1st June 2023 How to Choose Skirting Boards Choosing Skirting Boards Based on Ceiling Height Choosing your skirting board height based on your ceiling height is a good starting point. Ceiling Height Skirting Height Architrave Width 2400 – 2500mm 135mm 90mm 2501 – 2700mm 185mm 90mm 2701 – 3000mm 230mm 115mm > 3001mm 285mm 115mm Choosing Skirting Boards Based on the Size of the Room Now it’s time to think about what you are looking to achieve with your skirting boards. Do you want drama, a cosy space, or to open your room out? How prominent do you want your skirting to be and will you have them as a stand-out piece of architectural art, or do you want them just to enhance the look of your room? It is a myth that you should only use large skirting in large rooms with high ceilings and smaller skirting in small rooms. Large skirting will indeed fill a room and make it feel smaller, but if you want to create a cosy space, then this is something you can experiment with. Using smaller mouldings with a high ceiling will create the illusion of height, making the room feel taller. Large skirting for a bigger space Skirting for small space Choosing Skirting Boards Based on Practical Use Is your home high-traffic? Do you have kids and pets running and playing inside? If so, you may wish to consider a high skirting board to provide better protection for your walls, especially if you’re using wallpaper or a bold colour where chips and marks will be more noticeable. We consider a larger skirting to be 185mm or bigger. 185mm suits most houses and spaces. A busier profile will suit a room with more space available and if you’re using that size in a smaller space you don’t want to close in too much. We would recommend a profile design that has more breathing space, and may have some elaborate timber detailing on the top portion, and 50% or more flat space on the profile. Skirting for bold colour wall Large skirting for a busy space Choosing Skirting Boards Based on Your Colour Scheme Another decision you will need to consider is whether to paint your skirting boards white, opt for a neutral colour, stain natural timber, or choose a bold colour. Most people choose to paint them in whites and neutrals, which creates a more spacious feel. However, if you want something on-trend and a little different, you can try some bold colours. This can close the space, but adding colour in other areas of the room can help create the illusion of a different space. For instance, you could paint your skirting boards and the bottom half of your wall up to and including a chair rail, mounted below the halfway point on the wall, to create the illusion of a higher ceiling. You may also want to try painting all of your skirting boards, architraves and walls in one colour to help the eye pass over the whole room and not be distracted by changes in colour. This can be excellent if you have something else you would like to draw the eye to and feature in the room, like artwork or mounted sculptures. White skirting on beige wall White skirting on grey wall How to Choose Architraves Choosing a Suitable Architrave and Skirting Combination When considering what works well with your skirting board size, we recommend: Skirtings Architrave 135 – 185mm 90mm 23 – 2850mm 115mm 230mm+ 115mm+ The most common size combinations are: 135mm skirting with 90mm architrave 185mm skirting with 90mm architrave Choosing Matching Skirtings and Architraves If you have already selected skirtings and are looking for architraves to match it, we usually suggest using the same profile design in a smaller size to provide a consistent style, scale, and balance. However, in some cases, if the skirting has a large area of detailing it may not be available in the smaller size for your desired architrave size. In such cases, we suggest you go for a similar profile, but there are a few things to remember: You will need to make sure that the skirting board and architrave you choose are the same thickness. If the two profiles you have chosen are significantly different in appearance and design, you may need to use a skirting block to prevent the area where they meet from appearing messy or too busy. Try to stick with profiles that have similar features, i.e., both with bold curves or both with steps and sharp lines. Don’t try and mix profiles that are worlds apart in look. Choosing Skirting Blocks to Support Your Design Skirting blocks are an excellent choice if you are using different profiles, thicknesses, or heights for your skirting and architraves. They seamlessly allow the two profiles to blend in, preventing them from looking out of place or odd when placed next to each other. You can use the below skirting block size guide for reference with your design: Skirting Height Architrave Width Skirting Block Size (hxw) 90mm 66mm 100x70mm 115mm 66mm 125x70mm 115mm 90mm 125x95mm 135mm 66mm 150x70mm 135mm 90mm 150x95mm 135mm 115mm 150x120mm 185mm 90mm 200x95mm 185mm 115mm 200x120mm 185mm 135mm 200x140mm 230mm 90mm 250x95mm 230mm 115mm 250x120mm 230mm 135mm 250x140mm Stylish Architrave and Skirting Ideas to Elevate Your Interiors When selecting your skirtings and architraves, first determine the interior style of the house or the look you are trying to create. This will determine the profiles of the boards you choose. Hamptons: Bigger is Better Hamptons Skirtings Hamptons Skirtings with Wainscoting Traditional Hamptons use high, thick skirting boards with big, rounded profile features. This not only creates a standout look, but helps the skirting hold its own against elaborate wall wainscoting. A more coastal or modern take on Hamptons style skirting is still to have a tall skirting with a simpler design. French: More Is More French Provincial Skirting French Provincial Curved Skirting The French Provincial style is admired for its symmetrical design, classic proportions and decorative elements. Skirting boards are a key feature in French-style homes and are ornate and decoratively detailed. Victorian/Georgian: More of Everything Victorian skirtings Victorian/Georgian skirtings The Victorian and Georgian interiors mantra is ‘more of everything’, like highly detailed and decorated dado rails, wall panelling and skirting board profiles. Balanced and elegant, they will help you achieve this beautiful look. Modern/Contemporary/Art Deco: Keep It Simple Shadowline Skirting Modern Skirtings The most popular interior mouldings in modern homes are minimal shadowline skirting or small profiles with sharp, hard lines. We have seen an emergence of the use of high but thin skirting boards with simple designs with large flat spaces. Don’t be afraid to experiment with size; as long as you keep it simple, you can’t go wrong. Farmhouse/Country: Close to Nature Country style skirtings Farmhouse style skirtings Farmhouse and Country-style homes are generally cosy and relaxed. This look can be achieved using large skirtings to give a touch of warmth and cosiness to the space. Quality Australian Mouldings Delivered to Your Door The Intrim range of decorative mouldings – including architraves and skirting boards – is extensive and covers myriad interior design projects. We deliver across Australia! Order online today to begin your next creative project, or you can book a mouldings consultation for expert support.
