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Ken

Senior Design Consultant Ken Appleton is an icon in the interior architecture design community serving Orange County since 2003. Ken is the owner and founder of Appleton Renovations.

A before and after picture of the kitchen ceiling.

Kitchen Coffered Ceiling

3 Comments / Recessed Kitchen Lighting /


An investment in your home is one of the greatest investments in your portfolio in this day and age.   But many hesitate due to lack of funds or the scare of the expense.  Surprisingly, your home CAN be updated with very little investment.  You can obtain that new look, or feel like your home is your own personal palace with minor upgrades.

One of the first things people tend to replace are the old fluorescent lighting fixtures in the kitchen with recessed lighting.  When homes were built years ago this was the most updated way in lighting.   These days, recessed lighting is the most appealing look.  It offers a vaulted ceiling façade often referred to as a kitchen coffered ceiling giving your kitchen a much larger feel and cleaner appearance.  The inside can be finished with crown molding and then double-framed for a picturesque look.   It is desirable to use a crown molding that you have already chosen to use in an adjacent room, thus tying the whole endeavor together.  You can also have the recessed ceiling painted in a faux finish or simply match the color of your walls.   This really completes an area.
[image title=”Coffered Ceiling – Before and After” size=”large” align=”center” icon=”zoom” lightbox=”true”]https://appletonrenovations.com/images/recessed-lighting/coffered-ceiling.png[/image]

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Crown Molding: Quality Alert

Crown Molding /


In the process of selecting the crown molding that you will install in your home, it’s important that you are aware of the difference in terms of the material, construction, and cost of the various models available. Since the ultimate goal of installing crown molding in your home is to enhance the appearance and value of your home, be prudent about the quality of the molding you choose.
Though it may seem like purchasing inexpensive it is economically efficient, you are ultimately undermining the potential value of this interior design feature. More often than not, inexpensive crown molding is flimsy and aesthetically lacking. These crown moldings are cheaper for a reason; they are made out of lower-grade materials using inferior construction and artistry.When the ultimate goal of installing ii it is to heighten the innate value of your home, using sub-par crown molding is counter-productive. Crown molding should be sturdy and should seamlessly appear to be a permanent fixture of your home’s architectural construction. Flimsy crown moldings will easily break and chip; this will make chintzy crown molding jobs readily apparent as such. Low quality moldings won’t contribute any additional value to your home, visually or monetarily.If you are trying to be economically savvy, here’s a crucial consideration to keep in mind: the cost of installing cheaper crown molding will be the same as installing higher quality molding. By purchasing higher caliber, slightly more expensive crown molding to begin with, you will ultimately spare yourself subsequent expenses in terms of repairs or re-installation costs.To make your crown molding project successful, it’s wise to spend a little more to ensure that your finished product will look tasteful and effortless. Unlike a whimsical painting, crown molding is intended to be a permanent fixture in your home, and therefore affects its overall worth. Select high-quality crown molding made out of reliable materials to enhance the visual aesthetic and economic value of your home.

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5 Myths About Crown Molding

Crown Molding /


Installing crown molding in your home can enhance the aesthetic appearance of its interior as well as the general value of your home. However, there are a number of general misconceptions that deter homeowners from capitalizing on the benefits of adding crown molding to their decor. The following list dispels five common myths about the appropriate use and installation of it.Myth #1: My ceilings are too low for crown moldings.It’s untrue that crown molding should not be installed in rooms with low ceilings. In fact, using moldings that project further than the wall can provide an optical illusion that makes ceilings appear taller than they actually are. For rooms that are vertically challenged, use crown moldings to give modest spaces a sense of elegance.Myth #2: Flimsy crown moldings will add just as much value to my home.If part of your motive for installing crown molding is to enhance the value of your home, using cheap and poorly crafted crown moldings will not suffice. Just like any interior design pieces that you would use to decorate your home, flimsy crown molding will not provide the same visual splendor as do high quality moldings. Moreover, crown moldings that are lacking in quality, construction, or material are easily recognized as such and won’t contribute to the monetary value of your home.

Myth #3: Crown molding is unsuitable for rooms frequented by children.

Many people think that crown moldings are not well suited for use in children’s bedrooms or playrooms. The primary reason for this is because of the misconception that crown moldings are not durable enough for application in rooms that house more rough-and-tumble activities. Contrarily, though, crown moldings, specifically high-density polyurethane crown moldings, are extremely durable and perfect for application in rooms where children are at play. Specifically, chair-rail moldings can even help protect walls from being dented, scratched, or damaged, and are known for their resilience.

Myth #4: Crown moldings should always be white.

This do not always have to be white. This is a frequent design faux pas; in fact, crown moldings should be the same color as the moldings that are already in your house. They can also be painted or stained to match existing color schemes, making them perfectly suitable for any room decor.

Myth #5: All the crown moldings in your home should be the same style.

All of the moldings in your home do not need to be the same style. Different styles of crown molding may more appropriately suit some rooms but not others; there is a wide array of this styles to choose from, and you should take advantage of these options to maximize their aesthetic potential in each particular room. However, it is important to consistently use the same crown molding size around your home to maintain consistent dimensions and visual proportions.

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