Most of us have become accustomed
to seeing featureless gypsum board interiors
with window openings, skylight
wells, plumbing boxouts, and other
shapes wrapped in drywall without
trim. While such trimless detailing has
a modern look that some find appealing
(the architects who popularized it are
called Modernists), it can also leave
you feeling like something is missing
from the picture.
Take a look at Figure A. The first
drawing depicts a common element I
often use: a skylight at the top of a deep
well that connects a flat ceiling to a
pitched roof. Now look at the second
drawing, in which a collar of trim has
been added. To my eye, the trim adds a
great deal