Baseboard and trim-same size? Mixing profiles? Mitered baseboards?
I am replacing all of the trim in my 50s ranch style home-it was a weird mix of different profiles and sizes, none of which I liked.
Hoping that some of you may be able to give advice on a few of my crazy design ideas.
My favorite two profiles are clamshell and flat shaker/sanitary, but I do not like the way that the clamshell door trim looks…it just seems too thick, or I guess I don’t like the way it tapers down? I do like the clamshell baseboard, and was even considering doing that around the doors as well, but am unsure about having both the same size.
Specs-
-8′ ceilings
-Former baseboards 3-1/2, 1-1/2, and 2″. Want 3-1/2-4-1/2 height.
-Former door casings 2-1/2, but we could accommodate 3-1/2.
-doors are flat slab.
-no crown molding etc.
-I like clean, simple lines.
-we will be doing the work ourselves and have intermediate/advanced carpentry skills.
Q1-Would it look bad to have baseboards and door casing trim 3-1/2″ wide?
Q2-Would it be tacky to mix clamshell baseboards and shaker casings?
Q3-What about mitering all corners, including where the baseboard meets the casing? Is that nuts? I like the idea of it having a continuous appearance, with baseboards flowing into door casings, but realize that isn’t usually done.
Replies
My 2 cents baseboards should be wider than door casings. There is a reason that the most common trim combination is 2 & 1/4" colonial casing and is 3 & 1/4" base. It's because the proportions work. So to Q1 in my opinion I would not make them them same size. Is there a 2 & 1/4" clamshell casing you could use with 1x4 base?
That being said, sometimes you have to think outside the box. Get weird and miter the clamshell from the base around the door casings. Maybe you are on to something spectacular. There is no wrong answer, whatever makes you happy. Buy a couple of sticks of trim and try it out.
One last thought- How about clamshell casings with a tiny base like 1/2" thick x 2" tall with an eased edge. This goes against my first comment, but this look highlights the doors and the base kind of just disappears.