Is coving passé/naff?

[Goostacean]

We’ve got a Victorian terraced flat and I’m gradually doing it up room by room. The loft conversion, master and kitchen are a modern extension but one bedroom and living room are original. About to redo that one bedroom, it’s got a gorgeous high ceiling and I’m going for a pale blue “period” wall colour and engineered wood flooring (admittedly oak, but still). Want to put in a Victorian-style tiled fireplace into the alcove that’s left where the fireplace used to be. Should we add coving? Is it naff?

No, I don't think its naff, particularly if you're reinstating some of the period features and you've got high ceilings.

This company has some gorgeous coving www.wmboyle.co.uk

I’d add period appropriate cornice and ceiling rose. It’s only naff if you put ornate plasterwork in a modern house.

I like coving

Hmm, looking at the room I wonder if it’s actually more hassle than it’s worth as there are these rather awkward cupboards...

How could it be naff in a Victorian property?

Just seen the photo... The wall is a little busy, isn't it? What are the beams and little cupboards for? Are you keeping them?

It is, yes... the little cupboards are part of two fitted wardrobe/cupboards, either side of what used to be the chimney breast but has been turned into an alcove of shelving (the toy pig is on the top shelf). No idea why there’s a lower level bit of ceiling but we’re leaving it alone - just painting. Maybe just a ceiling rose around the light then...?

@Thisismytimetoshine

How could it be naff in a Victorian property?

Dunno... I thought maybe there’s an unspoken rule about reinstated vs original coving or something!

Coving has to be appropriate to the age of the house imo. I do like modern coving with led lighting, in modern houses.

Coving’s not going to work along that boxed in bit OP (which is probably a soil pipe for a loo on the floor above, or an extractor vent run for a bathroom) as it you wouldn’t be able to open that top cupboard.

You could possibly put it on the other walls and in between the two cupboards but personally I wouldn’t since you can’t do it all round- would just call attention to the boxing in.

Living room could work though? Proper plaster coving of the right period looks fantastic IMO.

I misread your title "Is Covid passé/ naff" and wondered what you were on about
In answer to your question- I think it will look odd with those cupboards- I'd go for the ceiling rose though.

Covid is definitely both naff and passé, and should not be in the home.

Right, ceiling rose it is. Yay!

I came back to say it’s all done, with a polyurethane ceiling rose from Amazon(!), and it looks fantastic. Really pleased. Now I’m debating the same question - and the associated practicality of installation - in our living room!

You definitely can have coving cut around things, including cupboards. It's just like cutting wood on an angle.

Looks good anyway.