This Decorative Moulding is Taking Over DIYs — 'It’s an Easy Way to Give Your Furniture Timeless Charm'

Sometimes, the smallest, most intricate details can have the biggest impact on a room. It's the finishing touches that can really elevate your space, and they're often the part of a room that people marvel over most. These design features don't have to be big or cost the earth either, but they have an innate ability to transform a space from lackluster to luxurious in mere moments. 

It's even better when these finishing touches are something that you can do yourself, and that's why this bobbin moulding hack caught our eye when scrolling for modern home inspiration on Instagram. Easy-to-do, cost-friendly, and requiring minimal tools, this quick home tweak is perfect for anyone looking to add some allure to a room or give old furniture a more expensive feel. 

We spoke to DIY extraordinaire Emma Earley who shared the hack in an Instagram reel to get the low down on how you can incorporate this trend into your home and the tools that you'll need to do it. Dying to know what top designers thought about this decorative interior design trend, we also quizzed some on why bobbin trimming is on the rise and where to use it for a timeless, classic look. Here, they share all.

What Is Bobbin Trim?

Bobbin detailing is a timeless trend that's been used throughout the years to add a delicate touch to lift features within a room. Small wooden beads are moulded together to give the impression of a string of pearls. These can then be glued or nailed onto furniture items to add an elegant finishing touch. 

A bobbin trim around the inside of the panels, as Emma created in her Instagram reel, gives this much-loved interior design trend a classy twist but the trend is also commonly used on door frames, around windows and to spruce up old chests of drawers. 'We love that it adds a custom touch not seen in most homes,' says Ashley Macuga, principal designer at Collected Interiors.

While it can be used in more contemporary designs, adding a bobbin trim to furniture gives a decorative finish that's guaranteed to add timeless charm to any room. 'Bobbin furniture has been a recent trend that has not gone out of fashion and that's one of the reasons that I love it,' says Emma Earley, who posted this genius hack on her Instagram. 

'Bobbin millwork and details have been around for a long time and we are loving the resurgence of it,' adds Shelby Van Daley, founder and principal designer at Daley Home. 'We're expecting to see more bobbin trim details in our projects and we think it’s a really great addition for timeless, classic details!'

Generally, the beaded moulding that's used to create the finished look is made from wood, making it a sturdy and customizable choice. The wood can easily be painted to make the beaded moulding blend seamlessly with your furniture or in a contrasting color to make the pretty beaded panels stand out. The wood material also means that it is easy to attach the trimming to furniture, making this a simple living room DIY project or the perfect classic touch to a modern kitchen.

How do you decorate with Bobbin moulding? 

Adding a bobbin trim to your furniture couldn't be easier. 'It's so easy and DIY beginner friendly,' says Emma. If you're looking for a weekend project that will spruce up your home, look no further than this.

All you'll need is some beaded moulding, a miter saw, some strong adhesive glue or a nail gun, and paint if you'd like to play around with the color of the trimming. The first step is to measure how much of the beaded moulding you'll need. 'The hardest part of any paneling project is working out the dimensions,' says Emma, so it's important to take time over this step.

Next, you need to cut the trimming to the right proportion with the miter saw. Once you have your perfect lengths, it's time to apply the glue to the back of the trimming and hold it firmly in place on the furniture. Holding the trimming fast for a good few seconds helps to give the glue a chance to really stick the bobbins down firmly. If you'd rather use a nail gun, that's also an easy option to attach the trimming firmly to the wall.

Once you've applied all the lengths of bobbin, you can paint over them to match or contrast the rest of the furniture. Finally, it's time to stand back and marvel. 

Where To Use Bobbin Trimming In The Home

Paneled walls aren't the only place to showcase bobbin millwork in your home. The feature can be considered in various rooms that you're looking to smarten up. A top choice, however - and where most bobbin trimming gets incorporated - is on angular furniture. Interior doors, drawer fronts, and windows, given their rectangular nature, lend themselves perfectly to this trend which requires the trimming to be used in straight lines.

'There are many ways to bring in bobbin paneling into your home but we would start with a smaller space such as a bathroom cabinet or cabinetry in a kitchenette,' advises Shelby. Rectangular furniture has a strong look which is beautifully softened by the round nature of the bobbin trimming. 

'Bobbin paneling is a fun way to dress up your cabinetry if you are looking for more of a traditional cottagey look,' agrees Amy Youngblood of Amy Youngblood Interiors. Starting on smaller furniture like cabinets is a subtle way of incorporating the elegant and traditional design feature into your home without overpowering the room. 

'We are currently obsessed with all things specialty wood trim which is definitely a broader macro trend,' says Ashley. 'We are currently planning to use the bobbin pieces in a little girl's room as an accent to her panelling.' Using the bobbin trim in a child's bedroom is a nice way to add a playful and delicate touch to the room. 'I love the idea of running a wider bobbin strip underneath the dado rail in my daughter's bedroom,' says Emma. 

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