Take a Page From History With 5 Victorian Baseboard Ideas

January 10, 2022

By: The Finished Space

Are you thinking about adding Victorian baseboards to your home’s décor? Baseboards are beneficial for many reasons, including safeguarding against scuffs and abrasions, hiding uneven flooring edges, and creating enough space for the expansion and contraction of hardwood. They also prevent dirt, dust, and debris from getting stuck in those vulnerable spaces.

Victorian baseboards are much more than your average moulding. They are an elegant, sophisticated, and minimal design element that can create cohesion for your entire aesthetic. Here are five illuminating Victorian baseboard ideas to inspire your next home improvement project: 

1. Round Out Fully-Trimmed Walls in a Victorian Dining Room

For Blog Only - Classic Cottages - Hardwood Floor Empty Room with Paneling

Classic Cottages

This room is an ideal combination of elegance and chic design sensibilities. There’s nothing quite as beautiful as white walls paired with the luxury of natural woodgrain. The hardwood floors also perfectly match the bronze ceiling and allow the golden hues from the light fixtures to create a dreamy atmosphere.

The Victorian baseboards add a touch of elegance and serve as an ideal addition to this gorgeous dining room. They are the perfect complement for the expertly-crafted paneling, chair rail, window and door casings. The designer of this beautiful room used the power of subtle luxury to their advantage.

You couldn’t find a better example of using Victorian baseboards to highlight a design aesthetic. This dining room is an excellent place to host a formal dinner or celebrate a grand achievement.

2. Create Tall Baseboards with Various Moulding Elements 

For Blog Only - High Ceiling Living Room

Sometimes, the standard Victorian baseboard isn’t quite tall enough. Not all baseboards are created equally, but fortunately, there are many things you can do to customize them. If you find yourself wanting to expand them, you’re in luck.

Why not pair your Victorian baseboards with other moulding and trim elements to create taller baseboards? Want them to reach the windows? Go for it! Want to make a chair rail? No one’s stopping you!

There are almost limitless options when you’re working with baseboards, trim, and moulding, so do what feels right to you. Don’t compromise your vision because it’s never been done before – be the first! The most innovative and luxurious designs are created because designers listen to their instincts, and design without limits.

3. Added Shoe Rail for a Framed Baseboard Look

Baseboard and Carpet.png

A shoe rail is an elegant addition to Victorian baseboards because they add an element that helps frame the entire look. This image is just another example of how diverse and adaptive moulding can be.

Baseboards are used to protect floors, walls, stairs, and doors. Shoe rails can be used in conjunction with baseboards to further seal out dust and debris. They’re also amazing to look at and add appeal to your Victorian baseboards.

Of course, there are many different types of moulding you can add to your baseboards to create a bit of dimension and additional protection. Never limit your design aesthetic out of fear of doing too much. Do what works for you, and your home design will shine!

4. Curved Victorian Baseboard to Ground Classic Wall Paneling

Masonite - Livingston - Hallway of Door and Picture Mould

Designers often use wall paneling to create intriguing dimensions and highlight wall décor. In the gorgeous room pictured above, the designer created additional drama and intrigue by pairing the panel moulding with beautiful Victorian baseboards.

The decision that makes this design truly stand out is the expert use of color. Of course, there are the pops and blue and yellow, which we absolutely adore. There’s also grey panel moulding and door casing, but the baseboards are white, which reflects true design expertise.

The designer framed the paneled wall between minimal, white Victorian baseboards, to allow the color blocking to truly stand out.

5. Extend the Baseboard Look with Chair Rail

Option M - Shabby Chic - Bedroom - Baseboard - 2022

We’ve already talked a bit about increasing the height of your Victorian baseboards. Since there are so many different ways to customize your designs with moulding, we thought we’d include one more brilliant example.

Chair rails are an elegant way to break your wall into multiple sections, to add a slight and subtle dimension that doesn’t steal focus. You can use this to create color blocking, break up patterns, or lengthen your baseboards – or all the above!

In this shabby chic room, the designer incorporated a grandfather clock, distressed furniture, and gorgeous asymmetry to create a genuinely unique wall décor. The expert use of white moulding and Victorian baseboards adds a subtle touch of elegance that this room not only needed – but deserved.

Find the Right Moulding Today with Option {M}

Don’t let a lack of familiarity with trim and moulding dissuade you from getting the right baseboards for your home. If you aren’t quite sure which moulding style is right for you, check out Option {M} today. It’s an innovative design tool that pairs moulding styles with popular design trends, so you’ll never choose the wrong moulding or trim for your home.

If you’re not convinced that crown moulding is right for you, check out our fantastic inspiration galleries. We believe that creativity should be celebrated, so we feature interior designers from around the globe.