If you’ve already thought about your next renovation, you’ve probably thought about paint colors, furniture, and an appliance or two.
But trim?! Interior types of molding are usually an afterthought…and then, the last-minute selections can become a stress AND undermine the final look you were wanting.
When interior molding is left for later, you end up faced with a lot of questions you don’t have the answers for.
Do you go with traditional crown molding or something minimalist? Should your baseboards be subtle or a statement? And what’s the difference between MDF and polyurethane?!
You don’t need to be a professional carpenter to know the basics about interior types of molding. Our interior molding glossary is the perfect resource. But choosing the right one?! That requires a little more design…here’s how it’s done.
Start with this quick exercise!
Before diving into your options, take a moment to determine what matters most to you in your renovation.
Trim isn’t just about aesthetics—it affects your budget, the longevity of your space, and the overall length of time your project takes.
So right now, ask yourself…in your renovation, are you prioritizing:
- Cost? (You need the most economical options that still look great.)
- Quality? (You want lasting selections and materials that enhance home value.)
- Time? (You need easy-to-install options that won’t delay your project.)
Once you identify your main priority, use the next sections to find the best interior types of molding for you…
Best Trim for Cost-Focused Homeowners
If you want great-looking interior molding while preserving more of your renovation budget for other things in your space, focus on the following trim materials and styles. Your molding won’t be the showstopper of your space, but you’ll achieve the finished look you need.
Materials to choose:
- MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) – This is the most affordable wood alternative. It’s easy to paint and install, but it’s not moisture resistant.
- Polystyrene – This is a lightweight option that can be installed with only adhesive.
- PVC – A material that’s great for bathrooms or kitchens since it resists moisture, though it has a shiny surface that requires proper priming before you can paint it…
Styles and placements to think about:
- Simple cove or colonial molding – These options are classic but affordable.
- Pre-primed baseboards – You can also save money on finishing and painting!
- Picture frame molding – This adds an upscale look at a lower cost than other high-end interior molding designs.
Tips to save more:
- Use trim selectively – Crown molding in your living room makes a statement, but skipping it in secondary bedrooms can keep your costs down.
- Look for longevity – Of all the more economical options, PVC is the one that’s moisture, pest and rot resistant. This will spread the investment out over a longer lifetime.
Best Trim for High-Quality, Timeless Results
If you’re looking for the interior types of molding that enhance value and aesthetic for years to come, focus on high-end materials and timeless styles.
Materials to choose:
- Solid Wood – Wood trim is classic and durable. It can be susceptible to swelling in humid areas, though, so it’s not ideal for bathrooms.
- Polyurethane – This is a great alternative to wood because it resists moisture and pests.
Styles and placements to think about:
- Crown molding – This is always elegant!! By the way, the wider and taller the molding, the more luxurious the look.
- Dentil molding – This adds a certain historical charm to traditional homes…
- Wainscoting – Instantly elevate your spaces to a luxury-magazine-level look, and protect walls from scuffs, too.
- Custom casings – Thick and detailed door and window trim creates a high-end feel for spaces.
For the longest-term value:
- Stick with timeless trim designs – Trendy styles can date your home later…stick with the classics.
- Invest in professional design and installation – Quality trim deserves expert craftsmanship.
- Use solid wood or polyurethane – These materials are the most resilient in high-traffic areas, helping you to avoid dents and damage.
Best Trim for Faster Projects
If your timeline is tight, you might prefer to select the types of trim that are easy to install. Decorative molding can still infuse elegance into a space without painstaking work…if you know which materials and styles to select.
Materials to choose:
- Polystyrene – This lightweight option can be attached quickly with adhesive.
- Pre-finished MDF – Skip the finishing step and have a professional install pre-finished MDF for a resilient but quick-to-install option.
Styles and placements to think about:
- Cove molding – This is simple, sleek, and easy to work with. As one of the “least fussy” interior molding types, it’s a go-to for projects with tighter deadlines.
- Baseboards with built-in shoe molding – You can save an extra installation step by acquiring baseboards that have shoe molding built in!!
- Pre-cut or pre-painted casings – Casings can be manufactured in pre-cut or pre-painted options, too, which eliminates finishing time.
Tips to save more time:
- Choose pre-painted decorative molding whenever possible to skip an extra finishing step.
- Stick with standard sizes since custom trim takes longer to manufacture and install.
Final Tips to Use Trim Well…
Interior trim is the finishing touch that brings your space together. Whether you’re more focused on cost, quality, or time, molding interior design is still an necesary detail in your overall renovation.
Interior molding can be applied poorly in designs, too, even with the best intentions after choosing the right style, placement, or material! Here are some final tips to ensure your molding interior design is absolutely perfect…
- Use trim consistently! Some rooms will have more molding, but the style should flow seamlessly.
- Don’t go overboard. Not every room has to look like a state manor, unless that’s what you’re going for. Focus on more molding in spaces like the dining and living rooms.
- Balance the crown molding and baseboards. Once you select the right trim, be sure to balance the size between the crown molding and baseboards.
- Consider existing molding. If you already have trim in rooms adjacent to your renovation, be sure your new molding goes well with it!!
- Once you do install new molding…SAVE some scraps for future repairs. The nuances in any molding, especially if you’ve had it finished professionally, will be hard to reproduce later.
Along with trim selections, lighting design and window treatments are some of the most-forgotten details when people start planning their renovations. And yet, they’re the finer details that give a room its final look and feel!!
Why not start a conversation with us now to look at these details together?!
About the author:
Robin Burrill, RID, NCIDQ, ASID, IDS, CAPS, is an award-winning professional kitchen, bath, and interior designer. Robin and her husband, Robert Mathews, have owned Signature Home Services, Inc. for nearly three decades, establishing a superior in-house team with a widespread reputation for delivering meticulous design to their many repeat clients.
In 2022, the national publication, Kitchen and Bath Design News magazine, named Robin to their Top Innovator list in recognition of her achievements in the field of kitchen and bath design. In 2024, she was named one of the Fall 2024 Market Pros and “tastemakers” by ANDMORE at High Point Market. Also in 2024, Fixr identified her as one of the Top Professional Interior Designers for their nationwide audience. At the start of 2025, she then acted as one of Dallas Market’s “Style Eyes” at Lightovation and Total Home & Gift Market.
Over her extensive career, Robin has been quoted in Architectural Digest and Forbes multiple times; her design work has been featured in top national trade publications; and she has been interviewed for Designers Today magazine’s “Profiles in Design” video series, among others. Widely respected for the depth of her knowledge, Robin is a sought after speaker and judge for many design industry events.
In 2023, Robin designed a bench for Charleston Forge, making her foray into product design. Robin currently serves as a volunteer on the board of the Dallas/Ft. Worth chapter of the Interior Design Society.
