Moulding and trim have adorned our homes and public buildings for several hundred years. Moulding and trim provide our living spaces with a finished look, and are a means to make an aesthetic statement or artistic expression.
Mouldings also serve a useful purpose by connecting the different elements of building such as wall surfaces to flooring, and door and window openings. Early plaster often cracked where the ceilings met the wall, making crown and cornice mouldings a useful decoration. Early construction techniques allowed moisture to collect in the lower parts of a room or house, creating a need for wainscotting and other finished wall treatments. Chair rails and base mouldings protect walls from sliding furniture and other wear. Picture moulding was used originally by prosperous Americans as a way to display art and to break up larger wall areas.