Mission: Finish installing crown molding around the rest of the house (the nursery is already done; the remaining spaces were the guest room, the playroom, and the connecting hallway).

Status: Complete.

What took us about two weeks of on-and-off work now looks like an instant transformation thanks to the internet. We finally finished the remaining crown molding, and the results are subtle but powerful.

After installing crown in Clara’s nursery, we were motivated to carry that same finishing touch into the adjacent rooms and hallways. The effect created an immediate sense of cohesion—some rooms already had molding while others didn’t, and smoothing out those differences made the house feel more intentionally finished.

We installed molding in the guest bedroom, Clara’s big girl room, and the hallway that links them. That hallway had recently been refreshed with board-and-batten, so adding crown molding there helped tie the spaces together, especially since it connects to another hallway that already had molding installed.

Installation took roughly five days spread over a couple of weeks. Once we got the technique down, the work became more physical than technical: holding eight-foot lengths of molding overhead repeatedly is tiring, but the process itself was straightforward. Our total material cost for all four spaces—including the guest room, the nursery, the playroom, and the hallway—was $218. That figure includes the pack of nails for our nail gun and averages out to about $54 per zone, with smaller spaces like the hallway costing less than larger rooms.

Photographs don’t always capture how much difference molding makes, but in person the change is noticeable. Each room feels more polished; the improvement isn’t flashy, it’s more of a refined completion that somehow makes everything look intentionally designed. You may have seen the molding in a recent house tour video before we painted it—now that it’s finished and painted the effect is even clearer. We used Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White in a semi-gloss finish to achieve a crisp, clean look that contrasts nicely with wall colors while still reading as classic and understated.

We previously published a detailed photo tutorial that walked through the crown installation step by step. For this part of the project we decided to create a video so viewers can see the complete process in motion. Videos can be less intimidating than photo-by-photo instructions because they show angles, hand positions, and the rhythm of each step more clearly. In the video we covered everything from measuring and cutting angles to fitting, nailing, and caulking the final seams. We also included a number of practical tips we learned along the way to help anyone attempting this themselves.

Some of the most valuable takeaways are simple: double-check your measurements before cutting, practice your miter cuts on scrap molding, use a steady support when lifting long pieces into place, and keep a small tub of wood putty and caulk handy for seamless finishing. These small details make a big difference in the final appearance and reduce the need for rework.

Overall, installing crown molding was a relatively affordable upgrade with a big visual payoff. It required patience, a few sore arms, and attention to detail, but the improved cohesion and finished look of the rooms made it well worth the effort. If you’re thinking about adding crown molding to your own home, take your time, watch a few tutorials, and don’t be afraid to practice cuts and fittings first—DIY crown installation is very achievable with some planning and persistence.

And yes, during our outdoor filming sessions a persistent neighborhood bird provided a memorable soundtrack—perfectly natural background ambiance for a springtime project.