Some folk see choosing or replacing skirting boards as a way of simply filling the gap between floor and wall. This might compare to choosing a painting not because you like it because your eye is drawn to it but simply to break up a wall or cover a stain. In both cases you surely want your choice to really enhance the overall effect. When you have chosen a stylish new flooring for your home the next stage is to consider the skirting boards you will add. You might have already made that flooring choice of timber laminate vinyl or bamboo and cork from our huge selection here at Carpet One. Moving on to the skirting boards youll be considering both practical and aesthetic areas as you reach your decision. You want to make sure your choice emphasises the flooring style you have selected and adds to the overall effect. Heres how we recommend you do so: Equally having invested substantially in a long-lasting flooring it pays to add skirting boards of the same quality and longevity; effectively pairing skirting with flooring. A good choice can also appear to add to the size and certainly the style of your chosen room. Skirting boards can also provide a valuable level of protection to the base of your wall where feet might accidentally scuff or vacuum cleaners neglectfully bash. Finishes Youll also have a choice of finishes to consider such as low maintenance and affordable MDF easily stained or varnished softwood or seriously stylish but slightly more complicated to fit hardwood. In our increasingly electronic world more home-owners are also using skirting boards to hide and protect cabling. Its also vital to make sure that your flooring choice fits properly under the skirting boards. Skirting boards: a size and focus thing Before we move on to consider style lets think about size. Choosing a narrow skirting board might make the room appear less exclusive than a choice of a wider option which seems to add more richness to the overall impression. Moving on to focus a different colour of skirting particularly if its dramatic and dark will draw the eye to it and suggest a level of elegance. Lets look at your style possibilities in more detail One major style choice to make This is whether to compare or contrast. The former should see an exact match; sadly some people choose a skirting board of a marginally different colour or shade to their flooring choice - this seldom looks good. An exact skirting colour comparison with either flooring or the remainder of the wall allows the finished design to appear unfussy and flow naturally and provide a positive effect. The alternative is to decide on a daring contrast allowing wall floor and skirting boards to each have its own distinctiveness. Again youll want to make sure the end result is still pleasing to the eye. Of course you might reach different decisions for different rooms. A childs bedroom might benefit from a bright and vibrant skirting board or even one with LED lights as part of the design adding fun to their private space. A couple of contrasts that seem to work well in narrow and long hallways are much darker or charcoal skirting boards especially if matched with lighter wall shadings. Tips for painting your skirting boards Finally with your choice made you might be wishing to decorate your new skirting boards yourself. A few important thoughts to help with this. Firstly where appropriate take time to sand the surface to allow your paint to better bond to it. Then apply masking tape around the edges protecting both wall and your newly laid floor. Painting in strokes of about a metre in length helps to provide an even finish and make sure your final stroke is right along the length of the area. After applying a second coat make sure the paint has fully dried before removing your masking tape. Special care needs to be taken with this if you have carpet on your floor. Incidentally here at Carpet One we have almost a hundred different terrific carpet designs ranging alphabetically speaking from Alpina to Yvresse! If you have any questions about pairing your flooring and skirting choices our experts are happy to offer advice. Please call 02 4952 1466 for an obligation free chat. Newcastle Carpet One122 Garden Grove Parade Adamstown Heights NSW 2289(02) 4952 1466 via Tumblr http://blog.newcastlecarpetone.com.au/post/167715077554