Baseboard Snob

Hi Christine,
         Right now my dining room is half wallpaper and paint as you can see. I want to really change it up. I Iove the wainscoting look, just don't know if it would work for me. The whole house has that same ugly trim. So if I change in one room I have to do it all. My other idea was just to paint the whole wall including chair rail the same color. What do you think of that idea?

- Amy

 

Hi Amy,

I hate telling people that the "HAVE TO" do some large project...  But, since you asked, I would say, "Yes.  You have to change the trim through the whole house." Do you have ANY room where that 2 1/2 inch oak trim looks terrific?  Of course you don't.  And that chair rail falls in the better to have nothing than that category.  Little dainty chair rails are a menace to our society and they should all be turned into kindling.  The only chair rails that improve the look of the space are beefy chair rails, like those in the pictures here.  I honestly feel like little ones should not even be manufactured. 

Don't be overwhelmed.  You don't have to do everything at once.  (unless you want to).  Make this room how you want it, (wonderful wainscotting) and then when you are up for a new house project, keep going with a much larger, nicer baseboard throughout. I previously called myself a chair rail snob, perhaps I am a baseboard snob as well.  What do you think? Is it just me, or is there any hope for short oak baseboards?  Should replacing your baseboards be on everyone's list that has similar ones?

Check out the photo below, where someone painted over the short oak baseboard and then added a half round to make it look higher.  Great idea!

Here's a post in 2008 that I did when I was going through the same process.  (btw- I went 9 1/2)

XOXO

Christine

How high should baseboards be?

Hi Christine! 

You were a great help in the past and I am back for more!  My husband’s job is being transferred and a move to TX is in the works.  The home we are buying is 16 years old, and the baseboards are not even standard size, I think they are about 1 inch tall.  I know this needs to change.  It is not a large house (2156 sq. ft.) but does have vaulted ceilings.  What would a good size baseboard be?  Is “quarteround” necessary on the baseboard these days too or is that out of style? 

Thanks!

Nicole

Nicole-

I like baseboards as high as possible.  I personally went with a 9 1/2 inch baseboard to get as much height as I could without dealing with outlets.  (see this post) If you have low windows in your home- like the photo below-  that might be too high.  Take a look around your home and see for yourself how high you can go.  My husband really wanted me to go shorter- because he was installing them and the larger baseboard was too large for his miter saw.  I convinced him to borrow his buddy's larger saw.  ;)

Keep in mind that this is one of those projects where you think you are just replacing your baseboards- but it then ends up affecting the door casings.  If the door casing that runs into the baseboard is whimpy- it looks bad.  (Not to mention the depth of the casing should be deeper than the depth of the baseboard...  )  They need to have the same scale.  Then what happens is you compare the door casing to the window casing...  I say that to be prepared to do it all.

Quarter round has never been in style- but rather it is used to cover gaps where the floor meets the baseboard.  In most cases- this is only an issue if you are replacing flooring without replacing baseboards.  Typically new baseboards will cover that gap just fine.  If you do have to add a shoe- or quarter round- I like it to be painted the same color as the baseboard instead of stained the same color as the wood floor.  I think staining is a cop out- it is easier for the installer- dries much faster- and some home owners don't know the paint color of their existing baseboards.  Some flooring installers will not paint- they will tell you to hire a painter or do it yourself- so the lazy homeowner says- fine- stain it- - but it certainly does not look better.  I have also found flooring manufacturers try to convince you to purchase their coordinating quarter round.  But they are just trying to make money on an item that really shouldn't match the floor at all.    I feel like it should look like an extension of the baseboard- not an extension of the floor.   ( Have you ever met someone as opinionated as me on the subject of a quarter round being painted or stained? )

 The photo above is meant to be a poor example.  ;-)

Thanks for the queston- good luck in your new home. 

XOXO

Christine

Set up for Selling Success

Martha Stewart: Brown Gray

Hi Christine,
My husband and I currently have two places...our homes before we met. He has a great 2000 square foot town home that we want to do a few projects on to help it stand out from other town homes in the same neighborhood, before putting it up for sale.
The first is losing the carpeted stairs and replacing with wooden risers (going for the modern family phials house stairs) for the dark wood and white look.
The second area I'd like to discuss is the window from the kitchen/bar into the great room. Right now it is basically the big hole that has barstools... From the great room...it is a focal point. I am looking for ideas on how to make it go from a boring hole in the wall to gorgeous and interesting? Please help!
If you write back, I'll send photos :)
Cindy

Hi Cindy-

2 words: trim and paint.

When you are getting a piece of property ready for selling, it is a very different thought process. But to stand out from your neighbors, I would start with ramping up the trim. See the photo at the top of the post? This is not a fabulous photo- but showed exactly what I had in mind. I would add a piece of half trim above your baseboards- and then paint the whole area. This is a great way to inexpensively change your baseboards from being 4 inches to 7 or 8 inches. It is work- but not terribly expensive. Even if you just did it in the main living areas- it would be so much richer.

Keep the wood saw out and trim out the opening, and add beadboard on the entire wall below the opening. Keep all of the woodwork a crisp white. Check out the beadboard in this post.

The gold paint is absolutely the wrong color with the carpet.

1. Select a paint color that will make your carpet look great.


2. Select a light colored paint- but not white.


3. Select a neutral colored paint.

Look at the paint color in the Martha Stewart photo at the top of the post. A soft Brown Gray like this will go great with your carpet- keep it light and neutral- and yet is dark enough to give you a great contrast with your white woodwork. It will look great with your stairs also.

Your light fixture is OK. But- if you want to stand out a little more- you can get a more updated drum shade like the one below from Uttermost. A fixture like yours will go unnoticed- which is not necessarily bad- but a really fabulous light will get the right kind of notice from perspective buyers. The one below is a little too warm in color- but check out this one.

Good luck selling your place. If you choose to not stage it with furniture- still add some really beautiful plants and uplights.

Also- you can check out this post on staging bedrooms.

Thanks for writing in-

Christine

A Ticket to Tuscany

Hi Christine,

I saw your blog and offer for designing advice. I am finishing my basement and wanted to get your thoughts on layout and design. I have a large space which is about 2400 square feet. I wanted to include an exercise room, wet bar, storage, full bathroom with steam shower, bedroom, pool table, wine cellar and home theater. I want a dramatic space with earth tones and a Tuscan/old world feel. I attached a schematic of the unfinished and preliminary design I came up with. Keep in mind that the bedroom and bathroom locations are fixed due to plumbing and egress window placement.

A few questions for you:

- Am I optimizing the space for my needs?

- How would you layout the wet bar? I want something large that makes a statement.

- The wine cellar will be the first thing you see when you get down the stairs. What else can I do to make it stand out?

- The space is large enough to relocate the pool table between the bar and theater. Is this is a good idea? If so, what other options would you consider for the pool table area?

- Any design/finish ideas to give the dramatic old world feel I am looking for?

Thanks for your help.

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

You clearly have given this layout some thought and you have done a terrific job. Here are a few thoughts for you:

1. Vary your wall art. Use some paintings, (the one below is 80 inches wide) some metal, some mirrors, some plaques.

(wall decor from Uttermost)

2. Keep your fabrics rich and use lots of different pattern. Your rooms don't have a lot of furniture- and there are not long drapes- so use furniture that incorporates multiple patterns in single pieces. (furniture and mirror from Horchow)


3. Don't forget a lighting plan. Start with light from the ceiling. Put directional lighting to accent art and wall decor. Add overall lighting with cans on dimmers throughout. Add a hanging light over the pool table. Add sconces in your theater room,- I added six sconces in my drawing- and lamps in your living area and bedroom. Add some nice quality faux greens to every room. Put uplights on timers next to each one. Add hanging lights over the table near the wet bar. Think of LAYERS of light.


4. Add a bench to the foot of the bed. Consider a couple of end tables with your chairs. Not because the design needs them so much, but because the lighting plan needs the lamps.


5. In your wet bar area- curve the bar to mimic the curve in the round table- see my altered floorplan. This will give the area a richer more dramatic feel.
6. Add some old world columns leading you into the sitting area- (cast stone columns like those used outside would also be perfect for a Tuscan interior. repeat them by the wet bar where you have an existing column. Find some cool art for the pool room especially. Fill the walls with art in that room and put directional lighting throughout. With only a pool table- this will be what still gives that room ambiance and style.


7. To create your Tuscan feel, you will need to do more than just select "Tuscan" furniture.

• Your walls need a Tuscan old world texture to them.
• Consider paneling the theater room and wallpapering the bedroom.


• Don't forget your ceilings. Do a cool surface on the ceilings of your main area with the wet bar pool table and sitting area- perhaps a wood ceiling, (only if you do not have wood floors) or a wallpaper ceiling- a metal or raised relif celing would be fantastic.
• I participated in a home show a few years back where the wine cellar had an amazing wine country Tuscan mural. - that would be something to consider. The one below can be found here.
• Carpet does not say "Old World Tuscan" at all. I would do a distressed hardwood or chiseled edge stone . (Except in your theater room where sound is an issue.) Adding some great rugs will also add to your atmosphere.
• I would add floor skirts in place of baseboards. I would have my doors and mouldings either a warm dark wood or painted a darker color. No white. White is not Tuscan. :)
  

So- there you go- it will look fabulous! What a fantastic basement you are going to have! Talk about party central! Invite me over! I'll bring "Ticket to Ride." (am I a partier or what?)

Hey everyone- don't forget to vote :)

Khaki Baseboards

Hello Christine,
My name is Monika and I live in Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada. A few years ago we bought our house which is Mexican/Spanish looking style. We painted it again two years ago and we are not sure what color of baseboards, mouldings we should paint. Live is as it is now ( creamy color) or I had an idea of painting kind of brownish, rustic look like. Similar to our beam on the ceiling.

What would be your idea, and advice.
Also, we are planning to paint the exterior. Any suggestion for color?

I would go with something along the line of Sherwin Williams #7645 Thunder Gray or 6200 Link Gray. I like the green undertones- but neutral feel. A darker color like this will balance your red bannister. In most all cases- I like to paint the doors the same color as the baseboards- it's kind of like your purse and shoes. I discussed colored baseboards in this post also.

For your exterior- I think you should go for a drive and find a home that has a paint scheme that you like- and copy it. Never select your colors for your exterior from samples that are measured in inches. I would take a paint deck up to the house- ask the homeowner if you can look at their exterior- try your best to match the colors- and then purchase sample quarts and put them on your own home in good sized sections and see what you think. This is a safe way to go.

Good luck,

Christine