If you look closely in the new living room, you’ll see those strange trim boards a foot or so below the (gorgeous, perfect and HUGE) crown moulding. It actually serves as the top piece of trim for the windows as well.
My mother-in-law explained that they are picture rails, designed to hang photos without damaging the plaster. (I guess you’d hang them from a wire attached to a nail on top?)
I thought that was kinda cool, but when I spotted these shaker peg rails at ABCD Design, I knew they’d be the perfect finishing touch to the picture trim.
Did you like this post?
We'd love to send you more inspiration and encouragement for your home. When you sign up below, we'll send you our free guide to save thousands on your next home project. Because your home shouldn't own you.
Jennifer says
here’s the post (so pretty!): http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2010/02/picture-rails.html
Jennifer says
love the idea of the pegs! but unless I chose what was on it I think it might get a little too cluttered for me.
Jenny at Little Green Notebook did a great post on picture rails … might be good for some inspiration!
Jordan and Jandee says
I love it, I think you could do so many versatile things with it, and its unique. Can’t wait to see it in use 🙂
Kim @ NewlyWoodwards says
Thank you all for your insights –
Miss Eff – love the hooks, but I’m unsure about them. I’ll have to check out one in person to see if they’ll work for our trim. It doesn’t seem to have the ledge on the top to hold it.
Danielle – thanks for pointing them out at Nicole’s. I hadn’t seen them and love seeing them in action.
Leigh – this is the only room with a picture ledge. Strange? But, other rooms seem to have been “updated,” which basically means all the good stuff was removed and replaced with plastic crap. 😉
Christi – I’m going to have to visit to see the knobs at Home Goods. No HG here. ;(
Wendy – LOVE this. Wouldn’t it be great by a backdoor?
yeoldesandwichshoppeva says
I totally heart your shaker peg rail. It is mag! I’m thinking it might be fun to install something like that in my house. When I’m done destroying things and get on to the fun part of froufing the place up!
Leigh @ Kesler Expressler says
We had picture rails in our dorms at the school I went to for my freshman college year. I believe you can buy hooks made for them to hang pictures from. I think the shaker pegs would be great for a portion, just not the whole room.
Wendy says
Kim,
Today’s Martha Stewart email had these very shaker pegs with a cool bin holder idea. Maybe you can incorporate it somewhere, too??
http://www.marthastewart.com/good-things/family-organizer?xsc=eml_org_2010_09_09
Aubrey@My Forever House says
i like the detail and think that you could really make it look great! can’t wait to see what you decide to do!
christi @ grey umbrella says
ya’ll picked such a cute, detailed home. love it! keep it and go with some knobs you love! my homegoods just got in a HUGE shipment of anthro looking knobs (in clear/pink/colors/pearl). those could look really cute up there too.
Jenny @ Anything Pretty says
What a fun detail…and I agree it totally fits the style of the house. You could do so many fun things with it and details like that are what make old houses so fun!
Kristi says
How fun to have such character in your new home. Thinking on it, my grandmother’s house has this detail and she did use it to hang pictures! My dad hung a board with shaker pegs in my sister’s room when she was little. It was such a fun touch to her room and there were always fun things hanging on the pegs. Can’t wait to see how your’s turn out!
Leigh says
I think Nicole on making it lovely has the same picture ledge thing. Are they in all the rooms? It would be awesome for decorating purposes but what about dusting?
Amanda @ Serenity Now says
I think it’s a great idea and a good use of their original purpose. I agree, Christmas will be fun with those!
Kim says
Hi there…thanks for your comment about the stair runner. I love it! Hope you find a great solution for your house.
I really like the hooks in these pix better than the pegs. I love Shaker style. I think the hooks are much prettier than the wooden pegs. As a previous commenter said they look rather primitive.
Off to check out the rest of your blog! 🙂 Kim
Amanda Sevall says
I totally think it adds to the character of the house…. love all the ideas. Can’t wait to see what you do with it in the end! 🙂
Michael - Innkeeper says
aren’t old houses THE FREAKIN’ BEST!
love it! all the little details.
i like the peg idea and think it would work if that’s what you wanted.
although i like the idea of hanging pictures from it more … minus the pegs.
oh … and i have a guest staying with me that has 18 chickens. she orders 20 every year and she picks one of each kind so she has a variety. i’m so jealous. expect she did say eats the chickens too … which i couldn’t do. i would probably never eat chicken again if i had chickens.
Mrs. Chic says
It was so hard to read the post, I’m still drooling over your amazing crown molding!!! WOW
I agree with Danielle – check out Making it lovly she has chair rail in her home and its looks amazing the way she hangs her pics etc….
Emily says
I really like it! Didn’t your MIL do something like this in her family room? I saw a model home where they did shaker pegs in the nursery and it was freaking darling – thinking about it for Tommy’s big boy room.
But I’m thinking limit the pegs to one wall in a bigger room like your living room. And really, I love the trim plain too. It’s gorge.ous.
Danielle and Clint says
Check out Making it Lovely’s blog. Nicole has very similar molding and hangs pictures from it. It looks awesome!
Amanda says
I was unsure at first, but after looking for a bit back and forth between the AT pics and your LR, I have changed my mind. I think you will make them look really cool!
Kylie says
omgoodness I LOVE this. How fun! I want this now! What a cute idea. And I like that it’s not the standard anymore, so it adds character 🙂
Jenny @ Words on Wendhurst says
Very cute, and I think very “you”. Can’t wait to see how you’ll decorate. 🙂
Mrs. Adventure says
I really like the shaker peg but agree with Miss Effie. I would only want them in rooms like the hallway or den. I am loving the crown molding in your rooms… wow!
Miss Effie says
Quick thought … the Shaker peg is much more primitive that the beautiful crown molding. As much as I love the pegs … maybe for a hallway or kitchen. Not the “formal” rooms…. there was a definite division between “company” and family rooms.
Here are the hooks that are used for picture rail.
http://www.rejuvenation.com/typepagePicture%20Hardware/templates/houseparts_group.html