial. Here, black and white checkerboard tile stretches out the narrow design of a small guest bath. Give your bath graphic appeal by tiling the floorTransform your bath with our how-to on painting a checkerboard on a wood floor Clever Built-in Bath Storage Eradicate the need for cumbersome storage furniture by building in bureaus that blend in beautifully with the vanity. Look behind the mirror for extra storage with these medicine cabinets built with hideaway storage spaceGet loads of storage and style by building a vintage-look dresser vanity Flow With Pedestal Sinks Sculptural pedestal sinks add to the design—and visual space—of cramped water closets. Size up your small bath for a pedestal sink with important numbers every homeowner should knowGet one step closer to your dream powder room by installing a pedestal sink
Bumped-Up Size With Tall Paneling Draw the eye upward when all else fails in fitting out a small bath. Here, sophisticated faux paneling distracts from this guest bath's tiny footprint. Channel old-house charm by building tall custom wainscot panelsAdd height with wainscot built from stock moldings Chair Rail Doubles as Shelving Even the smallest of rooms deserve a little ornamentation. Homeowners of this cottage bath made room for a vase and other display opportunities by installing a generous chair rail atop the wainscoting. Give wall art and display items interesting backing by installing wainscotingLearn from the best: Watch Tom Silva talk about interior trim options Opt for major personality in a small counter space with a unique-looking countertop material. Light-catching glass flecks in this concrete DIY countertop signal careful planning spent on an overlooked windowless half bath. Try a blogger's trick to give laminate countertops a faux concrete lookMake your bathroom counter surfaces sparkle by learning all about stone countertops
A sink is one of the areas where you can sacrifice some space. A miniature version—even better if it will hold a roll of toilet paper—may even become your favorite powder room fixture. Check out other small bath investments that make a big splashReclaim more space with these 10 bath and kitchen space savers Look for unexpected places to squeeze in a half bath. Here, a convenient powder room is tucked in to a slim downstairs space with a cheery paint job that perks up the foundation-hugging (that's not a dresser) room. Figure out how to fit in a washroom with these four half-bath design sketchesSteal design ideas from our past favorite small bath designs Salvaged details can amplify a tiny room's design cred. Reclaimed boards can make for handsome wainscot or paneling in a postage stamp-size bath. Before you go to town on that wainscot, get the 411 on salvaging wood palletsAs an alternative, use distressed wood as wall paneling Put Discounted Special-Order Items to Work
Scour the discount aisles in pursuit of the stuff that people thought they wanted. Special-order items just may be the perfect fit for your little water closet. Thanks to discounted bargain hunting, readers gutted this powder room and came out spending less than $500. Take it from us: You can pay less for home remodel suppliesLearn how the pros make home upgrades for less Horizontal stripes are a no-brainer for visually widening a room. This classic paint job transformed a small bath with a mere four gallons. Move the stripes to the floor with our how-to on painting broad bandsOr, keep the design on an accent wall with our how-to on painting a striped wall Hand-Painted Canvas for Colonial Flair If you normally shy away from patterns, try one on for size above wainscot in a powder room. Here, hand-painted canvas that matches the house's colonial history features a vibrant pattern that perks up the space. Skip the canvas and create faux wallpaper with paintSource a pattern idea with a large stencil for a wallpaper look
Tinted Plaster for Shimmery Walls Forget all your stiff misconceptions about plaster. The old-house wall covering can shine with the best, like in this farmhouse powder room addition with gritty rustic shimmer. Give your small bath a coating of character by using our how-to on plastering a wallSpice up the room with a plaster ceiling medallion with our guide on casting plaster details Claw-Foot Tub With Room for Scenery Skip the shower surround and opt for a claw-foot tub with a showerhead instead. It'll give your space old-house charm and allow for admiring beautiful molding. Get this look by watching our steps for adding a shower to a claw-foot tubSpiff up your new bath centerpiece by refinishing your claw-foot tub Embrace Rainbow Mosaic Tile Guarantee that nary a visitor will forget your home's small bath by imprinting a rainbow of glass mosaic tile on their brains. If an accent wall is too extreme, go for just a colorful band in the shower for a fun surprise.
Define spaces to your liking with tile options for your bathroomTone the mosaic down to a limited area by installing a glass mosaic tile backsplash Pile on the Specialty Tile Pieces The traditional white subway tile look is always nice, but playing around with other pieces in different colors will make a tile wall stand out from the rest. Here, black accents, bullnose cap, and cove pieces make this neutral bath command attention. Learn about colorful grouts and more in our guide for ceramic subway tileTake a closer look at white subway tile Bigger Windows for More Light Turn a dark half bath into a light-filled corner showpiece by enlarging an existing window. It can only help highlight all the hard work you put into the bath's other details. Let in rays of light by installing a windowBring a little luxury to the bathroom by installing a skylight Antique Stained Glass Window Vintage details normally reserved for other rooms also work well in the water closet.
A stained glass window, chandelier, and soaker make for a relaxing period corner in a modern bath. Before you wire up that elaborate light fixture, read our dos and don'ts of bath chandeliersGet more ideas from low-cost custom details from design pros' own homes Lessen the footprint of your toilet by going to the wall for extra space. Here, a stylish arched niche gives the room's necessity extra flair. Make room for displaying decorative items by installing a wall nicheCarve out more space with these smart DIY storage solutions Squeeze a lot of (the good kind of) drama into your tiny bath by going for an all-black decorating scheme. Just give your eye the chance to rest with other colors like here with a white pedestal sink and deep red claw-foot tub. Copy this classic subway tile pattern by watching our video on how to set tileExplore your tile options with ceramic penny-round tile Ditch the usual bath countertop suspects and go for a tiled vanity top. It's budget-friendly and adds an extra touch of interest in a tight space.