When it comes to using wood as a decorative finish, the most common question has been “wainscoting or not?” But wood trim can add real character to a house.

Layne Fitts Nelson, our firm’s design director, is doing more custom millwork for clients who want an extra design element in their house beyond standard baseboards and chair rails. She often works closely with Southern Lumber & Millwork, a Charleston lumberyard and millwork shop interested in providing more custom designs and trim pieces. 

It’s a partnership built on good design and efficiency. Our firm works with Southern Lumber & Millwork – as well as other businesses – to achieve the best design for the best price.

“We try to find the most efficient and economical way to achieve the desired look,” Nelson says.

Every house and every client is different, which is part of the charm of creating millwork – it’s unique to the house and can reflect the overall home design as well as the personal tastes and styles of the homeowner.

One client had a photo of a fireplace and mantel they liked. So Nelson was able to take the curve in the mantel and incorporate it into the trim and the ceiling beams in the room. It may seem like a small touch, but it’s a dynamic way to pull a room together.

Also, more clients are interested in using wood in nontraditional ways, making it a material that works for more than flooring or a simple beadboard or paneling. Ceilings, in general, are getting more attention whether they are painted or accented with wooden beams and trim, Nelson says.

“Now, the ceiling is almost as important as the walls and floor,” she says.