Awkward Coving & Cornice

[Painters10]

I'm just finishing off a kitchen install and the last bit left is the cornice around the top of the high cupboards.

Once I started putting the kitchen together that our ceiling is lower than normal - about 2.3m We have standard plaster coving around the room - 150mm?

The problem I have is the cornice is quite wide and the cupboards high on the walls. I couldn't mount the cupboards lower as there are full height units too (larder/oven etc)

The cornice clashes with the coving such that I have a real awkward curve issue. I've uploaded a photo to give an idea:

think there are 3 solutions:

1) Somehow scribe the cornice to the coving. I have made a cardboard template etc but have no idea how to cut this. 2) Mark the coving and cut the coving to sit the cornice into. 3) Don't fit the cornice at all.

What would the (semi) pro carpenters and joiners do?

Thanks Painters10

[mark]

There isn't an ideal solution in my view. I think I would be inclined to go with your second option. Chopping out the coving to suit and its subsequent repair seems more feasible in terms of success than scribing the cornice. The cornice can obviously be scribed but you'd need to know what you are doing, then if you get that right, you only have one go at cutting the mitre at the other end as it'll be too short for a second go.

mark

[The Medway Handyman]

No idea, but I'd go for option 3. Coving is very dated & spoils the clean lines of modern kitchen units IMO.

[Tim S]

The Medway Handyman coughed up some electrons that declared:

What happens if you like old style units and hate bland white featureless modern stuff?

Personally I like coving - I find the "squareness" of a wall hitting a ceiling to be yuk.

;->

[geraldthehamster]

I'm a bit of an approximate carpenter, but in my view it would look better to scribe the cornice and cut to fit against the coving - that way you are making the furniture fit the room, rather than the room fit the furniture. 3) would be easier though ;-) Can you omit the cornice from all the units, so that this one doesn't look an odd one out? Or would that look wrong?

You might consider whether removing the coving altogether would make your low ceiling look less low (hard to judge that one). But it would be an extra decorating job to do that - removing coving, adhesive, and making good before painting.

Regards Richard

[fictitious]

3) mentions cornice but you are talking about coving ???

[geraldthehamster]

Actually I think when he says "cornice" he's referring to the pediment that goes on top of the cupboards...

Regards Richard

[fictitious]

I think you are probably right...lol