Coving
Coving or decorative plaster can really give your rooms a finishing touch and is relatively cheap and straightforward to complete.
Coving adds a decorative elegance to the corners of rooms where the walls and ceiling meet – it brings a flourish to the décor. Not only stylish, it can hide flaws, cracks and other imperfections, especially in older properties. It can really invigorate a room.
Coves and cornices are both used to bridge the join between the wall and ceiling of a room. They cover any settlement cracks that appear between the ceiling and wall as a result of heat expansion.
The main different between the two techniques is their appearance. Coves follow a straight line along the celling with a C-shape curve. They are fitted using concave panels that are attached to the wall and ceiling. Cornices are a decorative form of plasterwork which often feature complex patterns. Both techniques can dramatically improve the appearance of a room, giving it a more elegant look.
Making a choice of coving can be a real challenge. Applied with a special adhesive, coving can be simple and minimalistic or particularly intricate and detailed. Coving uses a variety of materials – it’s your choice – to suit your taste and budget.
It’s important to consider the existing property décor; it should match the style – or it might look odd/out of place. Why do you want the coving? To make a room stand out – or suggest a minimalist style? Identifying your vision and intention helps shape your ideas for the coving options.
We can supply and fit everything to match your needs and budget. Our team of qualified tradesmen can carry out the work for you from a quick start to the perfect finish. From the initial no obligation quotation through to design and fitting, our dedicated team of professionals will provide you with the very best service, always at highly competitive prices.
Coving FAQ
What is coving?
Coving or cove is a concave surface well known in Great Brittan from the Victorian period, followed by the Edwardian era and Georgian neo-classic times and art-deco, made from Plaster of Paris (gypsum), forming a cornice (crown moulding) between a ceiling and a wall. From Latin cornix, ‘crow’, by Greek koronis, ‘crown’
What is cornice?
Cornice is the topmost architectural element of a building, projecting forward form the wall along the ceiling, a pediment above doors and windows, a decorative element applied at the corner (ceiling and wall) of a room, most common called in UK plaster coving.
What is Ceiling roses?
In the UK a ceiling rose is a decorative moulding installed to the ceiling from which a chandelier or light fitting is installed. They are typically round in shape and display a variety of plaster designs. Ceiling roses may be used to frame a light fixture or when filled with a rose to centre the room. Victorian ceiling roses are decorative only, and not designed to support the light fixture. Plaster ceiling roses also called medallions or ceiling centre pieces.
What is Plaster paris?
Plaster is a mixture of lime, gypsum and water, re-enforced with hessian fibre that hardens to a smooth solid stone and is used to cast or craft plaster mouldings for decorating the walls and ceilings. Most common known as Plaster of Paris.
What’s the difference between Cornice and Coving?
Cornice is the generic term applied to a moulding designed to conceal the join between the wall and the ceiling. Coving usually refers to a type of Cornice that is uniform in profile.
I have a curved wall. Can you make coving / cornice to suit?
Yes. If you need a radius cornice / coving section made, whether to match an original profile or one of our own designs, we can help. Just send us a profile of the curved wall, letting us know if it bows inwards (internal) or outwards (external) along with how much you require.
What is fibrous plaster?
I want to add value to my property, what do you suggest?
When looking to increase your property value, any good estate agent will tell you that style and impressions will make a massive difference to the saleable value of your home. A well designed house will help to increase its potential value.
If you are in possession of an older period property, look at the existing fittings and plaster mouldings and try and match them to our products using a sympathetic pattern. We have an extensive catalogue of authentic Georgian and Victorian plaster Cornice / Coving which will encompass most period properties, so you are sure to find something suitable.