How to choose the right skirting board design for your home

It’s one of those pieces of home décor that is often taken for granted and overshadowed by more interesting elements, yet the humble skirting board plays an important role in finishing off an interior design scheme. In fact, there are numerous different types of skirting board profiles available and the right choice can make or break the look of a room.

Skirting boards for contemporary homes

The most commonly used skirting boards in contemporary homes tend to be minimal and unfussy. In modern homes the focus tends not to be on the skirting board, but the rest of the decoration in the room, so the adage small is beautiful works well for skirting. The boards serve the purpose of providing neat and tidy edging to the walls.

Taller skirting boards can be useful if you want to help a small modern room look bigger than it really is. The skirting boards can be painted in the same colour as the walls which provides a ‘stretching effect’, helping the ceilings look higher than they really are.

Skirting boards for older homes

If you have an older home, or a traditional period property, then there are some beautiful decorative skirting boards available that feature elaborative designs and period details.

Forget plain and simple, these are skirting boards that are designed to compliment your interior décor and provide the perfect finishing touches. There are even skirting board profiles that match architrave, so you can create a uniform look.

Skirting boards for family homes

For busy family homes, it’s worth taking into consideration how skirting boards will fare with the rough and tumble of young children and their toys. A simple, but hardwearing skirting board design with rounded edges might be more practical than one with intricate details on. Plus, it will take less cleaning too!

Skirting boards for homes with pets

If you’ve got lively dogs or curious cats in your home and your skirting boards may be prone to unwanted scratching, then it’s also worth considering choosing a skirting board design that’s pet friendly. For example, a simple, plain and straightforward design, without minimal ridges and no added decorative features should wear well. If you do get any scratches or knocks, then you should be able to paint over them quickly to keep the skirting looking good.

Whatever style and design of skirting board you choose, remember you can make it your own with a touch of paint. Paint it to match your walls, add a bright splash of contrasting colour to draw eyes to your skirting board, or keep it white to contrast with darker walls.

All images courtesy of Heart Home Magazine

(Disclosure: Collaborative post)

 

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