Window and door trim - Looking for INSPIRATION

[Luigi Zanasi]

I'm writing this as the painters are redoing the living/dining room. I have a bunch of oak and 2 new windows and a patio door to trim out. I want to do a classic stool with a horizontal head type trim on the windows and door. The picture window is 6'high X 10'wide, the other is

3' high X 6'wide, and the patio door is 6' wide by 80" high, but is 9" off the floor.

I have looked though every wooddorking and decorating book in the house, done a bunch of google searches, took pictures of the chestnut trim in the house I grew up in Montreal (built by my grandfather Luigi and now inhabited by my cousin Luigi -- which reminds me, I gotta harass my brother about sending me his moulding planes, I need a good neener).

Nothing so far works for me. Although I like the basic design in the Montreal house, the top moulding protrudes too much and I am not sure it would work with an 8' ceiling. I have no intention of using standard available trim as most of it is, IMNSHO, fugly. I will of course be milling it myself, so there is no limit created by available profiles.

BTW, I don't really like mitres on trim, I much prefer something more classical with a capital-looking head. Also, being of non-ethnic origin, baroque and rococo would be just fine had I any talent for carving, but shaker is either too grossly puritanical or is an excuse for lack of ability. Of course, the baroque/rococo wouldn't really look good in my modern house with eclectic furniture.

So, are there any websites you have come across that have pictures really nice trim for windows and doors I could use for INSPIRATION (TM JOAT). Or any ideas you would like to suggest.

I am counting on the wreck, which has yet to fail me. Thank you all.

Luigi Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address

[loutent]

We have 'agonized' over new trim around our doors/windows also. Have found Jay Sieber's book 'Decorating With Architectural Trimwork' to be a good source of ideas.

Every situation is different, but we replaced our original 2.5 inch 'builders' crap with a very nice 3 piece built-up style. Our house is certainly modest, so we did not want something grand, but by adapting some of the many ideas he presented, we found a nice compromise.

I have several other trimwork books (including Tautons), but Sieber's has the most informative info for the woodworker IMHO.

I actually bought most of the molding from HD and built it up to the desired profile. It's amazing what you can do with very simple/available profiles when you see how they can be combined to make something interesting/spectacular.

Of course, when you have a 3 piece molding around your windows and doors it is close to 3 times the work!

Lou

[Luigi Zanasi]

On Mon, 07 Nov 2005 20:28:43 -0500, loutent scribbled:

Thanks, Lou. I ran across the book in my searches, but it's good to find out someone I know has found it useful for exactly what I need. So, I've just ordered it.

Luigi Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address