The Art of the Grill

To expound upon our last post, I would like to proffer one salient example of how our trade, in some ways unchanged from times of antiquity, has shown its suitability in modernity.

Ever more frequently, we are approached by our clients with requests to design customized grills to adorn HVAC openings. Effectively, we are working with a decorative element that did not have a place in the pantheon of ornament until the middle of the past century!

As it so happens, plaster is particularly well suited to perform this task with both functional proficiency and aesthetic grace. From a purely utilitarian standpoint, gypsum plaster is able to absorb and release humidity in the atmosphere and able to withstand changes in temperature without significant expansion and contraction. It is uniquely appropriate to air intake and vents and their variable states! From a design standpoint, utilizing plaster for this purpose can allow one to seamlessly blend HVAC openings into the overall design of a wall, frieze moulding, or ceiling, leaving them virtually unnoticeable in some cases. That meets our definition of well-executed classical design and it is the sort of innovative engineering that we love to be involved in.

You may peruse further photographs of this evolving art form in a dedicated photo album on our Facebook page: Hyde Park Mouldings.

Would you use this technique? What do you think would be a beautiful way to conceal an air duct?