Wainscoting and window trim in the Steep Hill Sleeping Cabin bedroom.

In the latest Q&A, Dave and I talked at length about wainscoting and trim. We thought we’d share some trim details that we think make a difference.

These are a few of the signs that indicate the trim was carefully thought out and intentionally designed for the space.

Baseboard and wainscoting in the Steep Hill Sleeping Cabin bedroom.

DETAIL NUMBER ONE:

Tall Baseboard

The general rule of thumb for baseboard height is 4 - 6 inches for walls with an 8 foot ceiling or 6 - 8 inches for a 9’ ceiling. We think that somewhere closer to 1/10 of the wall height is about right.

The sleeping cabin project provided a challenge: the vaulted ceiling is the dominant room however, there is a bedroom with a 9’ ceiling adjacent to it. We needed to decide on a trim height that would suit both spaces well. We determined that a 9 1/4 inch baseboard would provide a reasonable result for both spaces.

A tall baseboard is a cost effective way to elevate the design and evoke an older style of building.

Top view of the wainscoting, window and door trim elements.

DETAIL NUMBER TWO:

DEPTH FROM WALL

Commonly available trim stock isn’t great. Trim specialty shops offer better selection and material choices but these have been expensive in our experience.

We explored stock trim elements for the Steep Hill Sleeping Cabin but found them to be flimsy, overly ornate and lacking the crafted feel we were aiming for.

Ultimately, we designed and built our own trim using common lumber stock. We sized and profiled the stock ourselves which allowed us to create a deep, impactful trim set at a fraction of the cost of using common stock.

The trim we installed in the cabin builds out from the wall to a depth of 1 3/4 inches. This, perhaps even more than baseboard height, adds a richness and character to the space that evokes older craftsmanship.

Doorway, window, switche and wainscoting interface in the Sleeping Cabin.

DETAIL NUMBER THREE:

TRIM INTERFACES

We are obsessed with how trim parts interface. A well organized hierarchy of trim pieces helps to clarify how the trim should go together. For us, we wanted to see each element reveal under the next. This creates nice shadow and texture. We also wanted to see the depth generally increase from the top down.

Adding a 1 3/4 inch halo trim around the outside of the window and door casings let us cost effectively increase the depth of this element enough to let all other trim sit behind wherever it intersected.

Elements like switches, outlets and countertops need to be considered when trim heights are being set. This will help to ensure that trim is compatible with all the elements it may interface with.

See how this comes together in LIFE LATELY CHAPTER EIGHT.

Wainscoting and switches in the Sleeping Cabin.

We hope this post was helpful!

If you love the trim we did in The Steep Hill Sleeping Cabin, you’re in luck! We created an in-depth guide including all the exact measurements and materials we used to create the trim throughout the space.

GET THE WAINSCOTING & TRIM GUIDE