We aimed to have the nursery’s extra-chunky crown molding painted, cut, hung, caulked, and touched up by the end of the weekend—and we just made it. The difference crown molding makes is always more dramatic than expected: even a simple, boxy room looks taller and more finished the moment trim goes up.
This small 11 x 13.5-foot room has come a long way with a few well-chosen additions. Between the corner built-ins and the new chunky crown, the once-plain rectangle now reads as a polished, intentional space. We still have three walls left to address and more color and personality to add, but the crown molding erased unfinished edges and made the room feel complete in a matter of days.
We installed the crown the same way we did in Clara’s room: start with a 3 1/4″ baseboard as the first layer and run it around the room. We used a spacer to drop that baseboard about 1.5″ down from the ceiling for a chunkier profile, used a level to keep everything straight, and marked studs with painter’s tape so we knew where to fire the nail gun.
The second layer is the crown molding itself — we used a beefy 4 5/8″ profile. The baseboard gives the installation the bulk we wanted, and the crown over it creates that finished, substantial look. This approach matches the crown already on our first floor and in the master bedroom, keeping things cohesive throughout the house.
To save time, we bought pre-primed baseboard and crown and painted the pieces flat on a drop cloth before hanging them. Painting off the wall is faster and cleaner; after installation we only needed minor touch-ups and caulking. We painted most pieces white and added a small amount of the built-in color where desired, and the result looks great.
After hanging the crown we ran a bead of caulk along the seam between the molding and the ceiling to hide small imperfections. Applying caulk about a foot at a time and smoothing it with a finger lets you remove excess from the painted surfaces quickly so touch-ups are minimal. After filling nail holes, removing painter’s tape, and doing a few touch-up strokes of paint, the trim looked like it had always belonged there.
For anyone curious about the baseboard-plus-crown method in more detail, we documented it when we installed this look in another room. The cost varies by room size; the project here was roughly similar in scale to previous work, and you’ll also want to factor in caulk and paint if you don’t already have them on hand.
On a lighter note, I finally tackled crib bedding. I found a sweet organic crib sheet on sale and used 1.5 yards of fabric from JoAnn—on sale, which made the crib skirt an extremely inexpensive DIY. Cutting three panels (two sides and a front), I added 1.5″ hems to each side by increasing measurements by 3″ for height and length, then hemmed with Heat N’ Bond for a quick, sturdy finish.
A quick tip: if your fabric has a directional pattern, be sure all panels are cut in the same orientation so the design reads consistently. I joined panels by overlapping the hemmed edges with an extra strip of hem tape and ironing them together so the front looks seamless. The seam lands behind a crib leg, so it’s not visible.
To attach the skirt, I used small Velcro tabs around the crib’s metal frame. Velcro makes the skirt easy to remove for washing; hem tape is also washable if you follow care instructions and avoid high heat.
We also stained the crib’s bottom drawer with two coats of satin PolyShades gel stain in Tudor to tone down a reddish-orange cast and better coordinate with the floors and dresser tops. We sealed the stain with two satin coats of Safecoat Acrylacq, a low-emission sealer that reduces off-gassing.
I quickly styled the built-in bookcases to avoid leaving them empty, but they’ll get a proper edit with baskets, books, frames, and toys soon. Those shelves will be a great way to add color and personality to the room.
We’re debating ideas for the wall above the crib—everything from large-scale art to a bold mobile or even a slatted accent. For now we’ll finish styling the built-ins and let the room evolve. I’m leaning toward a large mobile with pops of green, black, and white to tie into other accents in the room.
What did you work on this weekend? Any mostly-empty bookcases or bare walls that are calling for attention?
Psst—To see the nursery’s progress from the beginning, we’ve documented planning, rug shopping, dresser sourcing, painting, and building the built-ins in earlier posts.