The Timeless Appeal of Traditional Skirting Boards

When it comes to home interiors, few features bring a sense of heritage and charm quite like traditional skirting boards. These timeless details not only protect your walls from everyday scuffs and scrapes, but also add a layer of architectural interest to any room. Whether you’re renovating a period property or simply want to bring a touch of classic elegance to a modern space, traditional skirting boards are a great way to do it.

In this guide, we’ll look at how these features can elevate your interior style, explore material options, and share tips on choosing the right design for your home.

What Makes Traditional Skirting Boards So Special?

Traditional skirting boards have stood the test of time—both for their practical benefits and their visual impact. Let’s take a closer look at why they’ve remained such a staple in British homes.

A Bit of History

Skirting boards have been used in British architecture for centuries. They first became popular during the Georgian era, originally designed to hide the joint between the wall and the floor while protecting plaster from knocks and moisture.

As styles moved into the Victorian and Edwardian periods, skirting boards became more decorative, with carved details and taller profiles that reflected the grandeur of the homes they were built in. By the 20th century, they were a common feature in most homes, with different designs reflecting changing tastes over time.

Today, traditional skirting boards are often paired with classic coving and wall mouldings to add a touch of historic charm or to stay true to the character of an older property.

How They Transform a Room

Skirting boards might seem like a small detail, but they can have a big effect on how a room feels. They help create a neat, finished look by bridging the gap between walls and floors, and they bring structure and proportion to a space.

In older homes, decorative skirting boards can draw attention to period features, while in newer builds, they add a sense of timelessness and warmth—particularly when contrasted with clean, modern lines. The right skirting can even help pull together your floors, walls, and furniture into a cohesive overall design.

Duropolymer: A Practical and Eco-Friendly Choice for Interiors

At The Library Ladder Company, all of our skirting boards are made from Duropolymer.

Duropolymer is a tough, high-density polystyrene material valued for its strength and simplicity to work with. Thanks to its lightweight, water-resistant and hard-wearing qualities, it's a popular choice for wall panelling, mouldings and skirting.

Thanks to its light weight, Duropolymer can be installed easily without the need for heavy lifting equipment, making it a great option for DIY projects as well as professional installations.

It’s also an environmentally friendly material, free from harmful emissions, making it safe for use in homes and other indoor spaces.

One of Duropolymer’s key advantages is its impressive durability. It stands up well to moisture and impact, making it ideal for high-traffic areas. In addition, it offers excellent thermal insulation, which can contribute to improved energy efficiency within the home.

Duropolymer is an outstanding choice for interior designers and architects seeking a versatile, robust, and sustainable material for decorative features in both residential and commercial interiors.

Browse the our full skirting boards selection and find the perfect style to complement your space. From heritage charm to subtle sophistication, these classic features can completely transform the look and feel of your rooms.