US20040221540A1 - Decorative trim for architectural structures - Google Patents

Abstract

An easily attachable/detachable decorative trim for architectural structures. The decorative trim includes a border having a decorative front side, and a back side including an easily releasable, e.g. hook or loop, fastener. The border has at least one fastener that is substantially continuous along its length. The border is constructed of a supple material, such as cloth or fabric, capable of conforming to irregularities in wall surfaces and bending around and/or otherwise conforming to inside and outside corners. A decorative trim kit includes at least one trim member and complementary easily releasable fastener(s) adapted for attaching to a wall, etc. The trim members of the trim kit may be visually distinct to permit interchangeable attaching of trim members to fixedly attached wall-mountable fasteners, thereby providing an associated change of decorative appearance. A method of decorating an architectural structure using such decorative trim is also provided.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
• This application claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/469,461, filed May 9, 2003, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.[0001]
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates generally to decorative trim in the nature of architectural moldings, and more particularly to an easily attachable/detachable decorative trim for decorating walls or other architectural structures.[0002]
DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART
• Decorative trim for architectural structures, such as interior walls of a room in a building, typically includes chair rail and crown moldings, door and window casings, baseboards, etc. all usually made of wood, as commonly known in the construction industry. Such trim typically includes a relatively flat back surface and a front surface that provides a visually appealing decorative appearance. The back surface and/or sides are used for attaching the trim to an interior wall surface, etc. The decorative front surface is usually formed in three dimensions.[0003]
• The costs of commonly used wooden moldings are becoming unacceptably high due to the labor-intensive nature of the milling process used to create the decorative surface and the gradual depletion of suitable forest wood stocks. Additionally, wooden molding typically must be clear of knots and must be of suitable consistency to produce a smooth finish surface. Furthermore, such wooden moldings tend to shrink and may crack or chip during handling and installation.[0004]
• Solid plaster moldings are an alternative to wooden moldings. Use of plaster allows for easy formation of moldings having complex decorative surfaces by hardening a liquid plaster mixture in a mold, which may be as complex as desired. Such moldings are installed and painted on site, and therefore tend to suffer from handling during installation, which can result in substantial damage due to the brittle nature of hardened plaster. A relatively high degree of skill is necessary to produce the molds and to install the molding correctly without damaging the decorative surface.[0005]
• Alternatives to wooden and plaster moldings include solid plastic and extruded polystyrene moldings. In general, extruded plastic moldings are not preferred over wood moldings due to the inability to finish joints properly. Also, potentially toxic fumes are produced during fires, and there is very little comparative cost advantage in using plastic moldings.[0006]
• It will be appreciated that the manufacture, handling and installation of all such rigid moldings involve significant expense, skilled labor and expertise. In most cases, a finish carpenter or experienced home improvement expert must be hired to perform the installation. In particular, specialized tools and expertise are required to effect the mitered and/or coped joints typically required at interior and exterior corners, or the scarf joints sometimes required therebetween, for installation of such rigid moldings.[0007]
• Such molding is typically fastened to a wall or other surface with permanent fasteners, such as nails, construction adhesive, and the like. Accordingly, such molding, once installed, becomes a fixture of the building, is intended to remain in place for the duration of the room, and is therefore permanent in nature. Such molding is not readily attachable/detachable to a wall or similar surfaces. Similarly, conventional wallpaper borders exist that include an adhesive that is used to permanently adhere the border to a wall, making the wallpaper border a fixture of the building.[0008]
SUMMARY
• The present invention provides easily attachable/detachable decorative trim for architectural structures. The decorative trim may be used instead of traditional moldings/trim, or as supplementary ornamentation thereto. The decorative trim includes a border having a decorative front side, and a back side including an easily releasable fastener, such as a hook and/or loop fastener of a hook and loop fastener system. Such easily releasable fasteners are intended to provide for easy attachment, detachment, and reattachment without damage to the structure of the fastener or mounting surfaces. The border preferably has at least one piece of hook or loop fastener that is substantially continuous along the length of the border. The border is constructed of a supple material, such as clothing, upholstery or drapery quality cloth or fabric, capable of conforming to irregularities in wall surfaces and is bendable around and/or is otherwise conformable into and around inside and outside wall-to-wall and wall-to-ceiling corners, etc. The supple, flexible nature of the trim member therefore simplifies installation to the point that it may be readily accomplished by a relatively inexperienced homeowner. Further, it allows a continuous piece of the trim member to extend across an inside or outside corner without complex mitered, cope, scarf or other joints, scribing, etc., and the special tools required to make such joints in rigid moldings; instead the supple border/trim member conforms to corners and to any bumps, swells, or irregularities in wall and/or ceiling surfaces. Trimming of the trim members may typically be performed with commonplace household scissors.[0009]
• As part of the decorative trim system, or a decorative trim kit, easily releasable, wall-attachable fasteners are provided. Such wall-attachable fasteners are complementary to the easily releasable fastener of the decorative trim member, such as a complementary patch of the hook and loop fastener. Such fasteners may be adapted for attachment to the wall/building by providing an activatable, pre-glued backing or a pressure sensitive adhesive backing covered by a peelable release sheet, or by providing a fastener having one or more central openings for admitting passage of a staple, tack, screw or other similar mechanical fastener. A plurality of discrete fasteners may be provided for attachment to a wall, etc.[0010]
• The trim kit may further include an additional, decorative trim member i.e., multiple trim members, each having a distinct visual appearance. Individual trim members of the kit may optionally be used interchangeably. Specifically, a first trim member may be disconnected from the wall-attached fasteners, and a visually distinct second trim member may be connected to those fasteners to impart a different aesthetic effect. Accordingly, a different decorative theme can be presented by merely removing/disconnecting a trim member relating to one theme, and applying/connecting a trim member of a different theme, while using the same wall-attached, easily releasable fasteners.[0011]
• The wall-attachable fasteners are thereby permanently or semi-permanently secured to the wall, etc., and the trim member is thereby readily, easily and removably applied to or removed from the wall-attachable fastener(s). This allows for placement of the trim member with a simple press-on application, and correspondingly simple removal. Accordingly, the trim member can be attached with little effort, pulled away and repeatedly repositioned until the desired effect is achieved. Furthermore, the trim member can be removed without damage to the wall or trim member, and optionally, may be replaced with a similar trim member providing a visually distinct appearance. For example, this allows for easy, tool-free changing of trim members by an average homeowner, etc. to provide varying decorative themes, e.g. seasonal themes, holiday themes, etc.[0012]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following drawings in which:[0013]
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary decorative trim member, shown attached to two contiguous walls adjacent a ceiling;[0014]
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the trim member of FIG. 1, shown attached to two contiguous walls below a conventional wooden crown molding;[0015]
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the trim member of FIG. 1, shown attached to a wall below a traditional chair rail molding, and abutting a door casing molding;[0016]
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the trim being shown member of FIG. 1, shown partially attached to a wall, a portion of the left side of the trim being shown unattached and hanging downwards to expose its back side;[0017]
• FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are enlarged front and back views, respectively, of the wall-attachable easily releasable fastener of FIG. 4; and[0018]
• FIGS. 6-11 are partial plan views of alternative exemplary embodiments of a decorative trim member in accordance with the present invention.[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• Referring to FIGS. 1-5B, the decorative trim system of the present invention is now described. As best shown in FIGS. 1-4, the exemplary decorative trim system includes a[0020]trim member20 and at least one easilyreleasable fastener40bthat is adapted for attachment to a wall or other surface of an architectural structure.
• As best shown in FIG. 4, the[0021]trim member20 includes anelongated border20ahaving afront side22 providing a desired decorative appearance, and aback side24 opposite the front side (the trim member being folded over to show theback side24 of theborder20a. Theborder20ais constructed of a supple material that is sufficiently flexible, or non-rigid, to render theborder20acapable of substantially conforming to an inside or outside corner formed by substantially planar surfaces intersecting at substantially ninety degrees, e.g. at an intersection of two adjacent walls (see FIGS. 1, 2 and4), or at any other angle customary in wall construction. Preferably, the supple material is sufficiently flexible to permit it to conform to a ninety degree corner with a bend radius of less than one inch. More preferably, the material is capable of doing so with a bend radius of less than one-half inch, or more preferably, less than one-quarter inch. Preferably, such conforming occurs without any apparent permanent deformation, e.g. cracks or other damage, of the supple material. Accordingly, the supple material permits theborder20ato bend around and conform closely to any irregular contours of a wall or similar surface, as well as bend around and conform closely to inside and outside corners formed at junctions of walls, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and4.
• Various materials are sufficiently supple to provide this desired functionality, and any suitable supple material may be used. By way of a non-limiting example, the supple material may be, or may include, a woven or non-woven fabric or cloth, such as clothing grade, upholstery grade or drapery grade fabrics/cloths, other materials including acetate, vinyl, paper, acrylic, silk, lace, felt, leather, or other similar materials. The material may have a color, pattern and/or texture selected to complement other upholstery and textile accessories in a room.[0022]
• Referring again to FIG. 4, the[0023]back side24 of theborder20aincludes an easilyreleasable fastener40bthat is complementary to, and therefore matable with, the wall-attachable easilyreleasable fastener40ashown in FIGS. 4, 5A and5B. Any suitable non-permanent, easily releasable fastener may be used. For example, thereleasable fasteners40a,40bmay each be one of two complementary portions of a complementary fastener system, such as a hook or loop portion of a hook and loop fastener system of a type well-known in the art, such as that sold under the trademark Velcro®. Alternatively, snaps or similar fasteners may be used as complementary, easily releasable fasteners. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, theborder20ahas at least one elongated strip of hook or loop fastener (hooks in FIG. 4) that is preferably continuous or substantially continuous as it extends along the length of theborder20ain its direction of elongation X (see FIG. 1). Thisfastener40bis preferably a discrete member that is attached to theback side24 of theborder20aby stitching, heat fusing, adhesive, or any other suitable means (see, e.g. FIGS. 4 and 6). For example, a 0.75 inch wide strip of commercially available heavy duty Hook #88 hooks has been found suitable for this purpose.
• In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the entire[0024]back side24 of theborder20aincludes either hooks or loops of a hook and loop fastener system, e.g. by using the backing of the hook or loop fastener as one of the layers of thetrim member20, as discussed below. In one embodiment theback side24 of theborder20aincludes a conventional laminated loop fabric that is designed to mate with hooks of a hook and loop fastener system. For example, such a fabric is sold under the trademark VELTEX®. Such fabric may also be used in strip form, as shown in FIG. 4. This may reduce or eliminate the need for careful alignment of the wall-attachable fasteners on the wall, etc., while allowing a broad range of flexibility for ensuring that the trim member is properly positioned on the wall.
• As discussed above, the wall-attachable[0025]releasable fastener40ais matable with thereleasable fastener40bof thetrim member20, and is configured for attachment to the wall/building. For example, the wall-attachablereleasable fastener40amay have any shape and may include a patch of the either the hook portion of the loop portion of a hook and loop fastener (loops in FIG. 5A) that is complementary to a patch of hook or loop fastener of thetrim member20. The hooks or loops are provided on oneside42 of the wall-attachable fastener40a, and theopposite side44 is attachable to a wall, etc. Exemplary pre-cut, circular fasteners are sold under the trademark VELCOIN®. By way of example, a 0.75 inch diameter fastener with Hook #88 heavy duty hooks has been found suitable for this purpose. In the embodiment of FIG. 5A, the fastener is configured to define aninternal opening46 for admitting passage therethrough of a mechanical fastener, such as a staple, tack, screw, etc., for attaching thefastener40ato a wall, etc. In the embodiment of FIG. 5B, theopposite side44 of thefastener40ais provided with a pressure sensitiveadhesive backing48 covered by arelease sheet50 that is peelably removable to expose theadhesive backing48 to permit attaching of thefastener40ato the wall, etc. For example, a high-tack, quick setting adhesive achieving 90% bond strength in about an hour, and having a temperature operating range from 0° F. to 160° F. has been found suitable for this purpose. Such an adhesive is sold under the trademark TEMPO™ 114, and is commercially available on products sold under the VELCRO® trademark.
• The[0026]border20amay be imparted with a perceivable depth to provide an aesthetic effect analogous to the three-dimensional contours typical of milled wooden or molded plaster moldings by providing multiple layers of materials. Exemplary borders including multiple layers of materials are shown in FIGS. 1-4,7,8 and11. Theborder20amay include multiple overlapping layers, with a first layer and11. Theborder20amay include multiple overlapping layers, with a first layer being positioned over a second layer to at least partially reveal the second layer beneath the first layer. For example, in FIGS. 1-4, a first layer ofcloth28 is positioned over a second layer offelt30 to partially reveal the felt layer. In FIG. 7, a first layer ofupholstery fringe33 is positioned over a second layer of wovenfabric31. FIG. 8 shows a layered border constructed of anacrylic ribbon35 and overlappingtrim37. In FIG. 11, a first layer oflace32 is positioned over a second layer of wovenfabric31a. The border may include layering of dissimilar materials, such as cloth, fabric, paper, lace, felt, acetates, vinyl, plastic, etc., as discussed above. Alternatively, this may include layering of similar materials having different colors or patterns creating visual contrast, e.g. red felt over green felt. Additionally, cut lines or other shaping of one layer relative to another may enhance the visual contrast, as shown in FIG. 1.
• The[0027]border20amay include repetitive patterns or may have openwork areas that include open portions that will reveal a wall underneath theborder20a. FIG. 9 shows an openwork border constructed of acetate orvinyl38. FIG. 10 shows an openwork border constructed ofpaper39. This further enhances the available range of creative versatility.
• A horizontal line of braided or twisted cording or gimp, such as upholstery trim, piping, braiding, loops, weavings, yarn or ribbon or other trim of a type used in the furniture, clothing or decorating industries. For example, such trim may include fringe, tassels, paper, thread, metal, glass, beading, lacing, jewelry or any other popular or vintage trend. Any such trim may be used to define the top or bottom rim of the[0028]border20a, as shown in FIGS. 1-4,6,7,8, and11. By way example, anupholstery cording34 is provided in the borders of FIGS. 1-4,6,7 and11. FIG. 8 shows an exemplarypleated silk36border20aincluding anupholstery gimp37.
• Additionally, metal, wood, plastic or other rigid elements may be included in the border, such as beads, tassels, or similar ornamentation, provided that they do not prevent the border from being able to conform to and extend around inside and outside corners, as discussed above and as shown in FIGS. 6 and 11. FIG. 11 shows a layered border including[0029]glass beads60 andmetal charms62.
• In a certain embodiment, the[0030]trim member20 includes an elongated strip ofreleasable fastener40b, and the wall-attachable releasable fastener includes a plurality ofdiscrete fasteners40a, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5A. This requires relatively less fastener material on the wall, and therefore has a lesser impact on the appearance and/or integrity of the wall, and eases installation. Alternatively, an elongated strip of wall-attachable releasable fastener may be used.
• Each border may be pre-cut to a shape corresponding to its design (see FIGS. 1-4). The desired length of the trim member may be obtained by trimming an excessively long length of[0031]trim member20, e.g. a length of approximately 20 feet to approximately 50 feet, to a length required for a particular room. Such long lengths may advantageously be sold in the form of a roll. Because thetrim member20/border20ais constructed of supple material, such trimming can typically be accomplished with household scissors.
• Alternatively, the[0032]decorative trim member20 is pre-fabricated and sold in various relatively short segments (e.g. anywhere between 3 and 8 feet in length) that may be joined or overlapped. For example, the short segments may be sold in a common package, e.g. as a kit. Alternatively, a longer roll may be included in the kit. Any conventional packaging may be used for the kit. Joints between segments/ends may be concealed by overlapping the segments/ends to allow the border to be any length to fit a designated space. Accordingly, there is no need to paint or finish the ends as for traditional crown molding. The joints may optionally be secured by releasable fasteners, such as a hook and loop fastener system.
• A decorative trim kit includes at least one decorative trim member (or multiple segments of a single decorative trim member), and a corresponding easily releasable fastener adapted for attachment to a wall or similar surface. The wall-attachable fastener is complementary to the easily releasable fastener of the decorative trim member, such as a complementary patch of the hook and/or loop fastener. Preferably, a plurality of discrete, easily releasable wall-attachable fasteners are included in the kit. The decorative trim kit may further include additional, i.e. multiple, decorative trim members, each having a visually distinct appearance. Individual trim members of the kit may thereby be used interchangeably to vary the corresponding decorative effect. Accordingly, an entirely different decorative theme can be presented by merely detaching a trim member relating to one theme, and attaching a trim member of a different theme, while using the same wall-attached, easy release fasteners. Optionally, scissors or another cutting tool, and/or nails, screws or other mechanical fasteners for attaching the wall-attachable fasteners, may be included in the kit.[0033]
• In use, the trim members and wall-mountable complementary fasteners described above can be used to decorate an architectural structure having a wall or similar surface of an architectural structure (collectively, “wall”) by attaching the complementary releasable fastener(s)[0034]40ato the wall, and then mating thereleasable fastener40bof thetrim member20 to the complementary releasable fastener(s)40ato attach thetrim member20 to the wall. One or a plurality of discrete wall-mountablecomplementary fasteners40amay be used.
• Attaching the wall-mountable fastener(s)[0035]40ainvolves positioning the fastener(s)40aalong the wall, etc. at a location where it is desired to apply the decorative trim member20 (see FIGS. 1 and 4). Thefasteners40aare positioned on the wall to align with the fastener(s)40bof thetrim member20 when thetrim member20 is in the desired location. By way of example, the decorative border can be added to existing crown molding, e.g. below and adjacent to or directly attached to such crown molding as shown in FIG. 2, or be used as an alternative thereto as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Alternatively, the trim member may be used as a chair rail type molding (see FIG. 3), as window casing or door trim, or as otherwise found aesthetically pleasing. This positioning of the fastener(s) involves permanently or semi-permanently attachment to the wall, etc., e.g. by adhesive, staple(s), tack(s), screw(s), or the like. This may involve driving a mechanical fastener through an opening of thefastener40ato secure thefastener40ato the wall.
• In a preferred embodiment, each[0036]trim member20 has a hook or loop type fastener as shown in FIG. 4. This allows the trim member to be easily and quickly pressed on and peeled off the wall. Accordingly, once the wall-mountable fasteners are in place, thetrim member20 can be attached to the wall via the fastener with little effort. Additionally, the trim member may be pulled away from the wall-mounted fastener(s) and repeatedly repositioned to engage and disengage thefasteners40a,40buntil the desired placement and effect is achieved, at which time thetrim member20 is permitted to hang from thefasteners40a, thereby adding decorative flair to a wall, etc.
• When the architectural structure includes a second wall intersecting a first wall to form a corner, the attaching of the decorative trim further includes attaching the complementary releasable fastener(s)[0037]40ato the second wall, and bending thetrim member20 to substantially conform to the corner, and mating thereleasable fastener40bof thetrim member20 to the complementaryreleasable fastener40ato attach the trim member to the second wall, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
• In contrast with traditional crown molding that is installed in such a manner that it becomes a permanent fixture of a building, the hook and loop or other releasable fasteners allow the[0038]trim member20 to be removable or exchangeable once in place, as shown in FIG. 4. A first trim member may be removed and replaced with a second trim member, e.g. one that provides a different aesthetic appearance. Accordingly, a first trim member having a certain visual appearance may be removed and replaced with a second trim member having a visually distinct appearance. The method may therefore involve unmating thereleasable fastener40bof thetrim member20 from the complementaryreleasable fastener40ato remove the trim member from the wall, and mating thereleasable fastener40bof a second trim member to the complementaryreleasable fastener40ato attach the second trim member to the wall. Thus, the decorative trim provides an effective way to decorate using interchangeable thematic trims. For example, themes relating to holidays or the four seasons could be attached, later removed and put in safekeeping for a following year. Decorative trim complementary to curtains or drapes, upholstery, or linens in a particular room may be provided. Additionally, the trim members may be easily changed when these other design elements are changed.
• The pre-designed, and pre-hooked and/or pre-looped nature of the decorative trim member(s) and fasteners facilitates installation. The decorative trim can therefore be installed quickly and efficiently without aggravation, and without the need for special tools or installation skills.[0039]
• The decorative trim member can extend along the edge of a ceiling to effect a straight edge, much in the same way as traditional crown molding. In this manner, the flexible molding system may be used as an alternative to traditional crown molding. FIG. 1 shows how this decorative trim member can be used to hide a cut of wallpaper or the ending of a paint line on a wall, adjacent a ceiling, in much the same way as traditional wooden crown molding.[0040]
• FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 illustrate how the[0041]trim member20 may also be used in conjunction withtraditional crown70 andchair rail80 moldings to provide an enhanced decorative effect.
• When the[0042]decorative trim member20 will abut a door, window or other structure, or trim molding thereof (seecasing90, FIG. 3), the decorative trim member may simply be trimmed to an appropriate length by cutting with common household scissors, shears, etc. If thedecorative trim member20 includes a fabric or other member that is woven, knitted, twisted or is constructed so as to tend to fray at a cut end, the cut edge may be fused, melted, or coated with an adhesive, etc. to prevent fraying. Alternatively, the trim member may be connected at its ends with hook and loop or other fasteners.
• As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and[0043]4, the supple, flexible nature of the materials of theborder20aallows thetrim member20 to conform to inside and outside corners, irregularities in substantially flat walls and ceilings, etc. This eliminates the need for mitering, coping, scribing, etc. that is associated with installation of rigid molding. This is particularly true for most cloth and fabric materials, and materials that are similarly supple/flexible.
• From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the decorative trim of the present invention provides an easy-to-install, prefabricated, decorative wall trim alternative. The supple nature of the decorative trim simplifies application into corners and other normally difficult trim situations associated with wooden or other traditional rigid moldings. The releasable nature of the fasteners allows for easy installation, without help from a hired professional, and allows for easy interchange of trim members to provide a variety of thematic applications over time, e.g. to accommodate seasonal trends or for other personal reasons and taste.[0044]
• Having thus described particular embodiments of the invention, various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. For example, the border may be provided with an easily releasable and/or reusable adhesive that provide temporary, non-permanent bonding to a wall etc., adhered directly to a wall, and would be selectively removable without significant damage to the wall or the border. Such alterations, modifications and improvements as are made obvious by this disclosure are intended to be part of this description though not expressly stated herein, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of example only, and not limiting. The invention is limited only as defined in the following claims and equivalents thereto.[0045]

Claims (22)

What is claimed is:

1. A trim member for decorating an architectural structure, said trim member comprising:

an elongated border constructed of a supple material, said border having a front side having a decorative appearance, and a back side opposite said front side; and

a releasable fastener positioned on said back side of said border, said releasable fastener being one portion a complementary fastener system.

2. The trim member ofclaim 1, wherein said releasable fastener comprises either a hook portion or a loop portion of a hook and loop fastener system.

3. The trim member ofclaim 2, wherein said releasable fastener comprises an elongated strip extending along said border in its direction of elongation.

4. The trim member ofclaim 3, wherein said strip is substantially continuous along the length of said border.

5. The trim member ofclaim 1, wherein said supple material comprises cloth.

6. The trim member ofclaim 1, wherein said supple material is capable of substantially conforming to a corner formed by substantially planar surfaces intersecting at substantially ninety degrees.

7. The trim member ofclaim 1, wherein said supple material is capable of substantially conforming to a ninety degree corner with a bend radius of less than one inch.

8. The trim member ofclaim 1, wherein said supple material is capable of substantially conforming to a ninety degree corner with a bend radius of less than one inch without permanent deformation of said supple material.

9. The trim member ofclaim 1, wherein said supple material is capable of substantially conforming to a ninety degree corner with a bend radius of less than one-half inch.

10. The trim member ofclaim 1, wherein said supple material is capable of substantially conforming to a ninety degree corner with a bend radius of less than one-quarter inch.

11. The trim member ofclaim 1, wherein said supple material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of acetate, vinyl, paper, acrylic, silk, lace and felt.

12. The trim member ofclaim 1, said border comprising a plurality of overlapping layers, a first of said layers being positioned over a second of said layers to at least partially reveal said second layer beneath said first layer.

13. A trim kit for decorating an architectural structure, said trim kit comprising:

a trim member, said trim member comprising:

an elongated border constructed of a supple material, said trim having a front side having a decorative appearance, and a back side opposite said decorative side; and

a releasable fastener positioned on said back side of said border, said releasable fastener being one portion a complementary fastener system; and

a complementary releasable fastener mountable to the structure, said complementary releasable fastener being matable with said releasable fastener for attaching said trim member.

14. The trim kit ofclaim 13, wherein said releasable fastener comprises an elongated strip extending along said border in its direction of elongation, and wherein said complementary releasable fastener comprises a plurality of discrete fasteners.

15. The trim kit ofclaim 14, wherein said elongated strip comprises one portion of hook and loop portions of a hook and loop fastener system, and wherein each of said plurality of discrete fasteners comprises another portion of the hook and loop portions of the hook and loop fastener system.

16. The trim kit ofclaim 15, wherein each of said plurality of discrete fasteners comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive backing covered by a release sheet peelably removable to expose said pressure sensitive adhesive backing.

17. The trim kit ofclaim 15, wherein each of said plurality of discrete fasteners defines an internal opening for admitting passage therethrough of a mechanical fastener.

18. The trim kit ofclaim 13, further comprising a second trim member comprising a second elongated border constructed of supple material, said second border having a respective front side having a respective decorative appearance, and a respective back side opposite said respective front side, said front sides of said first and second borders providing visually distinct decorative appearances.

19. A method for decorating an architectural structure having a wall, said method comprising:

providing a trim member comprising:

an elongated border constructed of a supple material, said border having a front side having a decorative appearance, and a back side opposite said front side; and

a releasable fastener positioned on said back side of said border, said releasable fastener being one portion a complementary fastener system;

providing a complementary releasable fastener matable with said releasable fastener for attaching said trim member;

attaching said complementary releasable fastener to the wall; and

mating said releasable fastener of said trim member to said complementary releasable fastener to attach said trim member to the wall.

20. The method ofclaim 19, wherein said architectural structure comprises a second wall intersecting said first wall to form a corner, said method further comprising:

attaching said complementary releasable fastener to the second wall;

bending said trim member to substantially conform to the corner; and

mating said releasable fastener of said trim member to said complementary releasable fastener to attach said trim member to the second wall.

21. The method ofclaim 19, further comprising:

unmating said releasable fastener of said trim member from said complementary releasable fastener to remove said trim member from the wall; and

providing a second trim member comprising a second elongated border constructed of supple material, said second border having a respective front side having respective decorative appearance, and a respective back side opposite said respective front side, said front sides of said first and second borders providing visually distinct decorative appearances; and

mating said releasable fastener of said second trim member to said complementary releasable fastener to attach said trim member to the wall.

23. A method for decorating an architectural structure having a wall, said method comprising:

providing a trim member comprising:

an elongated border constructed of a supple material, said border having a front side having a decorative appearance, and a back side opposite said front side; and

a releasable fastener positioned on said back side of said border, said releasable fastener being one portion a complementary fastener system;

providing a plurality of discrete complementary releasable fasteners matable with said releasable fastener;

attaching said plurality of discrete complementary releasable fasteners to the wall; and

mating said releasable fastener of said trim member to said plurality of discrete complementary releasable fasteners to attach said trim member to the wall.

Images