Synonymous with charm and authenticity, the Haussmannian style never ceases to fascinate us. But not all of us are lucky enough to live in one of these undeniably charming, ultra-codified interiors. And to bring this touch to your apartment without embarking on titanic work, picture rails are your ally.

Mouldings: charm above all

Gone are the smooth walls and in are the mouldings, woodwork, rosettes and other cornices to dress walls, ceilings and doors. They can be discreet as a base or more imposing as a total look in the room. Simple or more elaborate, they set the tone and contribute to the charm of the place. To gain in modernity, don’t hesitate to paint them in their entirety in almond green, powder pink, duck blue or even black.

Step one:

Before starting the installation of your mouldings, you must first take the measurements of your wall or the space where you plan to install your picture rails.

The first thing to do is to locate the height of the picture rail with a tape measure. Once you have determined the height, you need to draw the bottom reference line with a level. Then, transfer the height of the picture rail with a square and draw the upper reference line. At this point, the marks for the installation of the picture rail are all drawn. In a second step, you must draw the marks for the motifs. Still using the tape measure, the level and the square, mark the locations according to the chosen model.

Step 2: Make the cuts

The second step requires just as much attention and precision as the first. According to the marks drawn previously, measure the lengths to be cut and transfer them on the mouldings. Then comes the cutting. For precise and clean cuts, it is recommended to use a miter saw. In addition to making clean cuts, it allows you to go fast if the number of cuts is important: simply place the molding to be cut in the saw, then adjust the angle.

For square or rectangular patterns, set the saw to 45° so that it can form a right angle when assembled. The second cut of the molding should also be made at 45°, but in the opposite direction.

Step 3: Attach the mouldings

Once the mouldings are cut with precision, it is necessary to fix them. For this, a glue gun and nails are largely sufficient. So, open the glue cartridge and place it in the gun. Once the gun is ready to be used, place a bead of glue on the back of the moulding. To install, mark the top line and the top of the moulding and glue with strong pressure. To reinforce the fastening, nail with headless nails, which will be invisible once painted. The entire assembly can be done in this way. To install the picture rail, the technique remains the same. Once the glue has been applied to the back of the picture rail, position it correctly, using the top and bottom lines drawn in the first step.

Step 4: Make a clean finish

To finish, apply a joint of acrylic putty. Once the joint is applied with the glue gun, moisten one of your fingers and smooth the joint. After the glue and putty have dried, it is possible to paint the mouldings. A brush will allow you to paint the reliefs and hollows without difficulty. For a perfect finish, paint the walls with a roller and smooth the edges of the mouldings with a small roller.