Golden Moldings!
This week at DGG, we’ve been transforming a large, deep brown cabinet and shelving unit using our own custom gilt moldings and gold details. By the end of the day, the look went from a big and imposing piece of furniture to a more interesting, decorative, and unique statement piece! Although it may not come to mind at first, moldings can be the decorative element to add the final touch to a room. There are many different options available, but they typically serve the purpose of adding architectural definition and ornamentation to a room or furnishing. Here is a little peek into Guillaume’s workshop, and how we made these custom moldings:
We special ordered from a company that sends us the mold castings. They arrive in 1- foot strips, and are made out of a reddish, rubbery plastic. We used two types of decorative moldings, called egg-and-dart moldings, and bead moldings. We then prime each piece with gold paint. Then we amp up the glamour by applying gold leaf and sealing with a clear varnish. To give the moldings an aged look, we then brush on an oil patina of burnt umber, and rub it in. Now they are ready to shine at our client’s home!
We put in the moldings on-site, and measure and cut the pieces to fit. We then use a strong-bonding glue to affix it to the grooves of the shelf. Once all of the moldings are set, we added lots of gilding to make this one luxe cabinet: we gold-leafed the back wall of the display cabinet, the edges of the shelves, and the base moldings. Now my client can display their best china in style!
*Bomar designs is the company we order all our moldings from. They have a HUGE catalogue of decorative and architectural details, and do custom orders. They can be painted any color, and with many different finishes! Check them out at http://www.bomardesigns.com/
What a great idea . I love it!