Crown Molding, Decorative Trim and Duct Tape

Last September, my husband took a week off and refinished the hardwood floors in the back half of our house. The kids and I ran away to Grandma and Grandpa's house, but before we left I helped move everything out of the bedrooms and hall closets so the floors could be sanded and stained and sealed. This post isn't about that.

When the rooms were empty, we realized how much better it would be for our family if we switched the 'master' bedroom with the room our boys were currently using. It wasn't a real master suite, just a larger room with bigger closets. Their old room was closer to the bathroom and on the windier, colder side of the house. So we switched rooms. This post isn't about that.

I painted this room in October. The walls are a greige that I mixed myself using leftover tan, black and white paints. I think it's perfect and will need to find a similar color for other rooms! I painted the ceiling too, and I think it's the perfect shade of blue. I hate cutting-in, so I painted the very top of the walls blue like the ceiling, thinking I'd figure out someway to make it look intentional. That is what this post is about!

See more about this door HERE

However, we were all sleeping on mattresses on the floor and living out of suitcases, so I didn't figure something out right away. I left the paint like this:

You can read about this wreath HERE

We moved in, I fixed up the closet, made little roman shades, showed the world our headboard but couldn't do a final reveal because of that stinking trim! I went ahead and finished my boys' room, then it was Thanksgiving and Christmas and after the New Year, I started in on the hall closets (as seen here and here). And we lived with the unfinished trim.

The one whom my soul loves suggested I just take the wall color up to the ceiling and be done with it. I didn't have any greige paint left and couldn't mix more because one of the colors I'd used was gone. I bought wood trim thinking I'd paint it white and hang it around the border. Well, I tried and it was a lot of work and didn't look right or hang straight and would have required lots of nail holes and caulk. 

And then while perusing the paint section at Walmart (yes, that's where I get my paint and after painting several rooms with custom colors and using off-the-shelf trim paint for several years, I have no problem with their brand of paint!), I saw colored duct tape.  

{*Edited* The blue I chose is called Calm Misty Sea in semi-gloss. The pictures are very true to the color it looks in person.The greige I mixed myself is very similar to Rural Fairfax Gray. Love it!}

Oh yes, I did! 

Four months after my original paint job, three weeks after purchasing one roll of white duct tape, I finished the "trim" in an hour. 

I used a level and a pencil (a laser level would have worked better, but we don't have one) and marked a faint line, then unrolled the duct tape as I made my way around the room. My boys did this: (I can't believe my 4-year-old can play computer games by himself!)

 

The whole project was really easy and super-gratifying! I can't stop staring at it! 

I love the look of the blue ceiling, and I love the feel of crown molding, and I love that this was so much easier than hanging crown molding or cutting-in around the ceiling!

Doesn't it look more finished and polished?

Read more about this canvas & vinyl art display HERE

One more time:

What do you think? Have you used duct tape for anything unusual lately?

*Edited* 
The shade of blue I used was 'Calm Misty Sea'. It's Walmart's ColorPlace paint in semi-gloss. The greige walls are very similar to Rural Fairfax Gray, also by ColorPlace.
The 07-02-06 art on the board above the door is our anniversary date painted with stencils.