Styrofoam decor options

Since ancient times, the interior and exterior decoration of any house and apartment has performed not only a utilitarian function, but also an aesthetic one. The beautiful decoration of the facade or room is pleasing to the eye every day and is a pleasure, and therefore almost any owner tries to decorate his own home, make it cozy and unlike the others. Unfortunately, creating a high-quality and original design is a costly undertaking. Decorative items and foam elements, which have become more and more popular in recent years, will come to the rescue.

Foam decor, unlike the usual metal or plaster, is made not by casting, but by cutting. After that, it is reinforced with special compounds to give it a longer service life and coated with paint if necessary.

It has a number of advantages over wood, stone and other classic finishing materials.

• The main advantage of such elements is their cheapness.

• The material is very light... It is easier to transport, store and install, and besides, it does not give large loads on the load-bearing walls of the building and therefore can be used in a larger volume.

• Styrofoam is enough resistant to temperature extremes, direct sunlight, excessive moisture and even acids and alkalis.

• It will last at least 15 years with proper care. And if you additionally cover the decorative element with special strengthening compounds, then the foam will last more than 20 years.

• Internal finishing with foam plastic will increase the heat and sound insulation of the room.

• The artificial material is soft enough and at the same time keeps its shape perfectly, which allows you to create fairly thin patterns and clear lines that emphasize the design idea.

With such a list of positive qualities, foam decor nevertheless has two rather significant drawbacks.

• Low resistance to mechanical damage. It can be damaged by any metal tool or object.
• Such products require particularly careful care.otherwise the foam becomes too brittle and quickly degrades.

In most cases, foam decor inside a house or apartment is used as a replacement for expensive plaster moldings.

Gypsum ceiling stucco molding - an invariable attribute of the Baroque, classical and antique style... Replacing it with a more budgetary foam is an ideal solution to save money. It is very difficult to distinguish plaster curls from polyurethane curls by eye. Such stucco molding looks great in large halls and bedrooms, but requires particularly careful use in modern small apartments. It is best to use it in small amounts only at corners and joints to mask any areas or imperfections..

Such symmetrical elements are designed to emphasize the beauty of a large chandelier and add an interesting detail to an unfinished look. Suitable not only for classic styles, but also for fusion, neoclassicism and even for some loft-style interiors.

Foam sockets on the wall will replace boring paintings and photo portraits, revive monochromatic coatings and even help cover up an unexpected defect. You can glue such sockets to the wall or ceiling on the most common liquid nails, after wiping and degreasing the surface. It is worth remembering that on colorful wallpaper all the charm of such outlets will instantly be lost, therefore it is best to use this decor in simple, minimalistic interiors.

Such decor is already familiar to everyone today. Square or rectangular panels with convex patterns can often be seen on the ceilings of ordinary "Khrushchev" and "Stalin". Today, designers suggest experimenting with the depth of the pattern, color and location of such panels. For example, you can decorate only one wall of a room with them or zone a space.

Moldings are long textured planks that resemble skirting boards. Their main function is to mask the junction of various materials and patterns. They are often used instead of frames on photo wallpapers or to emboss ordinary painted walls.

Individual foam elements that can be positioned above a door or wall lamp as a small piece of stucco are called ornaments.... Such convex patterns perfectly accentuate an elegant kitchen arch, a beautiful mirror and simply decorate an empty section of the wall. Always colored in tone with the main coating.

Like stucco molding, such elements look good only in spacious rooms. A column is a vertical decorative post, spaced from the wall, and a pilaster is a half-column, just protruding from its surface. If real marble columns can really support the upper floors, then the foam options act only as a decoration, but at the same time they are several times cheaper. The narrower and stricter such a pilaster or column, the higher the ceiling of the room looks.

Of course, a real fireplace with live fire cannot be made of flammable polystyrene, it is dangerous to put even lighted candles in it. But making a small decorative portal from this material is very simple, even at home. And instead of real wooden firewood, you can put small lamps or a special screen with the image and sounds of a burning hearth inside. Such an element will create an atmosphere of coziness and a special Christmas mood even on the saddest winter evenings.

Decorating a bedroom or nursery with fashionable volumetric inscriptions or making a Halloween decoration on the front door - it is very easy to create a unique design using foam. Form and idea are limited only by the imagination of the customer.

They can even be painted with ordinary acrylic paints, as well as sprinkled with glitter or pasted over with cloth and paper. Especially such handicraft evenings will appeal to children. It is best to place such decor where kids and pets will not get it.

All foam decor for the facade can be roughly divided into four large groups, depending on the location of the elements on the wall of the house.

To highlight windows and doors, hide some elements of the rough finish and simply add beauty to the facade, they use various profiles, arches, cornices and key stones - special wedge-shaped elements at the tops of vaults and arches.

Traditionally, interfloor strips and consoles are used for it, as well as horizontal moldings and friezes (plinths and corners). Consoles are called small support corners under the supporting structures. Of course, if they are made of polyurethane, then they can only have a decorative function.

To do this, use the already familiar columns and pilasters with and without bases (bases). Symmetrically installed columns in front of the entrance or on the balustrade of a two-story house look best.

Other foam elements can be used as a facade decoration. For example, various capitals, brackets, patterns and even decorative vases located on the wide open porch.

The main and practically the only requirements for the installation of all facade products are a stable positive air temperature and a thorough cleaning of the treated surfaces. All these columns and corners are glued to a special glue, and for greater moisture resistance, you can go through all the joints of the parts with ordinary silicone sealant.

• Small white stucco moldings in the corners of the ceiling and at its joints with the walls look very gentle and airy. Such details do not overload the space and look great even in the most modern interior.

• Various volumetric figures and compositions add bright color accents to the interior very refreshing. For example, such a guitar will appeal to any young musician, and the composition of foam plastic and lighting will decorate a room on Christmas holidays and create a truly fabulous atmosphere.

• Unusual wall panels and foam partitions will help to zone the room. In combination with competent backlighting, they will look even more advantageous.

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• Styrofoam is perfect for decorating a wedding. It can be used to make a wall composition located at the table of young people, beautiful decor in the form of the first letters of surnames and even a delightful wedding arch for off-site registration.