Considering skirting boards, dado rails, picture rails, architraves and cornicing...

[overlander matt]

I've started prepping a couple of rooms for plastering and now need to consider what I do with the skirting (tends to vary from room to room with nothing original Georgian remaining), dado rails (non-existent but there are signs they were fitted in a couple of the main rooms downstairs), picture rails (nothing there now but signs they were there in several rooms) and plaster cornicing (each room has something different!). There seems to be consistency in the architraves throughout the house which is something...

How does one go about picking out an appropriate style for these details? I am effectively starting from scratch. Has anyone any experience of online suppliers or is it a good idea to use a local joinery to make something bespoke?

As a starter, there are 3 floors in the house. The main part of the house is Georgian, with later Victorian additions. The hallway has the tallest skirting which I quite like and I thought to use in the two main downstairs rooms. Upstairs on the first floor, maybe the same style albeit shorter and then the top floor attic rooms a simple square edge board (the top rooms were originally staff rooms I believe). For the two main rooms downstairs, plus hallway and stairs, I would like to do dado and picture rails. The main first floor rooms would be picture rails only. The attic rooms have sloping ceilings so nothing to have to think about! Would this level of detail be appropriate?

Plaster cornicing exists in most of the rooms but one is a 1980s addition (hallway) and each room has a different style. Was this normal practice? I would have expected some level of consistency. Perhaps it simply reflects changes made to the house over time. I will need to reinstate the cornicing in one room and repair the opposite room where approximately 10-20% has been damaged. Perhaps I should post some pictures to get some opinion on what might be original... I will take some photos tomorrow.

Thanks in advance for any ideas about the timber detailing.

Matt

 

[88v8]

I recommend this book, which I lazily found on Amazon but probably cheaper on eBay.
Period House Fixtures and Fittings.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fixtures-Fittings-1300-1900-Englands-History/dp/1853067423
Jolly interesting.
Includes moulding and plaster profiles.

Your plan in general sound good. The fact that there is such a variation though the house gives you freedom. Embrace the variations. Resist the temptation to make everything the same.

If you want a unifying element, create it with the décor. Example; in our previous house we wallpapered every room and painted the woodwork a suitable different colour, but... all the doors in the house, with the exception of two oak doors, we painted the same cream.

Bespoke mouldings are not expensive, so long as the joiner has suitable cutter profiles. Then you can spec the timber quality. Larch for example, or just 'Unsorted'. I wouldn't buy timber online. Support your local businesses, if you can.

Ivor

 

[paulc]

I wouldn't buy timber online. Support your local businesses, if you can.

Certainly avoid skirting board & moldings from the likes of B&Q. Last time I had any from them, had to sift through the entire stock to find a couple of lengths that were not cupped. Got them home, and within a day or so, every strip had twisted and gone out of shape.

 

[Feltwell]

Dresser mouldings are a good online supplier - helpful as well. I've just ordered a load of mouldings from them, arrived quickly and well packed, delivery man was delighted to be threading a very heavy 5m long parcel past my vehicles and scaffold tower to deliver it :lol:

https://www.dressermouldings.com/

Don't forget that not all coving is plaster, wooden coving was quite common, Dresser do this.

I have had specific mouldings made to match existing at a local joinery shop, but if you can buy what you need from someone like Dresser it's much cheaper.

In terms of detailing, my Victorian place that is pretty much unaltered has roughly what you describe - the same pattern skirting & architrave throughout, but:-

- Biggest size in downstairs reception rooms & hallway only
- Medium size in downstairs "utility" rooms and all mid floor rooms
- Poverty spec small size in the attic rooms

Cornice & ceiling roses are only present in the downstairs reception rooms and hallway, nowhere else. But every house is different of course.

 

[overlander matt]

Thank you as always for the great advice as always!

I removed a bit of paint from one of the shutters today and found the profile of the dado rail hiding underneath that at least gives me an idea of what was there previously.

I've included a few pics - the skirting is probably the one I will stick with in the Georgian part of the house and then try to keep the two Victorian era areas with something close to what is there now if it seems original. The cornicing picture is what is in the main Georgian lounge. Whether original or not, I have no idea but it's going to stay.

The hallway has a modern addition that I will post pictures of another time... I don't know if it is worth replacing so will canvas opinion soon. Out of interest, is replacement cornicing very expensive?

Thanks again.

Matt

 

[Owain]

For some reason a previous owner of my place thought it would be a good idea to use dado rail as door architrave :evil:

 

[Feltwell]

That first picture shows profiles similar to what I've got - I think you'll find that Dresser has something similar to that in their online shop.

Depends how slavish to what was original you want to be - if you want something that's exactly the same profile and size, no doubt you'll have to get it made, but I reckon you'll get close with the "off-the-peg" options.

No idea on cornice costs I'm afraid, I've never had to buy any of the plaster stuff. I have just bought some wooden coving from Dresser, having uncovered the original, plastered over coving in my porch - which was alas way too far gone to be salvageable.