How do I choose new baseboards?

Author: Angelica Roberts  |  Last update: Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Which Baseboard Style Matches Your Design Direction?
  1. Keep it Simple for the Modern Farmhouse. ...
  2. New Traditional Style Homes Call for Bold Baseboard Moulding Styles. ...
  3. Curved Baseboards for Shabby Chic Rooms. ...
  4. Vintage Industrial Homes Call for Flat and Angular Baseboards. ...
  5. Clean and Smooth for Contemporary Craftsman Style Rooms.

How to pick out baseboards?

The 7% solution. When sizing a baseboard in a traditional-style home, a good starting point is to use a ratio of 7%. So if your ceiling height is 8 feet high, try a baseboard that's about 7 inches tall.

What is the current trend for baseboards?

Modern and minimal flat baseboards.

Flat baseboards play against traditional expectations of a curving, rounded baseboard and instead feature a completely flat surface. Elevate Your Living Experience with Unparalleled Service.

What is the rule of thumb for baseboards?

A baseboard height that's approximately 7% of the wall height provides for a solid and definable base without being too big. The overall proportion of baseboard to wall height will be comfortable and pleasing. So in a room with a 9 foot high ceiling, a baseboard that's about 8 inches tall works.

Should baseboards be lighter or darker than walls?

Lighter Baseboards Are Often Easier to Coordinate with Other Trim. If your room has any other paneling or trim, such as wainscoting, crown molding, or chair rails, you'll typically want to match your baseboards to this trim. In many cases, this leads people to select a baseboard color that's lighter than their walls.

How to Install Baseboards - Step-by-Step for Beginners

What is the most popular color for baseboards?

And many design experts consider white the perfect color for any trim, regardless of interior style or wall color. With dark walls, white trim lightens and brightens the room while making the wall color really "pop." And when walls are painted light or muted colors, white trim makes the color appear crisp and clean.

Is it OK to paint baseboards the same color as walls?

Makes Your Space Look Bigger

When your trim blends with the wall, you're keeping it free from contrast or secondary colors, creating the illusion that your space could continue forever. If you already have a room with high ceilings, painting everything in one color will create an even loftier look.

What baseboards are in style in 2024?

Minimalistic baseboards with straight, simple lines will be a hallmark of modern interiors this year. Painted in the same color as the walls or a shade slightly lighter or darker, they create a seamless transition between walls and floors. Modern crown molding will feature clean, geometric profiles.

What is the 7% rule for baseboards?

If you're looking for the exact height to go with, you can use the 7% rule – choose a height closest to 7% of the overall height of your room. So here are some examples: For a room that is 7ft in ceiling height (84 inches), you would use a baseboard height of roughly 5.88 inches or taller.

Should all baseboards in house match?

A baseboard that doesn't match either the wall color or the floor color is my personal preference. It makes a room look more structured and defined in my opinion. It outlines the room and is visually pleasing.

What are the most popular baseboards?

Solid wood finger jointed wood, and MDF (medium-density fiberboard) baseboards are among the most popular material choices. Choosing the material often comes down to budget or color preference, so it's easier to determine which material is right for your house.

How much do all new baseboards cost?

Replacing baseboards in your home costs $1,100 on average, and most homeowners pay between $800 and $2,250. A pro will determine your final cost based on material, installation type, and size.

Is dark wood trim outdated?

'A lot of people often assume warmer, darker-toned woods are best suited to older, properties, thanks to their association with antiques, but they can work incredibly well in more contemporary homes too,' she advises. 'In fact, they make for a real design statement.

What size baseboard looks best?

Here is a great rule of thumb: A standard 8-foot wall typically has a baseboard 3 to 5 inches tall, while a 10-foot ceiling calls for 5 to 7 inches. As a designer, I love adding height for drama. And the taller baseboards create a modern yet elegant finished look.

How do I choose the right trim?

Choose trim sizes that are appropriate for your room's dimensions. Wider trims work well in larger rooms with high ceilings, while narrower trims are suitable for smaller spaces. Ensure that your trim choices are proportionate to each other, such as crown molding and baseboards.

Do baseboards need to match door frame?

MYTH: Everything should match

For example, only black baseboards will anchor a room while having only black crown moulding will frame the ceiling and draw your eye up. Similarly, door casings and doors don't have to match. Having a light casing and baseboard contrast a dark door achieves a very modern look.

Do tall baseboards make a room look bigger?

By using a taller baseboard moulding, you can give the impression of higher ceilings and more space. This is an easy and affordable way to add character and sophistication to a small room.

What is the best ceiling height for a living room?

Standard Ceiling Height for Living Room / Drawing Room

Living room is also known as the Drawing room. The minimum or the average ceiling height for the living room is between 8-10 feet. However, in some high-end luxury homes, the ceiling height may be even higher up to 12-14 feet.

What thickness baseboard should I use?

Most traditional and readily available wood and MDF baseboard trims in America are 9/16" (14.3 mm) and ⅝" (15.9 mm) thick, less common are ½" (12.7 mm) or 7/16" (11.1 mm) thick baseboards. In a traditional setting, you will want to match the thickness of your baseboard trim with the door casing trim.

Is crown molding outdated?

It's all about cohesive design. Traditional crown moulding profiles look their best in similarly traditional spaces. Likewise, they don't tend to look very good in more modern design aesthetics. One could say crown is outdated in this sense, but this isn't a weakness of crown moulding.

Is stained wood trim outdated?

Stained trim has also been out of style for so long it can also make your house look dated which is never a good thing for resale purposes. The prep work is a big reason why converting stained trim to painted is so labor intensive.

Is chair rail outdated in 2024?

Chair rails are definitely considered outdated. But if you have one and want to work with it, consider transforming that chair. rail into traditional wing scotting. Traditional wing scotting like this is not outdated.

Should trim be semi-gloss?

The most common and best sheen for interior trim is a satin or semi-gloss finish. Satin paint finishes have a medium sheen and are durable and easy to clean. Semi-gloss paint finishes have a higher sheen and stand out in a room. They are easy to clean and stand up to dirt, stains, mold, and mildew.

Should wainscotting be the same color as trim?

For a sleek, streamlined color flow, consider using the same color on the walls, wainscoting, trim, and doors. If you need help choosing colors for small spaces, you can find ideas and inspiration here.

Do baseboards have to match throughout the house?

Many people ask us: does trim have to match throughout the house? And it doesn't! Trim, just like interior doors, can use different styles and colours under one roof, and we have some photos to prove it.

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