Cornice Again in Trend: 6 Ways to Create a Stylish Interior

If earlier designers used cornice decor only in classical styles, now it can be found in any modern direction. We have selected several projects where the decor played a decisive role. Take these ideas for note!

Make a bet on eclecticism

According to experts' forecasts, mixing styles will become even more familiar to us in the coming years. Nowadays designers combine several directions in their projects at once.

For example, classicism is now being made 'lighter'. They use cornice decor together with minimalist modern furniture — this looks interesting. And many won't even guess that the basis of the interior is classicism.

Design: Mossebo

Borrowing details from different styles

High baseboards are now used not only in classical interiors. For example, in a project by In My Box studio, designer Anna Pokhodnya decorated a high baseboard and painted it white. This trick helped visually raise a low ceiling, and the modern interior now looks more interesting.

Design: In My Box

Designer Serge Makhov took a still more daring combination — classicism and loft. Here modern furniture with a brutal character is combined with wide cornices and moldings. Such an interior can definitely be described as 'not like everyone else's'.

I chose classicism and neutral tones: light gray walls, white cornice, light oak floor. The contrast makes dark industrial furniture and rough wooden tables stand out nicely.

Design: Serge Makhov

Using moldings

Moldings are one of the most popular types of cornice decor that will fit into any style. You can draw up a pattern you want to achieve: usually they are arranged in the form of frames.

Moldings should be placed on walls before painting. Usually, they can be fixed to any surface. To make moldings last as long as possible, designers recommend using special adhesive from the manufacturer.

Design: Natalia Khudaya

Designer Maxim Noda used moldings when decorating a cottage-style apartment. Part of the walls were covered with printed wallpaper, and frames made from moldings were placed above the baseboard — this visually raised the ceiling and made the space more interesting.

Pay attention to how well cornice decor combines with simple wooden beams on the ceiling.

Unusual combinations helped me bring to life the atmosphere of a cozy cottage, like in a Coca-Cola New Year's ad.

Design: Maxim Noda

And wall panels

Adding texture to an interior is easy — designers often use volumetric 3D panels in their projects. To avoid them standing out too much, choose simple geometric patterns and paint them the same color as the walls.

Design: Lines Design Bureau

Highlighting strengths

Using decorative outlets in interior design is appropriate if you want to highlight a specific element. For example, a solid chandelier. On a completely smooth white ceiling, it would look fancy, but adding a decorative element makes everything fall into place.

Mounting an outlet on the ceiling is easy: just drill a small hole and secure it with glue and screws.

Design: Serge Makhov

Or hide bulky furniture

If you want to hide some item in an interior, decorate it with cornice decor and paint it to match the wall color. Designer Alena Yudina did this in her project — the closet in the hallway now blends into the walls (on the photo it's on the right).

There are many horizontal lines in the project, which we decided to emphasize with contrasting cornice decor.

Design: Alena Yudina