Cornice/Skirting Mounting System

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cornice/skirting mounting system and, in particular, to a 2-part system involving an anchor member (26) and an outer fascia member (28) which is removably attachable to the anchor member (26). The cornice/skirting mounting system of the present invention thus provides a complete system for fitting out a home with wall-wall, wall-ceiling, and wall-floor lining, with benefits prior to installation, and post-installation.

Description

The present invention relates to a cornice/skirting mounting system and, in particular, to a two-part system involving an anchor member and an outer fascia member which is removably attachable to the anchor member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The interior rooms of homes and buildings are frequently fitted out by lining the ceiling frame and wall frame with plasterboard. Typically, the floors are lined with carpet, floorboard or tiles. In order to obtain an aesthetically pleasing appearance at the junction of the walls and ceiling, and walls and floors, cornices and skirtings are often used. Similarly, architraves are used to line the perimeter of doors and windows, and the like.

A cornice typically comprises a curved, elongate member that has one side in abutment with the side wall and the other side in abutment with the ceiling, or in the case of wall-wall cornices, otherwise known as risers, one side is in abutment with one wall and the other side in abutment with an adjoining wall. As those skilled in the art would appreciate, risers are typically narrower than wall-ceiling cornices and are sometimes used to house electrical wiring. Cornices are typically fitted by a skilled tradesman, and are normally glued and nailed to the wall and ceiling to retain it in place. Cornices are usually either made of plaster, timber or plastic.

Plaster and timber cornices are difficult to erect because of their weight and the fact that they must be held in position, or tacked to the walls at their ends, while the adhesive or concrete cures. A further difficulty with plaster and timber cornices is their inability to flex, so where the ceiling or wall may not be exactly straight, gaps appear therebetween and these must be filled, increasing assembly time and cost. Where adjoining walls meet in a corner, it is necessary to accurately cut the corner of the cornice to obtain a neat and tidy finish at the corner, another time consuming task.

Skilled tradesmen are generally capable of achieving a neat and tidy finish, however, if the building settles with age or if there is any movement in the building, because of an earthquake for example, there is a risk that the corner join of the cornice will become separated, leading to unsightly cracks and gaps in the cornice. These cracks and gaps can be difficult and time consuming to fill. Moreover, the gaps can frequently open up again, even after filling, if settling of the building continues. This may also be the case at joins between cornice pieces along straight sections of the wall. Timber cornices are less common nowadays because of the increasing scarcity of the recourse and higher costs involved, as well as similar mounting difficulties to those mentioned above.

Cornices made of plastics are advantageous in that they are flexible. However, current plastic cornice systems known to the applicant still have problems. Firstly, the entire cornice must be held in place until the adhesive cures, and although plastic is lighter, this can still be quite difficult and time consuming. A solution to this problem has been to have detachable outer fascias, providing for simplified assembly, and a means to disassemble and clean/paint/replace the outer fascia when necessary. However, existing cornice systems which include a means of detaching the outer fascia generally do not provide for a uniform and secure mounting means. This can lead to problems such as gaps extending along the length of the cornice, instability, and in some cases, paint being scraped off the wall and/or ceiling during the process of attaching and detaching the outer fascia.

A skirting generally comprises a thin housing adapted to line the base of a wall adjacent the floor. Similarly, an architrave comprises a thin housing adapted to line a wall along the perimeter of a door or window. Conventional skirtings and architraves are constructed from wood or plaster. Whilst detachable skirtings exist, they are generally designed and configured for the purpose of housing wiring and not for the purpose of simplified assembly, or as a means of painting/finishing/replacing the skirting prior to, or post installation. The attachment mechanisms are generally quite complex, and those that are known to the present inventor do not allow for a skirting outer fascia to be mounted at different heights. There are a wide variety of floor coverings available, so the ability to mount a skirting outer fascia at a plurality of different heights is favourable.

Further, skirtings themselves are often available in a variety of different shapes, sizes and profiles. There is therefore a requirement for a skirting system which is able to accommodate for external fascias of various forms. For example, some skirtings are taller than others, and existing mounts or anchors may not be capable of adequately supporting such structures.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome at least some of the aforementioned problems or to provide the public with a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore in one form of the invention there is proposed a lining assembly for a room having a floor, a wall and a ceiling, said lining assembly characterised by:

an anchor means adapted to be fixed at a junction between two surfaces associated with said floor, wall, or ceiling;

an outer fascia removably attachable to said anchor means, said outer fascia including at least one contact edge adapted to abut with and bias against any one or both of said surfaces when the outer fascia is attached.

Preferably the anchor means includes at least one plane section adapted for securing the anchor means to the ceiling or wall.

In preference said anchor means further includes a receiving portion formed integrally with the plane section.

In preference said outer fascia comprises an elongate body including an attachment portion formed integrally therewith, said attachment portion and receiving portion being removably engageable by way of a snap-fit.

In a further form of the invention there is proposed a cornice assembly for lining a wall and ceiling junction, said cornice assembly characterised by:

• • an anchor member adapted to be fixed along the junction; and
  • an elongate outer fascia removably attachable to said anchor member, said outer fascia including longitudinal edges adapted to abut with and bias against the wall and ceiling when the outer fascia is attached to the anchor member.

Preferably the anchor member comprises a first plane section adapted for securing the anchor means to the wall, and a second plane section adapted for securing the anchor means to the ceiling, said first and second plane sections being aligned substantially perpendicularly.

In preference said anchor member further includes a rigid receiving portion positioned between said first and second plane sections.

In preference the rigid receiving portion is configured such that when the anchor member is fixed to the ceiling and wall, the receiving portion extends downwardly and outwardly from the wall at an angle of approximately 45 degrees therefrom.

Preferably said first plane section, said second plane section and said receiving portion are integrally formed.

Preferably the outer fascia includes an attachment portion configured to engage the anchor member receiving portion by way of a snap-fit.

Preferably the outer fascia includes a concave body along the length of the fascia, whereby said attachment portion extends outwardly from the underside of the body, and said longitudinal edges are in the form of upstanding lips formed integrally therewith.

In preference said cornice assembly further includes corner fascias for use at internal and external corners of the wall.

In preference said corner fascias include at least one attachment member adapted to removably engage an anchor member receiving portion associated with at least one of two adjoining walls.

In preference said corner fascia is of a size whereby once attached, it substantially covers the ends of outer fascias which are attached to anchor members fixed to two adjoining walls.

In a still further form of the invention there is proposed a skirting assembly for lining a wall and floor junction, said skirting assembly characterised by:

an anchor member adapted to be fixed to the wall along the junction; and

an elongate outer fascia removably attachable to said anchor member at one or more predetermined heights above the floor, said outer fascia including longitudinal edges adapted to abut with and bias against the wall when the outer fascia is attached to the anchor member.

Preferably the anchor member comprises a plane section adapted for securing the anchor means to the wall.

In preference said anchor member further includes at least one rigid receiving portion extending outwardly with respect to the wall.

In preference said anchor member includes three rigid receiving portions positioned at different heights above the floor.

Preferably said plane section and said at least one rigid receiving portion are integrally formed.

Preferably the outer fascia includes an attachment portion configured to engage any one of the anchor member receiving portions by way of a snap-fit.

In preference the outer fascia is in the form of a thin housing having a curved upper end terminating in a first horizontal edge, and a perpendicular lower edge terminating in a second horizontal edge, said first and second horizontal edges constituting said longitudinal edges.

In preference said attachment portion extends inwardly from an internal surface of said housing.

Advantageously said anchor member is configured to enable two anchor members to be coupled vertically one above the other.

Preferably said skirting assembly further includes corner fascias for use at internal and external corners of the wall.

Preferably said corner fascias include at least one attachment member adapted to removably engage an anchor member receiving portion associated with at least one of two adjoining walls.

In preference said corner fascia is of a size whereby once attached, it substantially covers the ends of outer fascias which are attached to anchor members fixed to two adjoining walls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several implementations of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the upper portion of an interior wall of a home fitted out with a cornice system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a cornice assembly forming part of the cornice system of FIG. 1, comprising a cornice anchor member and a cornice outer fascia shown prior to being attached to the anchor member;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the cornice assembly of FIG. 2 with the cornice outer fascia attached to the cornice anchor member;

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the cornice assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 illustrates a front perspective view of a cornice outer fascia internal corner member also forming part of the cornice system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 illustrates a rear perspective view of the cornice outer fascia internal corner member of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 illustrates a front perspective view of a cornice outer fascia external corner member;

FIG. 8 illustrates a rear perspective view of the cornice outer fascia external corner member of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of the lower portion of an interior wall of a home fitted out with a skirting system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view of a skirting assembly forming part of the skirting system of FIG. 11, comprising a skirting anchor member and a skirting outer fascia shown prior to being attached to the skirting anchor member;

FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of the skirting assembly of FIG. 11 with the skirting outer fascia attached to the skirting anchor member at a lowermost mounting position;

FIG. 12 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the skirting assembly of FIG. 13;

FIG. 13 illustrates a perspective view of the skirting assembly of FIG. 11 with the skirting outer fascia attached to the skirting anchor member at a middle mounting position;

FIG. 14 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the skirting assembly of FIG. 15;

FIG. 15 illustrates a perspective view of the skirting assembly of FIG. 11 with the skirting outer fascia attached to the skirting anchor member at an uppermost mounting position;

FIG. 16 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the skirting assembly of FIG. 17;

FIG. 17 illustrates a front perspective view of a skirting outer fascia internal corner member also forming part of the skirting system of FIG. 11;

FIG. 18 illustrates a rear perspective view of the skirting outer fascia internal corner member of FIG. 19;

FIG. 19 illustrates a front perspective view of the a skirting outer fascia external corner member also forming part of the skirting system of FIG. 11;

FIG. 20 illustrates a rear perspective view of the skirting outer fascia external corner member of FIG. 21;

FIG. 21 illustrates a perspective view of a riser assembly comprising a riser anchor member and a riser outer fascia;

FIG. 22 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the riser assembly of FIG. 9;

FIG. 23 illustrates a perspective view of two skirting anchor members coupled vertically one above the other;

FIG. 24 illustrates a front perspective view of an architrave outer fascia corner member also forming part of the skirting system of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 25 illustrates a rear perspective view of the architrave outer fascia corner member of FIG. 24.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Although the description includes exemplary embodiments, other embodiments are possible, and changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts.

The present invention relates to an improved cornice/skirting mounting system. FIG. 1 illustrates the cornice system 10 of the present invention when applied to internal walls 12 of a room, whilst FIGS. 2-8 illustrate individual components of the cornice system in more detail. Similarly, FIG. 9 illustrates the skirting system 14 of the present invention, whilst FIGS. 10-23 illustrate individual components of that system in more detail. Also forming part of the system is a wall-wall corner riser assembly 16.

FIG. 1 illustrates the upper portion of three walls 12, and an adjoining ceiling 20 of a room. The adjoining walls form an external corner 22, as well as an internal corner 24 in the room. In brief, the cornice system 10 comprises one or more cornice anchor members 26 adapted to be attached at the junction between each wall 12 and the ceiling 20, and a number of connecting outer fascia members 28, and 32 adapted to be press-fitted to the anchor member 26. Each component is described in more detail below.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 in particular, the cornice anchor member 26 is essentially an extruded section having two perpendicularly offset walls 34 and 36, and a receiving portion 38 extending outwardly therebetween at approximately 45 degrees. The anchor member 26 is adapted to be attached at the junction between the wall 12 and the ceiling 20 such that anchor member wall 34 abuts with the ceiling 20 and anchor member wall 36 abuts with the wall 12, so that the receiving portion 38 extends at an angle of 45 degrees outwardly from the junction when fixed thereto. The receiving portion 38 terminates at its free end into a ball socket 40 which is the receiving means for the outer fascia members which will be described shortly.

The anchor member 26 is fixed to the wall and ceiling by either nails or suitable adhesive, and includes recesses 42, 44 and 46 so that adhesive can be applied more suitably. If nailing the anchor member to the wall or ceiling, nails can easily be driven through the anchor member. The receiving portion 38 preferably runs the full length of the anchor member 26, but of course, this is not a requirement and although not illustrated there may well be spaced apart receiving portions along the length of the anchor member 26.

The length of each anchor member 26 should be approximately within 50 mm of the length of each wall it is associated with, for reasons which will become apparent further below. For example, a wall of 4000 mm would require an anchor member length of approximately 3950 mm. But in an alternate configuration, rather than there being a single elongate anchor member lining an entire wall-ceiling junction, there may be a plurality of spaced apart anchor members.

The primary outer fascia 28 is that which is adapted to extend substantially along the length of the wall-ceiling junction, and comprises a concave section 48 having lips 50 and 52 which extend the length of the concave section 48. Extending from the underside of the trough of the concave section 48, is an attachment portion 54 which terminates into a ball 56 at its free end, adapted to engage the socket 40 of the anchor member receiving portion 38. The ball 56 and socket 40 are dimensioned such that the outer fascia 28 may be snap-fit into position. As can be seen perhaps most clearly in FIG. 3, each lip 50 and 52 extends slightly beyond respective walls 34 and 36 when the outer fascia 28 is attached to the anchor member 26. This ensures that during attachment, the outer fascia 28 flexes slightly so that the lips 50 and 52 bias against the wall and ceiling, resulting in a cornice that is free of gaps.

The configuration of the cornice anchor member 26 allows for a uniform and stable mounting means for the cornice outer fascia 28. The attachment portion which extends outwardly at approximately 45 degrees provides for an even bias for the lips 50 and 52 against both the ceiling and wall. There is no sliding motion involved which means during the attachment process, paint will not be removed from the ceiling or wall, and the plasterboard will not be scratched.

The length of the primary outer fascia 28 should be less than the length of its associated anchor member 26 so as to allow for anchorage of the corner fascia members 30 and 32 (shown in FIGS. 5-8), but long enough for their ends to be covered by them as shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 5-6 illustrate an internal corner outer fascia 30 whilst FIGS. 7-8 illustrate an external corner outer fascia 32. The corner fascia members 30 and 32, and the mechanism by which they attach to the anchor member 26, are the same as that described above in connection with the primary outer fascia attachment, and so will not be described again. Those skilled in the art would realize though that the difference between the corner members 30 and 32 and the elongate fascia members 28 is in their overall size, which is stepped up so that they are able to cover the ends of the primary outer fascia members 28 when attached to the same anchor member 26. A further difference is that the attachment portion does not extend the entire length of the corner members 30 and 32, it is simply in the form of an attachment portion projections on each internal side of the corner fascia. Like parts between the corner fascias and the primary fascia are referred to in the drawings using like numbers, including the concave section 48, the lips 50 and 52, and attachment portion 54.

It is to be understood that the corner fascia members are not necessarily required and that a mitered outer fascia (not shown) could be used instead. Further, the decorative nature of the cornice outer fascia members 28, 30 and 32 as illustrated and described is by way of example only, and alternately shaped and decorated outer fascias could equally well be attached to the anchor member 26.

Those skilled in the art would realize the benefit of the above cornice system. The system allows for a cornice fascia to be painted/finished prior to installation. This is advantageous given the difficulties involved in painting cornices a different colour to the wall or ceiling once the cornice is already mounted. Further, should a cornice need to be disassembled for any reason, such as for renovating or re-painting, the cornice fascia members can be easily removed and then replaced. Should a section be damaged, the fascia members may easily be detached for repair or replacement. If a user wishes to install a new cornice profile, then this is also possible. The cornice system as described could also be useful in hiding electrical wiring used in the house.

FIG. 9 illustrates the lower portion of three walls 62, and an adjoining floor 64 of a room. Again, the adjoining walls 62 form an external corner 64 and an internal 66 in the room. In brief, the skirting system 14 shown comprises one or more skirting anchor members 68 adapted to be attached to the wall 62 adjacent the junction of the wall 62 and the floor 64, and again, a number of connecting skirting outer fascia members 70, 72 and 74 adapted to be press-fitted to the skirting anchor member 68. Each component is described in more detail in the following paragraphs.

Referring now to FIGS. 10-16 in particular, the skirting anchor member 68 is an extruded strip having a wall abutment portion 76 and three adjacent receiving portions 78, 80 and 82 extending outwardly from approximately the centre of the strip. The skirting anchor member 68 is adapted to be mounted to the wall so that its lower pointed edge 84 rests on the floor 64. The upper edge 86 of the skirting is not pointed but rather tapers outwardly from the wall, to thereby receive a lower pointed edge 84 of a further anchor member 68 between the wall and the upper edge 86. The reasoning behind the anchor member shape will be described in greater detail below. Although it is sufficient and preferable to have three receiving portions, the strip may include any number of receiving portions. Each receiving portion 78, 80 and 82 is in the form of ball socket which forms the receiving means for a skirting outer fascia member which will be described shortly.

The skirting anchor member 86 is fixed to the wall by either nails or suitable adhesive, and includes a recess 88 directly opposite the receiving portions, so that adhesive can be applied more suitably. If nailing the skirting anchor member 68 to the wall, nails can easily be driven through the anchor member. The receiving portions 78, 80 and 82 preferably run the full length of the skirting anchor member 68, but of course, this is not a requirement and although not illustrated, there may well be spaced apart receiving portions (not shown) along the length of the anchor member 68.

As with the cornice anchor member, the skirting anchor member length should be approximately within 50 mm of the length of the wall. In an alternate configuration, rather than there being a single elongate skirting anchor member lining an entire wall-floor junction, there may be a plurality of spaced apart skirting anchor members.

The primary skirting outer fascia 70 is that which is adapted to extend substantially along the length of the wall-floor junction. The skirting outer fascia includes an outer shell 90 having a slightly curved upper edge 92 terminating in a substantially horizontal end 94, and a lower right-angled edge 96 which also terminates into a substantially horizontal end 98. Extending inwardly from the outer shell 90 is a further internal projection 100 positioned adjacent the curved upper edge 92, as well as an attachment portion 102 approximately halfway between the internal projection 100 and the lower end 98 of the right-angled edge 96. The attachment portion 102 terminates into a ball 104 at its free end and is adapted to engage any one of the sockets 78, 80 or 82 of the skirting anchor member 68 by way of a snap-fit. Both upper and lower horizontal ends 94 and 98 are adapted to abut with the wall 62 once the skirting outer fascia 70 is attached. They each extend slightly beyond the projection 100 and attachment portion 102 to again ensure that during attachment, the outer fascia flexes slightly so that they bias against the wall 62, resulting in a skirting that is free of gaps.

The skilled addressee would realize that each receiving portion provides a different height above the floor 64 for the skirting outer fascia member 70 to be attached. Different types of floor covering obviously require skirtings to be mounted at different heights. For example, floors covered with carpet require skirtings to be installed slightly higher from the floor 64 than say a floor made up of wooden floor boards. Therefore a system which allows for skirtings to be removably installed at multiple heights is of extreme benefit. FIGS. 11-12 illustrate the lowermost mounting position, FIGS. 13-14 illustrate the middle mounting position, and FIGS. 15-16 illustrate the uppermost mounting position.

The length of the skirting primary outer fascia 70 should be less than the length of its associated anchor member 68 so as to allow for anchorage of the skirting corner fascia members shown in FIGS. 17-20, but long enough for their ends to be covered by them as shown in FIG. 9. FIGS. 17-18 illustrate a skirting internal corner fascia 72, whilst FIGS. 19-20 illustrate a skirting external corner fascia 74. The corner fascia members 72 and 74, and the mechanism by which they attach to the anchor member 68, are the same as that described above in connection with the skirting primary outer fascia attachment, and so will not be described again. Again, those skilled in the art would realize that the difference between the skirting corner members and the skirting elongate fascia members is in their overall size, which is stepped up so that they are able to cover the ends of the skirting primary outer fascia members when attached to the same anchor member 68. There is no bottom horizontal end associated with the bottom edge 96 of the skirting corner fascias, it simply extends to the floor. A further difference is that the attachment portion 102 does not extend the entire length of the corner member, as with the cornice corner fascias, it is simply in the form of a projection on each internal side of the skirting corner fascia member.

Once a receiving portion has been selected, there will be two free receiving portions that are not in use. A plurality of cable mounting clips (not shown), each having the same attachment portion to that of the skirting fascia, can be snap-fit to a free receiving portion along the skirting anchor member for the purpose of carrying cables within the skirting cavity.

Illustrated in FIGS. 21-22 is a riser assembly 16 adapted for the vertical junction between adjoining walls. The riser assembly 16 works on the same mounting principle as that of the cornice system 10 and so will not be described in any great detail. The difference between the riser assembly 16 and the wall-ceiling cornice assembly, is that there are no lips associated with the outer fascia 106 of the riser assembly, and the overall cross-sectional size of the assembly 16 is smaller. The concave section 108 of the riser assembly 16 is typically narrower than the concave section 48 of the cornice fascia so that even when the riser assembly is used, the join between walls still appears relatively abrupt. The main purpose for the riser assembly 16 is to allow for cables to be carried from the skirting cavity upwards through to the cornice.

The system of the present invention could also include a cable cavity (not shown) in the form of a picture rail lining the wall above the floor, which connects two riser assemblies. A similar anchor means to that which is described above could line the wall approximately two metres above the ground, and an outer fascia (not shown) could be extruded to any desired shape.

Although not shown, where the riser assembly is being used, both the cornice corner outer fascias 30 and 32, and the skirting corner outer fascias 72 and 74, may also include means to cover the upper and lower ends of the riser assembly 106. For example, the portion of the corner fascia adjacent the wall-wall junction could include an aperture of a shape which corresponds with the shape of the riser fascia.

It is to be understood that the skirting corner fascia members are not necessarily required and that a mitered outer fascia (not shown) could be used instead. Further, the decorative nature of the skirting cornice outer fascia members 72 and 74 as illustrated and described is by way of example only, and alternately shaped and decorated outer fascias could equally well be attached to the anchor member 68.

For example, skirtings often have larger profiles that that which is shown. In such circumstances, two skirting anchor members 68a and 68b could be used. As previously mentioned, the upper tapered end 86a of the skirting member 68a is adapted to receive a lower pointed end 84b of a further skirting anchor member 68b between the end and the wall 62. Once two skirting anchors 68a and 68b are coupled to each other vertically, as shown in FIG. 23, then this provides the further attachment means necessary for a skirting outer fascia of larger height (not shown).

The skirting system, as described, may also double as an architrave system for lining the wall 62 at the junction between the wall 62 and any doors, windows or the like in the room (not shown). There is little reason to have three different mounting positions for architraves, and so although not shown, the anchor member 68 could be modified to include only one attachment portion. Although architraves can be applied to other objects lining the wall, only doors/windows are referred to in the following description for the purpose of brevity.

The skirting anchor member 68 is adapted to be mounted to the wall 62 around the perimeter of the door/window such that its lower pointed end 84 is fixed adjacent the perimeter. As with the internal and external corners of the walls, it is necessary to cover the corners of the doors/windows with an appropriate architrave corner fascia.

Illustrated in FIGS. 24-25 is an architrave corner assembly 110. These have been specifically designed to cover skirting outer fascias which meet at right angles, as is indeed the case at the base of a door for example, where a horizontal skirting will meet a vertical architrave, and at the upper end of a door, where a vertical skirting lining the side perimeter of a door will meet the horizontal skirting lining the upper perimeter of the door. Each architrave corner member 110 comprises a substantially square housing 112 including four side walls 114, 116, 118 and 120, and two openings 122 and 124 on adjacent sides 114 and 116 thereof which are dimensioned to correspond with the external shape of the skirting outer shell 90, and is of an overall size that when it clips onto the ends of two perpendicularly aligned anchor members by way of correspondingly positioned attachment portions 126 and 128, such as at a base of a door frame for example, it covers the ends of the outer fascia members associated therewith for an aesthetically pleasing look. The anchor member and outer fascia surrounding the doors and windows need not necessarily be the identical to the skirting assembly, and so it is to be understood that either of the corner member openings 122 or 124 could be shaped to suit alternately designed outer fascias.

Those skilled in the art would realize the benefit of the above skirting system. Should a skirting need to be disassembled for any reason, such as for renovating, or re-painting, or for applying a different floor covering, the skirting fascia members can be easily removed and then replaced at a desired level above the floor. Again, skirting fascias often need to be painted a different colour to the wall and so a system which allows for it to be painted/finished prior to installation is advantageous. The skirting/riser configuration also allows for electrical wires to run through the cavity created within the skirting. The configuration also allows for future product ranges such as snap on power/phone/network outlets to be snap fit to the skirting anchor member and thereby match the skirting profile. Should a section be damaged, the fascia members may easily be detached for repair or replacement. If a user wishes to install a new skirting profile, then this is also possible.

The cornice/skirting system of the present invention thus provides a complete system for fitting out a home with wall-wall, wall-ceiling, and wall-floor lining, with benefits prior to installation, and post-installation.

Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

In any claims that follow and in the summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprising” is used in the sense of “including”, i.e. the features specified may be associated with further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A lining assembly for a room having a floor, a wall and a ceiling, said lining assembly characterised by:

an anchor means adapted to be fixed at a junction between two surfaces associated with said floor, wall, or ceiling;

an outer fascia removably attachable to said anchor means, said outer fascia including at least one contact edge adapted to abut with and bias against any one or both of said surfaces when the outer fascia is attached.

2. A lining assembly as characterised in claim 1, wherein the anchor means includes at least one plane section adapted for securing the anchor means to the ceiling or wall.

3. A lining assembly as characterised in claim 1 wherein said anchor means further includes a receiving portion formed integrally with the plane section.

4. A lining assembly as characterised in claim 3 wherein said outer fascia comprises an elongate body including an attachment portion formed integrally therewith, said attachment portion and receiving portion being removably engageable by way of a snap-fit.

5. A cornice assembly for lining a wall and ceiling junction, said cornice assembly characterised by:

an anchor member adapted to be fixed along the junction; and

an elongate outer fascia removably attachable to said anchor member, said outer fascia including longitudinal edges adapted to abut with and bias against the wall and ceiling when the outer fascia is attached to the anchor member.

6. A cornice assembly as characterised in claim 5 wherein the anchor member comprises a first plane section adapted for securing the anchor means to the wall, and a second plane section adapted for securing the anchor means to the ceiling, said first and second plane sections being aligned substantially perpendicularly.

7. A cornice assembly as characterised in claim 5 wherein said anchor member further includes a rigid receiving portion positioned between said first and second plane sections.

8. A cornice assembly as characterised in claim 7 wherein the rigid receiving portion is configured such that when the anchor member is fixed to the ceiling and wall, the receiving portion extends downwardly and outwardly from the wall at an angle of approximately 45 degrees therefrom.

9. A cornice assembly as characterised in claim 5 wherein said first plane section, said second plane section and said receiving portion are integrally formed.

10. A cornice assembly as characterised in claim 5 wherein the outer fascia includes an attachment portion configured to engage the anchor member receiving portion by way of a snap-fit.

11. A cornice assembly as characterised in claim 5 wherein the outer fascia includes a concave body along the length of the fascia, whereby said attachment portion extends outwardly from the underside of the body, and said longitudinal edges are in the form of upstanding lips formed integrally therewith.

12. A cornice assembly as characterised in claim 5 wherein said cornice assembly further includes corner fascias for use at internal and external corners of the wall.

13. A cornice assembly as characterised in claim 12 wherein said corner fascias include at least one attachment member adapted to removably engage an anchor member receiving portion associated with at least one of two adjoining walls.

14. A cornice assembly as characterised in claim 12 wherein said corner fascia is of a size whereby once attached, it substantially covers the ends of outer fascias which are attached to anchor members fixed to two adjoining walls.

15. A skirting assembly for lining a wall and floor junction, said skirting assembly characterised by:

an anchor member adapted to be fixed to the wall along the junction; and

an elongate outer fascia removably attachable to said anchor member at one or more predetermined heights above the floor, said outer fascia including longitudinal edges adapted to abut with and bias against the wall when the outer fascia is attached to the anchor member.

16. A skirting assembly as characterised in claim 15 wherein the anchor member comprises a plane section adapted for securing the anchor means to the wall.

17. A skirting assembly as characterised in claim 15 wherein said anchor member further includes at least one rigid receiving portion extending outwardly with respect to the wall.

18. A skirting assembly as characterised in claim 17 wherein said anchor member includes three rigid receiving portions positioned at different heights above the floor.

19. A skirting assembly as characterised in claim 15 wherein said plane section and said at least one rigid receiving portion are integrally formed.

20. A skirting assembly as characterised in claim 15 wherein the outer fascia includes an attachment portion configured to engage any one of the anchor member receiving portions by way of a snap-fit.

21. A skirting assembly as characterised in claim 15 wherein the outer fascia is in the form of a thin housing having a curved upper end terminating in a first horizontal edge, and a perpendicular lower edge terminating in a second horizontal edge, said first and second horizontal edges constituting said longitudinal edges.

22. A skirting assembly as characterised in claim 21 wherein said attachment portion extends inwardly from an internal surface of said housing.

23. A skirting assembly as characterised in claim 15 wherein said anchor member is configured to enable two anchor members to be coupled vertically one above the other.

24. A skirting assembly as characterised in claim 15 wherein said skirting assembly further includes corner fascias for use at internal and external corners of the wall.

25. A skirting assembly as characterised in claim 24 wherein said corner fascias include at least one attachment member adapted to removably engage an anchor member receiving portion associated with at least one of two adjoining walls.

26. A skirting assembly as characterized in claim 24 wherein said corner fascia is of a size whereby once attached, it substantially covers the ends of outer fascias which are attached to anchor members fixed to two adjoining walls.