Skirting boards have always been one of those things I never inquired about in the house. They’re in every room you go to, so you’re not constantly registering them. It wasn’t until we finished lime plastering our 300-year-old cottage guest room with wonderfully wobbly walls that we realized skirting boards simply weren’t an option.
So, we are looking for wood or plastic alternatives that don’t look out of place with engineered wood. flooring In a cozy cottage Guest bedroom.
After investigating various options including tile, plaster or a completely blank wall, we settled on a slightly rogue choice – rope! I know it sounds horrible, but it honestly feels really good.
Why do most homes use skirting boards?
Traditionally, a skirting board serves two functions. One, it allows the ground floor room to have a moisture gap between the floor and the plaster and two, it hides the often unsightly joint between the plaster and the floor.
‘Skirting boards became popular during the 18th and 19th centuries, when they became an important part of home design,’ begins Natalia de Arteaga, an interior designer. Planner 5D. ‘In old houses, they were not only practical but also decorative. Their detailed and elegant designs helped the room look more beautiful and gave the space better proportions.’
Bedroom with traditional skirting board
(Image credit: Future plc)
‘Today, skirting boards are still an important part of interior design. They create a clean transition between floor and wall while also protecting the underside of the walls from bumps, scratches and everyday wear and tear,’ she adds.
‘In many of my own homes, I think of skirting’draw red‘That runs through the whole house,’ he adds Interior designer Wendy Morrison. ‘It’s one of the few elements that can be consistent from room to room, quietly linking different spaces into a cohesive whole.’
If I’m honest, I generally don’t like the look of skirting boards and certainly resent the cost and effort of installing them – and I don’t think I’m the only one! More modern alternatives to skirting boards have seen an increase in shadow gaps, with layers of plaster board fitted a centimeter or so off the ground and skimmed for a contemporary finish. Unfortunately, the added cost of materials and labor for this style means it’s out of the picture for many people, including myself, and the cozy aesthetic I was going for wouldn’t be possible.
‘I believe every home should respect its architectural story rather than follow trends. The ending will be more authentic,’ continues Wendy Morrison. ‘Georgian homes are often suited to taller, more decorative skirting as this is how they were originally proportioned, while Victorian interiors often feature deep profiles with rich detailing. In a cottage, simplicity often feels more realistic.’
Why can’t we use a normal skirting board?
After removing the damp-forming concrete render from our stone walls, I re-plastered using insulating lime and fine finishing plaster. I love wobbly-sinking cottages, so I followed the form of the stones fairly closely, only massing where I really needed them. The result looks soft and lively, but the only true straight, flat wall in the room is the stud wall we created.
(Image credit: Future/Amy Reeves)
‘I would say that imperfection is the greatest luxury in an old house,’ says Wendy Morrison. Crooked walls, uneven floors and centuries of movement tell a story that no new build can replicate. Rather than trying to get every line straight, I prefer to work with the character, using natural materials and craftsmanship to celebrate her personality.’
Once the engineered wood flooring was written down and on the wall, we really understood how much any skirting would have to be warped to fit and still not look great.
What have we used instead?
(Image credit: Future/Amy Reeves)
Traditionally, old workers’ cottages like ours would not have had the wall paneling that the stately homes of the Jacobeans and Tudors used before skirting. Lime plaster will have reached the flagstone floor, and any boards will corrode moisture and create dampness.
While there are some fantastic design options for wooden boards, including tile, wainscoting and plaster skirting, we liked the idea of representing the cottage’s humble roots and letting the lime plaster go all the way down to the floor.
‘Plaster skirting boards are made directly on site, so they can be shaped to fit perfectly between wall and floor or even between wall and ceiling,’ explains Natalia de Arteaga. ‘They can also be customized to almost any profile or design, making them a great choice for traditional or historic homes.’
(Image credit: Future / Amy Reeves)
That being said, our flooring requires an expansion gap between the wall and the edge. Our solution to this is using a medium sized rope. Ropes are often used in conservation projects such as ours and allow the connection between flooring and wall to be more visually appealing.
Now, bear with me. We didn’t go for a completely nautical themed room with blue and white stripes and portholes so it didn’t look so twee. In fact, I deliberately went for a fun color – Naples Yellow by Edward Bulmer – To counter the heritage look.
Natalia adds: ‘This is one of the cheapest and most creative options. Because it is flexible, it can easily follow walls that are not perfectly straight. It also adds a warm, natural and rustic feel to the space.’
18m of 20mm thick jute rope cost us £38, a fraction of what it would cost to board with MDF (plus priming, painting and installing) and took about 10 minutes to fix in place. At the moment we have it in the gap between the wall and the floor, but if we get it lifted in time, we will fix it with fittings to secure it.
Now what is the verdict of the room?
While I think the rope trim looks really effective in this room, I’m not sure I’d continue it elsewhere in the cottage. This room was by far the most wobbly in its walls, and we’re not using engineered wood – and therefore expansion gaps – anywhere else.
(Image credit: Future / Amy Reeves)
‘Skirting boards may seem like small details, but they can completely change the look of a room. Their height, thickness, material and design all affect how the space looks,’ says Natalia de Arteaga. That’s why it’s important to choose skirting boards that suit the style of your home. When they’re well chosen, they don’t look like something that was added later, they feel like they belong and help tie the whole design together.’
‘I like to retain skirting wherever possible, even in old cottages,’ argues Wendy Morrison. ‘The profile doesn’t need to be elaborate, but I see the skirting as an important architectural element that supports the room and creates continuity throughout the house.
(Image credit: Future / Amy Reeves)
‘Alternative materials can work beautifully in older homes where walls and floors have settled over time, but they should always be sympathetic to the building’s character.
‘For me, the most successful period homes are those where every detail feels deliberate. If you’re introducing an unconventional alternative to traditional skirting, it should enhance the architecture rather than be an innovation. Natural materials age more gracefully and allow the building’s character to come into focus.’
While this look worked for my lime-plastered spare room, it didn’t convince me to ditch the skirting board entirely.
