Coving? in or out?

[fatnfrumpy]

We are into our first total renovation project.
Just painted bedroom one ceiling and walls. At present there is no coving and the walls are not straight.
Worried about getting a nice straight line between the white ceiling and cream walls.
Should I put coving up?
Is it now old fashioned?

Surely it all depends on the style of the house? When was it built?

yes indeed. And has it got picture rails?

Also, how unstraight are the walls?

I like coving.

Coving if it's a period house- it always looks better.

It is a victorian semi!
I like coving but we are modernising so hope to sell to a young family. How popular is coving with the younger generation?
I would also like to reinstate ceiling roses?
There is unfortunatly only one original cast iron fireplace and it is in the smallest bedroom!

Don't discount period features for a young family- I'm young and wouldn't buy a place if it was soulless- obviously I'm saying this without any knowledge if exactly what you are doing or where you are (not accusing you of doing a soulless development or anything!)

As a side note coving is very practical in hiding up the join between ceilings and walls- in a Victorian house these won't be straight so it is a practical measure if nothing else.

I think coving looks fine in any age house as long as you choose a style that fits

you can buy readymade ceiling roses, as well as cornice and coving, in fibrous plaster or in polystyrene which looks indistinguishable when coated with matt emulsion.

My neighbour has a listed building. The conservation officer on one occasion pointed to ornate ceiling decoration and said he had to keep it; it was in fact polystyrene glued up there by a previous owner.

you can buy very simple, small-section coving, or large complex ones according to your whim.

It varies with period, but original installations were generally large and complex in the front hall and main reception room, simpler in the secondary reception and master bedroom, none at all in the servants quarters and secondary bedrooms. There might have been a picture rail in the housekeeper's sitting room, but not in her bedroom.

In most cases plaster ornamentation was pre-made in moulds and nailed to the walls and ceiling prior to plastering. It is possible, but much slower, to run or mould plasterwork in situ.

thank you piglet john!