visual feature in any home. For the most part, we rely upon detailed banisters to add some flair to the staircase.  With the help of panel moulding, you can even add a gorgeous backdrop behind your banister on the opposite wall. Here are a few tips:

Cut the Wall in Half

Using panel moulding, you can run a piece up the wall at roughly the height of your banister to create symmetry. This will create a visual break in the space, which typically has a very high ceiling to keep the stairs from feeling cramped. You can paint the area beneath this strip of panel moulding a darker color for contrast, and leave the upper half of the wall a lighter shade. A note: If you have a hand rail on the wall with brackets, we suggest placing your panel moulding a few inches higher than the hand rail and the banister so  the bottom color serves as a backdrop to both.

Add Wainscoting

If you want to add even more detail to your stairwell, wainscoting is a great way to add visual appeal in no time. You can find panel moulding in a wide range of profiles to accent your wainscoting panels. In general, you’ll want the panel moulding to be slightly less ornate than the moulding you choose to cut the wall design in half. You can fill the space inside by painting it a lighter color, or you can paint everything the same accent color. In addition, wallpaper and other decorations make good background fillers for your wainscoting. The most important thing to remember is to draw a level line from the bottom of the stairwell up to where you meet the next wall. You want all of your wainscoting panels to be even with one another. This can be difficult while you are working on a slope. In addition, you will want to double check your angles before you cut your panel pieces to be sure all four corners of your frames correctly fit together. You don’t want visible gaps in the corners where they don’t fit together. Panel moulding offers one quick way to dress up your stairwells and add a fresh dimension to the space. Make sure you measure carefully before you cut and draw a light template on your wall to help you keep all of your sections even. As you choose your moulding, be mindful of how the pieces will look side by side. For your moulding or architectural product needs contact Volterra Architectural Products at 602-258-7373