You might not give your baseboards much thought. However, you’d be surprised how the right baseboard design can create a more cohesive and polished look for your living space.

In this article, we will share ten baseboard moulding design ideas to elevate your home.

1. Add quarter inch round to your baseboard moulding

This simple touch can help create a neater, cleaner look to your baseboard moulding. The quarter-inch round is commonly added to secure modern flooring types such as laminate and luxury vinyl.

However, it can be used with any flooring type to help hide gaps and make everything feel more finished. It’s also a very affordable addition. Install them along the floorline, and then paint them the same colour as your baseboards.

2. Bump up the height of baseboard moulding with trim

This is a bit of a “fake out” that can create a whole new look for your baseboards. The more height your baseboards have, the more impressive they become. Replacing all your shorter baseboards with taller baseboards is costly and a major undertaking.

However, adding your choice of moulding or trim can create the illusion of height, making your baseboards appear more prominent and impressive. Some moulding ideas that might work well include:

The trick is to add the trim so the flat side of the moulding faces upwards. You then space it above your existing baseboards to reach the desired height and paint the wall between the baseboard, the baseboard itself, and the new moulding the same colour. Keep in mind that you don’t want your baseboards to be too high compared to your ceiling height; therefore, avoid going above 7” or 8” for a typical ceiling height.

3. Replace sculpted baseboard moulding with “modern farmhouse” flat designs

This is a bigger job and thus requires a bigger budget, but it will also see the most impressive results. As mentioned, adding height makes a huge difference to baseboards. However, you might find that your baseboards are overly decorative if you want something more trendy.

The modern farmhouse look is all about flat designs that are free of overly ornate embellishments. New flat-style boards will quickly transform your home to reflect the style of your design scheme, creating a unified, modern farmhouse look you’ll love.

4. Impress with bullnose corners on baseboard moulding

Bullnose corners create a rounded finish where horizontal and vertical walls meet. Because these corners jut out, it makes a difference adding more substance and softer edges that look and feel more polished. The beauty of this look is that it also keeps toes safe without the worry of tripping on those sharper edges.

It is also another affordable update, as you can make the addition by cutting out a few inches of your existing baseboards at the corners and then replacing them with your new bullnose corners. Finish it up with some filler, sanding, and paint, and voila, your corners are now stunning with minimum effort.

5. Add more curves with sculpted baseboard moulding

Baseboards come in a wide variety of profiles. Installing a taller and more sculpted profile will add elegance to your home. This is ideal for homes with a more traditional look, resulting in a timeless finish that draws attention to your hardwood floors.

6. Upgrade to wooden baseboard moulding

We highly recommend upgrading to wooden baseboards stained to match your hardwood floors. This is the height of style for older and historic homes or when you want to add more character to a boring cookie-cutter home. Take things one step further by installing wooden window and door frames.

7. Draw attention to baseboard moulding with paint

Another simple solution is to paint your baseboards with a colour that draws more attention to them. Rid yourself of boring white and add contrast, warmth, interest, and even a touch of whimsy with the right paint colour. You can include all of your trim to create a more cohesive look in a room or throughout your home.

In fact, painting your doors and all the trim in your home the same colour is a trend many designers are embracing. Combine a unique paint colour with new, more substantial baseboards for even more impact.

8. Go ultra-modern with step bevel baseboard moulding

The step bevel is ultra-modern, with a subtle step and slope that is clean and refined. For even more impact, opt for 7” baseboards that draw attention to your ultra-modern flooring (like luxury vinyl). You won’t regret going with this look, as it instantly updates a tired old home, especially those standard homes built in the 1980s and 1990s.

9. Tackle all your trim to draw attention to baseboard moulding

This might seem like the exact opposite of what you should do. However, as mentioned in idea no. 7, creating a completely cohesive look for all your trim draws the eye to the details of your finishes. As a result, you make everything feel unified and well thought out.

By updating all your trim at once, you can choose a style that works in your home, whether you’re going with a Colonial wood scheme, a modern step-bevelled scheme, or something very retro or vintage like craftsman style. You’ll love the way everything suddenly comes together.

10. Layer your baseboard moulding

If you find that your plain, tall baseboards are uninspiring, consider layering them. As mentioned earlier, you can use other types of moulding to create more interest in short or boring baseboards.

In this case, you apply your choice of decorative trim directly onto the baseboards to add more detail and substance. It is an affordable alternative to completely replacing your baseboards. It also creates a highly customized look, so you’ll have one-of-a-kind baseboards that will have people asking where you got them!

However, when trying this design trick, you have to choose trim that is finished on both edges. Therefore, focus on bead moulding that allows you to add the additional trim as an accent that feels more natural.

Contact the Baseboard Moulding Experts

These baseboard moulding ideas are sure to add more character to your home, creating a finished look that brings everything together nicely.

Click here to start shopping for new baseboard moulding from Cosmaroma’s impressive selection. You can also call us at (855) 457-1039 or contact us online.