The latest Intrim style series sees us look at three very different homes and the way in which timber mouldings work to create distinct aesthetics in each. First up there’s the 2021 Block contestants Kirsty and Jesse’s Country Coastal abode. Second cab off the rank is Gray & Co’s Modern Farmhouse while design duo Zephyr & Stone’s Modern Hamptons property rounds out the inspiration. From a circular architrave to unique wall battens, these examples feature some of the most beautiful use of timber mouldings that we’ve seen.
Country Coastal An ongoing project with regular interesting reveals, former Blockheads Kirsty and Jesse have been very busy with their lake house renovation of late. A standout power couple from the 2021 season of the show, their latest project is in fact their own home. A coastal-styled residence, it’s a great one to check out if you’re as fascinated by the ‘before and after’ genre as we are. Intrim skirting boards, architraves, chair rails, VJ boards, handrails and windowsill nosings have all worked in concert to take the renovation to the next level.
Kirsty and Jesse’s Country Coastal home
Intrim products used throughout include SK498 skirting boards and architraves, CR45 chair rail, VJ Board Pro 150, SN03 sill nosing around the windows and IHR04 handrails.
Modern Farmhouse Located in the NSW Southern Highlands, interior designer Graham Simmonds’ home walks the fine line between modern and country styling. The owner of Gray and Co, the Sydney interior designer and retailer has created a gorgeously warm feel throughout, in large part due to the judicious use of Intrim mouldings.Featured products include lining boards, wall battens, skirtings boards and architraves.
Gray and Co’s stunning Southern Highlands holiday home
A great use of wall battens adds interest
The texture of the lining board on the walls makes a subtle statement
Intrim products used include Lining Board LB35 (185mm x 12mm – FSC) in the main bathroom, Wall Batten SK06 (custom 42mm x 12mm) in the bathroom, as well as the skirting boards and architraves SK552 (135mm x 25mm – FSC) and SK552 (90mm x 25mm – FSC).
Modern Hamptons Gold Coast sister duo Kasia Clarke and Ania Forster, of Zephyr + Stone, have used Intrim Mouldings to create a contemporary take on the Hamptons aesthetic in their latest project. Circle architraves, raised panel wainscoting and large skirting boards add gorgeous character and style.
We especially love the circle architrave which makes a bold statement in the bathroom in the form of a porthole window – a feature that looks fabulous both inside and out. Used throughout the home, wainscoting elevates the home’s white walls for a fresh, modern take on Hamptons style.
Zephyr + Stone project
Chair rail was cleverly used both above and below the wainscoting to give the illusion of extra tall skirting.
Intrim products used: Wainscoting: Chair Rail CR84 and Inlay Mould IN04, Circle Architraves SK466 90mm and Skirting: SK327 185mm.
In no small part due to the current season of The Block, modern country interiors are in vogue again. But the look is hardly new. In fact, it’s its timelessness and classic appeal that makes it a winner. We’ve rounded up some stunning projects to inspire you if you’ve been thinking of embracing the look.
The modern country style is a huge part of builder Rachael Turner’s work at Front Porch Properties. “I think the appeal is a fusion of old and new which is good, because everything feels modern, fresh, clean lined and sophisticated, but then it’s got that kind of homey charm which is so endearing and lovely to live in, and the feeling of it is just so warm.”
While Rachael doesn’t own a TV, her colleagues keep her up to date on The Block and its country focus. “I think it makes a nice change that they’ve steered across in this direction this season, and the one thing I love is that through all the style trends that have come and gone over the years, people still love to revert back to country. There’s just something about it; a timeless charm that resonates with most people.”
A long time user and fan of Intrim timber mouldings, she says they play a huge part in pretty much every project she does. “They’re often overlooked when planning a reno, but for us, using mouldings is one of our signature traits.”
In her Brookfield Project in Queensland, (pictured), she wanted a tall skirting board with simple detailing to work with the modern farmhouse look. “I love a 185mm profile as it just adds a little bit of luxury to any wall and finishes it off beautifully. We always use a matching architrave for our door and window trims too.”
They used the same 185mm skirting boards to customise some of the feature cabinetry in the living room and pantry. “This brought such a lovely cohesion to where the skirting met with the cabinetry; a simple detail but it really elevated the cabinetry.”
SK1006 skirting was also used to customise cabinetry for a cohesive look
Ultimately, Rachael says you can use the modern country style in any home, even a really contemporary one. “You can make it warmer just by styling it with a modern country feel.”
Intrim products used:SK1006 skirting board in 185 x 18mm | SK1006 architraves in 66 x 18mm | DAR in 66 x 12mm
For tips on how to customise your cabinetry using skirting boards, watch Rachael’s video:
Andrew Terevenar of AFT Building Solutions loves modern country too. “It should have a homely, warm feeling. Each room should feel inviting and cosy, and whites and warm tones should be consistent throughout the home. I believe the only modern components should be in the technology, appliances and fixtures used. In essence the home should feel that it has character and soul.”
AFT Building Solutions used a lot of mouldings in their Australian Coastal Sanctuary project (pictured) in south western NSW.
And whether you’re on acreage or in the burbs, Andrew says walking into a country style home should feel like an escape from the daily grind. “Generally, the country style home is accented with warm, bright tones and filled with natural light which can make a massive difference to someone’s wellbeing and general mood.
“I believe any home can be modern country if the house is done right with the right feel and design. Personally, I love the French country look so obviously chair rails and wainscoting are a must but I have seen some fantastic projects using just mixes of VJ board and natural timbers.”
Intrim products used: SK945B skirting boards in 185mm and architraves in 90mm | IN32 inlay mould and CR22 chair rail to create wainscoting
This NSW Southern Highlands country barn and cottage (below) by Cottonwood & Co is giving us all the country feels and has all the trimmings (pardon the pun!).
“The cottage dated back to around the 1940s/50s so had some lovely old character details like beautiful cornices and ceiling roses, but unfortunately over the years it had undergone a number of basic and unsympathetic updates which weren’t in keeping with its original character,” says interior designer Nicki Dobrzynski.
“It therefore felt important that we put back some of those original details, like the lovely detailed skirting and architrave mouldings from Intrim, as well as the VJ boards which reinforce that country cottage look. I love using VJ board as it’s a more modern version of traditional headboard but still very classic and suits both traditional or contemporary settings.”
Nicki says the modern country look calls for matte finishes and weathered materials over highly polished and perfect surfaces. “Country homes are all about comfort, practicality, architectural charm, and a collected, laid back look. The modern country home tends to have more vintage and antique pieces, but also found and collected objects.”
She added that while any home can embrace elements of modern country, you need to be careful not to overdo it or your interior can end up feeling too much like a theme. “I personally believe the most successful interiors respond to, and connect with, the landscape and environment they’re in as well as the homeowner’s personal style and taste. It’ll feel inauthentic if you try to create a particular style when the architecture and setting don’t relate to one another. If you’re in the city and love the modern country look, my advice would be to keep things a little more restrained.”
When we think of wainscoting and decorative mouldings it’s often in the context of a traditional or Hamptons style home, but these days the options for contemporary homes are seriously game changing too!
A modern home doesn’t have to be bland and lacking in details; in fact, it can be quite the opposite, and these examples prove just that! In our opinion, layering in interiors is important for every style of home.
Veronica King of NSW builder King Homes (also known as @builderswife on her popular Instagram), says: “Mouldings can turn a boring white room into a contemporary room with texture. In our recent project, we opted for a light and airy media room by keep a white and grey colour palette.
“Adding Intrim mouldings to the white walls added texture and interest, creating a really inviting space. It’s an easy way to transform a living area or even a bedroom.”
Veronica loves the many options Intrim offer for King Homes’ builds. “I really love the look of using wall battens spaced about 30cm apart to create a really modern look. I also love the concave mouldings which add great interest to a modern room.”
Veronica likes spacing wall battens 30cm apart in contemporary homes
She adds: “Although colour palette might be different in a modern home, it’s still important to introduce layers of texture with floor coverings, wall mouldings and furnishings to create beautiful interior spaces.”
Intrim’s CC50 concave wall paneling in this King Homes bedroom
Intrim products provide that something special for builders’ clients looking for a contemporary home. Their exclusive shadowline skirting and a range of wall panelling styles like Cavetto Wall and concave mouldings are popular choices.
The curved concave wall in this Modco Developments display suite makes a real statement.
This curved wall was created with Intrim’s CC60 panelling
Intrim’s Cavetto wall is an increasingly popular choice for bedroom feature walls, in many cases removing the need for a bedhead!
In this Liverpool display home by GJ Gardner, it’s also been used in the home office to great effect in a contrasting dark colour.
Whether it’s full-wall panelling or the more subtle, but altogether effective shadowline-like skirting used in the below bedroom for Binet Homes, it’s the sum of all the little design details that add up to a cohesive, impressive and layered interior.
Intrim’s SK399 skirting board and architrave make this bedroom, and the open plan area below, sing
Key profiles
Click any of the below profile images for more information on them:
It’s the beginning of a new year and as there was such interest from our readers in timber mouldings trends and styles last year, we’re sharing the top 10 skirting board profiles for 2022 from our friends at Intrim Mouldings.
Yes, it’s become a bit of a cliche, but you probably can’t deny that all the extra time spent at home has made you notice the little things you’d like to improve about your home along with giving you a renewed enthusiasm for having a nice space. I always say a great interior is the sum of all the finer details, so skirting boards and architraves (door and window frames) are a great place to start. And then you might consider adding other decorative inlay mould, wainscoting or VJ panelling, which have all seen a surge in popularity.
Getting these details right makes a huge impact on a room, turning a house into a home and a bland commercial space (if we ever get back to the office) into a desirable place to work.
In terms of style, it comes as no surprise that we see a continuation of the beloved Hamptons and modern contemporary styling. There has also been a resurgence of French Provincial styling as decorative mouldings with bold curves and fine detailed finishes grow in popularity. So, let’s take a look at the top 10 profiles that are red hot at the moment and how they can be incorporated into different styles.
SK58 is a consistent best-seller for its all-round Hamptons styling, beautiful curves, and ability to blend into a more modern style. The most popular combination is a 185mm skirting board with a 90mm matching architrave. However you can go bigger to suit your rooms. A general rule of thumb is tall ceilings can look better with taller skirting and larger architraves as they give scale to the room.
Available in 90mm, 115mm, 135mm wide, 185mm, 230mm and 285mm wide x 18mm thick
The SK800 Shadowline System is the perfect profile for a modern contemporary styled home. Its minimalist sleek look provides a neat finish to the base of plasterboard walls. The great thing about the Shadowline System is that it allows you to create gorgeous, modern interiors with slim, seamless finishes around walls and doors.
The Intrim Shadowline System door jambs are available to suit 70mm and 90mm stud widths and available in 30mm and 40mm thicknesses. Shadowline Skirting Board is available to suit 10mm and 13mm plasterboard thickness. Check out the different options here.
The SK498 skirting profile has just the right amount of curves and details, making it one of our must-have Hamptons profiles. After all, the devil is in the detail.
Available in 66mm, 90mm, 115mm, 135mm, 185mm, 230mm, 285mm high and 18mm thick.
SK497 is the kind of profile that makes a statement in a room. With its dramatic dips and curves, this profile can suit many different styles from Hamptons to French Provincial or even modern contemporary/Art Deco.
Available in 115mm, 135mm, 185mm, 230mm, 285mm high and 25mm thick.
SK23 is a versatile profile with a simple big, round curved feature which is perfect for a relaxed coastal, beachy style or a more elegant and sophisticated Edwardian/Georgian styled home.
Available in 42mm, 66mm, 90mm, 115mm, 135mm, 185mm, 230mm, 285mm high and 18mm thick.
SK60 may be the perfect profile for a country or Hamptons styled home but with its beautiful detailing and elegant, balanced curves it’s the kind of profile which can work well with just about any style, including Colonial or Victorian.
Available in 90mm, 115mm, 135mm, 185mm, 230mm, 285mm high and 18mm thick.
SK460 is a Hamptons profile that continues to be very popular with home builders looking for eye-catching curves which stand out. Available in 90mm, 115mm, 135mm wide, 185mm, 230mm and 285mm wide x 18mm thick.
If you’re not sure if the 2022 top 10 are right for you it’s simple to browse more than 1,000 options on the Intrim website and look through the Gallery for more inspiration.
And it just got REALLY easy!
One of the exciting new additions to the skirting boards offering is Fast Trim. This is a pre-scribed skirting board, and it means that the humble renovator or handy DIYer can order the skirting, ready to go. The scribe is the cutting process for an internal corner and for most designs it takes a specialist to do it well. Fast Trim pre-scribed skirting saves an experienced fit out carpenter up to 45% of their installation time. Imagine what it can save you if you are DIY’ing your renovation!
To help you make your final selection, order free samples online from Intrim Mouldings’ website. They love making spectacular interiors, so will be sure to have a solution that will create the wow factor for your project.
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Located inside a 1970’s apartment building in Sydney’s inner-west, this petite abode underwent an incredible makeover recently and its success can be largely attributed to the very clever use of Intrim mouldings. “I was going for a feminine Hamptons-style luxe vibe. The key elements were wainscotting and lots of white, so those two things were high on my list,” says Sam McDonald of The Curated Life who designed the renovation herself drawing on Pinterest and Three Birds Renovations for inspiration.
BEFORE front door
AFTER front door
“I had been a follower of the Three Birds Renovations YouTube show for a long time before we purchased our apartment and it was actually on their show that I first heard of Intrim. Bonnie was talking about how selecting the right skirting boards can transform your room and that you don’t need to settle for the run-of-the-mill, boring skirtings,” says Sam who clearly followed Bonnie’s advice.
But before the mouldings could be installed, Sam made a couple of significant changes; namely the installation of a false ceiling and down lights together with new flooring throughout. “When we purchased the apartment, there were only three really dull, old ceiling light fans that threw next to no light. This combined with dark grey and navy carpet and grey walls made the space really dark and feel quite small. So the ceiling, new electrical and flooring were the first things we did,” says Sam.
BEFORE dining room
AFTER dining room
As for the new mouldings, 185mm skirting boards were installed throughout the whole apartment, a chair rail was installed in the living and dining spaces and a combination of half and full wainscoting rounded out the mix. New cornices and architraves were installed throughout the whole apartment too with Jason at Living Walls Joinery working on the job.
The renovation also included a floor to ceiling custom bookshelf with cupboards at the bottom that was built by Jason early on in the project and rather paradoxically, the lowered ceiling and extra cabinetry haven’t made the space feel smaller. “Despite the statement bookcase and mantle taking floor space and the false ceiling reducing head height, it’s actually made the space feel much bigger and brighter. It’s a complete optical illusion but it’s exactly what I was hoping for!” says Sam.
BEFORE Hallway and balcony
The lounge room is also sporting a new custom-made fireplace. “I was browsing home decor stores and spotted an electric fireplace mantle and almost fell over a lounge in front of me trying to get over to it for a better look! I knew instantly that I wanted one and asked Jason to make it,” says Sam.
AFTER New custom cabinetry
As for the dining area, it was a formerly unused square nook at the end of the living area but Sam had better plans for it. “I knew it would fit our round dining table perfectly. It was also quite a dark space so I knew I wanted to brighten it up and make it a space that had the wow-factor,” says Sam of the room the that now features floor to ceiling wainscoting and a pendant light.
AFTER Cabinetry detail
And while Sam is very much enjoying her new home she believes the renovation was a sound financial decision too. “These changes have significantly increased the value of our property, well beyond the cost of materials and installation. It’s given the space new life and transformed it into something warm, inviting, charming and exciting. The reaction when people walk in is ‘WOW’ and when a space has that kind of impact on people, it’s definitely worth the cost. I’m still wowed every time I come home!”
