Intrim® Essentials DAR

While it is true that other home design elements are larger in terms of impact, getting the design of your skirting boards right makes a big difference. They frequently act as a conduit for blending colour and style themes between rooms. They ensure your objective of consistency and a décor that is pleasing to the eye. The factors to consider are 1) style, 2) colour, 3) material and 4) finish. All these details must be combined as they add to the perfect decorative completion of your build or renovation.

Often, a plain, minimalist profile without intricate detail will work in modern homes. But a period style may, too, especially when great care is taken with its colour and teaming it with the right furniture and furnishings. It is important to note, though, this will not apply in the reverse scenario. For example, contemporary profiles in a period home have other features that must be matched (such as door or wall trims and dado rails). It is all about getting the balance right. Take, for example, Georgian and Victorian-style homes. These mostly have tall and airy rooms—some up to 3 metres—which accommodate high and more ornate profiles. Then Edwardian homes, which are not quite so spacious. Or the contemporary home with a 2.4-metre ceiling height. Skirtings for these must be kept in proportion, not only with the height of the ceilings but the size of the room. Certain profiles cannot be mixed and matched in different rooms, adjacent corridors, or certainly not in the same room. Some traditional or period-style profiles have such distinctive ridges and mouldings that this would not be possible anyway.

How do you choose skirting boards of the right size? First, decide what you want to achieve in your home, whether a build, addition, or renovation. These are some factors to keep in mind. 1) Space. A common belief is that large skirting boards can only be used in big rooms with high ceilings. But if you want to create a cosy space, you can experiment with a higher-than-normal profile. Similarly, to make an impression of extra spaciousness, you can keep the skirtings smaller in a large area. Ask our team to show you some sample decors. 2) Height. A good starting point is the following chart:  

Ceiling Height	Skirtings Height	Architrave Width
2400-2500mm	135mm	90mm
2501-2700mm	185mm	90mm
2701-3000mm	230mm	115mm
>3001mm	285mm+	115mm+

The above are suggestions only. Any skirting 185mm high or more is considered a large skirt. 185mm suits most new homes. A busier profile looks better in a room with more space. In a smaller room (if you are using a high-profile style), we recommend a design with more “breathing space”, i.e. with 50% of flat space in its profile.

Once you have chosen the skirting board, the subsequent decision is about the architraves. While most people will choose the same profile (in a smaller height), mixing and matching profiles to achieve a fascinating and beautiful look is possible. Following are some recommendations that will help in getting the mix right: 1) Architrave sizes for different door heights recommendations:

Door Height	Architrave Width
2.04m	66-90mm
2.34m	90-135mm
2.70m	115mm+

2) Skirting and architrave combination recommendations:

Skirtings	Architrave
90-135mm	66-90mm
115-185mm	90-115mm
185-230mm	90-115mm
230mm+	115mm+

The most commonly used combinations are:

• 135mm skirting with 90mm architrave
• 185mm skirting with 90mm architrave