Is Coving Out-dated Now?

Is Coving Old Fashioned?

Coving is the decorative moulding placed at the junction where the wall and ceiling meet. It can be made from plaster, wood, or even plastic, and it has been part of interiors for centuries. Some homeowners worry that coving feels old fashioned, while others see it as a timeless feature that adds elegance and charm.

The truth is that coving is still widely used across the UK. Many homeowners appreciate how coving works to hide imperfections, add character, and soften harsh angles in a room. While certain modern styles favour clean lines and minimal detailing, coving remains popular because it enhances the style and look of both traditional and contemporary homes.

In the end, whether coving feels outdated or stylish depends on personal taste. If you enjoy how it looks and how it complements your property, then coving can still be the perfect finishing touch for your home.

What Are the Benefits of Coving?

Coving offers both practical and decorative advantages, making it a great choice for many different types of property:

• Hide imperfections: Over time, cracks, gaps, and movement appear at the wall and ceiling junction. Coving neatly conceals these flaws, leaving a smooth, polished finish.
• Adds elegance and charm: Whether you opt for traditional coving with ornate patterns or simple designs with clean lines, it instantly elevates the style of a room.
• Versatile materials: Coving comes in a wide range of materials, from plaster to polyurethane coving, allowing you to choose the best option for your home.
• Easy to paint: Coving can be painted in neutral colours to blend in seamlessly or contrasted to make a bold design statement.
• Increases value: By completing the look of a room, coving can add perceived value to your property, making it appealing to buyers.
• Enhances decor: It softens the transition between wall and ceiling, adding detail and creating a sense of balance.

Different Styles of Coving

When it comes to design, coving offers a wide variety of options:

• Traditional coving: Often found in Victorian and other period properties, this ornate style adds intricate detail and suits high ceilings beautifully.
• Ornate coving: Full of character and elegance, it enhances classic interiors and brings a sense of grandeur.
• Simple designs: Ideal for those who prefer a more minimalist modern look, with clean lines and less decoration.
• Contemporary design: Focuses on a sleek, understated approach that pairs well with open-plan living and neutral colours.

Which Type of Coving Material is Best?

The choice of material plays a key role in how coving performs and looks in your home:

• Plaster coving: A classic choice that suits period properties. Known for its intricate detail and elegance, but heavier and more difficult to install without professional help.
• Polyurethane coving: Lightweight, durable, and easy to install. It comes in a variety of designs, from ornate to simple, and works well in both modern and traditional spaces.
• Wood coving: Adds warmth and natural character. Perfect for homeowners who want a rustic or unique look, though it may require more maintenance.
• Plastic coving: Budget-friendly and practical. It’s easy to clean, available in a wide range of styles, and ideal for those thinking about low-maintenance solutions.

How to Update Coving for a Modern Look

If you feel your coving looks outdated, there are easy ways to refresh it without a full replacement:

1. Clean and repair: Remove dirt, dust, and stains. Fill in cracks or gaps to restore a neat finish.
2. Paint for impact: Neutral colours maintain a classic feel, while darker shades or metallic finishes add a contemporary touch.
3. Replace with modern alternatives: If your existing coving no longer suits your home, consider switching to modern simple designs with clean lines. Polyurethane coving is a particularly practical and lightweight solution.

Modern Alternatives to Coving

For those who feel coving is too fashioned, there are alternatives that achieve a modern look:

• Ceiling trims: Minimal and subtle, ideal for contemporary interiors with a sleek, understated feel.
• LED lighting strips: Can be paired with coving or used alone to create ambient light and a striking design effect.
• No trim at all: Skipping coving entirely enhances a minimalist style, making the space feel open and uncluttered.

Is Coving Right for Your Home?

Ultimately, whether you decide to install coving or not depends on your goals. If you value elegance, character, and detail, then coving is an excellent way to create a finished look. It helps hide imperfections, enhances your decor, and offers a sense of balance in any room.

One of the main considerations is the type of property you live in. For period properties with high ceilings, ornate or traditional coving can add the perfect finishing touch, highlighting the original features and maintaining a classic sense of style. In contrast, for modern homes, many homeowners prefer simple designs that bring clean lines and a contemporary look without feeling outdated. The choice of coving style can help your interiors flow more naturally and suit the age and character of the building.

You should also think about the size and proportions of the room. In smaller spaces, delicate and simple coving works best as it won’t overwhelm the walls or ceiling. In larger rooms, or those with high ceilings, more decorative coving can add balance and fill the empty space effectively, making the room feel complete. Coving can therefore be a very practical design choice, as it allows you to control how scale and detail are perceived in your interiors.

Another important factor is your personal taste and how you want your home to feel. Some people enjoy the timeless charm and detail that coving offers, while others prefer the minimalist approach of smooth transitions between wall and ceiling. There is no right or wrong decision—it simply depends on whether you find that coving enhances the look of your home and aligns with your overall style of decor.

Finally, think about long-term value. Well-chosen coving can elevate the look of a property and add to its appeal, particularly when paired with other classic or stylish details. For buyers who appreciate a finished, polished interior, coving can help a property stand out. On the other hand, if your approach is modern and minimalist, avoiding coving might create the clean aesthetic you’re aiming for.

For these reasons, coving remains a versatile option that can be tailored to a wide variety of homes. Whether ornate or simple, traditional or contemporary, coving works to bring charm, balance, and a finished look to your interiors.

Is Coving Old Fashioned? Conclusion

Coving is far from just an old fashioned feature of the past. It remains a timeless feature that offers both decorative and practical benefits. Whether you love ornate coving in period properties, or you’re thinking about simple styles for a modern home, coving works in countless ways to create elegance and maintain balance in a room.

In conclusion, the question isn’t whether coving is out of style, but whether it suits your property, your taste, and your approach to design. If chosen and installed well, coving continues to enhance and elevate interiors, ensuring it will never truly be outdated.

For more advice and inspiration, explore our website or email us for guidance on finding the perfect coving options for your home.