Prewar Apartment Decorating Guide: Radiator Covers, Molding & More—5 Dreamy Room Makeovers

Prewar apartments come with built-in magic: tall ceilings, thick walls, quirky radiators, and that soul-soothing molding you just can’t fake. The trick is leaning into those bones while layering in fresh, livable style.

Let’s walk through five complete room looks—each one distinct, totally doable, and designed to spotlight your apartment’s character. Think smart radiator covers, crisp millwork, and statement details that make every corner feel intentional.

1. Parisian Salon Revival

Imagine a light-drenched living room with herringbone floors, creamy walls, and the kind of crown molding that makes you want to whisper. This look is all about gentle elegance: soft textures, glints of gold, and curated art that feels like it’s been collected over time.

Paint the walls a velvety ivory and add picture frame molding to achieve a salon-style backdrop. A tailored radiator cover with cane or perforated grille becomes a chic console for books and a vintage lamp, keeping airflow while looking like it came with the apartment.

Anchor the room with a tufted velvet sofa in dove gray and two slender Louis-style armchairs. Add a marble-topped coffee table and a gilt mirror to bounce light across the space. Linen sheers keep the windows dreamy without hiding the classic casings.

• Color Palette: Ivory, Dove Gray, Parisian Blue, Antique Gold
• Molding: Deep Crown, Picture Frame Panels, Refreshed Baseboards
• Radiator Cover: Cane-front console with vented sides and a slim marble cap
• Furniture: Velvet sofa, Louis armchairs, marble coffee table, petite occasional tables
• Lighting: Crystal chandelier, brass swing-arm sconces
• Accents: Gilded mirror, salon-wall art, chevron rug, stacked art books

It’s airy, layered, and utterly chic—like a weekend in Paris, minus the jet lag. Let the architecture sing and keep everything else light-handed.

2. Modern Classic Black-and-White Dining Room

For a dining room that feels crisp and timeless, go bold with black-and-white against pristine wainscoting. The beauty of this look is contrast: bright walls paired with ink-black accents and warm wood to keep it grounded.

Install tall wainscoting and a clean chair rail, then paint your doors a high-gloss black for glam. A sleek radiator cover in black lacquer—with a perforated metal grille—doubles as a sideboard for trays and decanters.

Center the room with an oval pedestal table and mix in bentwood chairs for curve and comfort. A slim banquette upholstered in striped fabric hugs the wall, making everything feel custom, even in a tight space.

• Color Palette: Snow White, Ink Black, Walnut, Polished Nickel
• Molding: Tall Wainscoting, Chair Rail, Crisp Crown and Door Casings
• Radiator Cover: Black lacquer, perforated grille, sideboard styling
• Furniture: Oval table, bentwood chairs, upholstered banquette
• Lighting: Polished nickel linear chandelier, picture light above a statement print
• Accents: Black gallery frames, striped runner, grid mirror to double the space

It’s tailored and graphic—perfect for dinner parties where the candlelight glows against glossy trim and conversation flows.

3. Heritage Library Nook

Turn your den or spare room into a cocooning library that feels as rich as a vintage novel. Saturate the walls in a deep tone—think bottle green or oxblood—and let the millwork do the talking.

Build in bookcases with crown molding, a generous base, and a subtle picture rail for art. Transform the radiator into a cozy window seat: a beadboard-front radiator cover topped with a leather cushion keeps heat moving while creating the dreamiest reading perch.

Layer a faded Persian rug under a tweed roll-arm sofa and add a compact campaign desk with an antique brass pharmacy lamp. Use pleated shades and textured drapery to keep everything soft and storied.

• Color Palette: Bottle Green or Oxblood, Tobacco, Brass, Cream
• Molding: Crown on built-ins, Picture Rail, Chunky Baseboards
• Radiator Cover: Beadboard front, slatted sides, leather cushion window seat
• Furniture: Roll-arm sofa, campaign desk, ladder-back chair, ottoman
• Lighting: Brass pharmacy floor lamp, library sconces with pleated shades
• Accents: Vintage maps, framed botanicals, stacked books, tray with decanter

This room whispers “stay a while.” It’s tactile, moody, and deeply comfortable—the kind of space that makes rainy afternoons your favorite.

4. Art Deco Glam Bedroom

If you crave romance with a polished edge, go full Art Deco in the bedroom. Think curving forms, glossy finishes, and a palette that glows softly at night.

Detail the ceiling with stepped crown molding and add slim wall panels behind the bed for symmetry. Turn your radiator into a star: a fluted-front radiator cover with a mirrored top doubles as a vanity—just keep the grille open and the sides vented.

A channel-tufted headboard anchors the room, flanked by burl wood nightstands and a waterfall dresser. Velvet blackout drapes puddle onto the floor, and frosted globe sconces give everything that cinematic hush.

• Color Palette: Blush, Smoke Gray, Bronze, Ink
• Molding: Stepped Crown, Slim Paneling, Rosette Trim at Door Casings
• Radiator Cover: Fluted face, mirrored top, brass edge detail
• Furniture: Channel-tufted headboard, burl nightstands, waterfall dresser, curved lounge chair
• Lighting: Frosted globe sconces, glass-rod pendant, mirrored bedside lamp
• Textiles: Velvet drapes, sateen bedding, deco-patterned bolster

It’s glam but grounded, a sanctuary that respects your prewar bones while giving you that pull-the-covers-up glow.

5. Sunlit Garden Kitchen

Lean into warmth and utility with a kitchen that feels like a city garden. Keep cabinetry classic with inset doors and a soft warm white, then wrap the room with beadboard wainscot and a simple plate or picture rail to showcase copper pans and art.

The radiator cover becomes a charming potting bench: paint it sage, add a breathable mesh grille, and top it with honed marble. Tuck baskets below for linens and produce, and let herbs thrive in terracotta across the windowsill.

A farmhouse table with Windsor chairs makes the space social even if the footprint’s small. Checkerboard floors—terracotta and cream or classic black-and-white—add just the right dose of prewar nostalgia.

• Color Palette: Sage, Cream, Warm White, Terracotta, Aged Brass
• Molding: Beadboard Wainscot, Crown above cabinetry, Picture/Plate Rail
• Radiator Cover: Sage-painted potting bench, mesh grille, marble top
• Furniture: Farmhouse table, Windsor chairs, freestanding butcher block
• Lighting: Schoolhouse pendants, under-cabinet glow, brass dome sconce
• Accents: Copper cookware, botanical tile splash, striped runner, herb jars

This kitchen invites sunlight and slow mornings. It’s fresh, functional, and brimming with character—proof that utility can be beautiful.

Prewar apartments deserve to be celebrated, not corrected. With thoughtful radiator covers, crisp molding, and an eye for texture and contrast, these rooms honor the past while living squarely in the present.

Pick your favorite vibe, match it to your architecture, and let your home’s history shine. When the bones are this good, you’re just adding the jewelry.