A Designer’s Mid-Century Renovation, Down to the Baseboards
Interior designer Jana Bek replaced every rusted baseboard heater cover in her 1969 house. We asked her about which covers she chose, how she handled the long walls, and how it impacted the overall design.
When interior designer and creator Jana Bek and her husband took on their 1969 mid-century modern house, one of the items on their long to-do list was replacing the old, rusted baseboard heater covers. The baseboard heaters ran through most of the main living spaces, which meant they were visible in almost every photograph she would ever take of the finished house.
She replaced all of them with Baseboarders Premium slip-on covers, which meant she could do it herself with no plumber, no contractor, and no touching the heating system underneath. Below, she walks us through her process.
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Jana Bek Interior designer and founder of Jana Bek Design, a home décor and interiors studio she launched in 2013. She studied at the University of Michigan and Parsons School of Design and worked as a home décor buyer at One Kings Lane before starting her own line of luxury home décor products. |
The project at a glance
| Home | Built 1969 |
|---|---|
| Style | Mid-century modern |
| Scope | Whole-home renovation |
| Rooms with baseboard | Living room, primary bedroom, primary bathroom, plus additional living spaces |
| Heating system | Hydronic (hot water) baseboard |
| Previous covers | Original, rusted |
| Product | Baseboarders Premium Slip-On Baseboard Steel Heater Cover |
| Finish | Standard White, powder coat |
| Material | 22-gauge galvanized steel panels, 18-gauge end caps |
| Installation | Slip-on over the existing backplates; no tools, no contractor |
| Photography | Jana Bek Design |
Tell us about the project and your overall design vision for the home.
Our 1969 home is a complete renovation. It was badly neglected by the previous owner, but my husband and I immediately saw all of the potential it had to honor its original mid-century modern character — just in a fresher, more thoughtful way. We’re keeping the elements we love while getting rid of some of the not-so-charming aspects, like outdated, rusted baseboard heater covers, popcorn ceilings, and paneled walls. Our goal is to create a home that feels true to its era but also colorful, modern, warm, and livable.
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From the Baseboarders team Why mid-century houses are hard on baseboard heater covers Mid-century modern aesthetics are unusually unforgiving about baseboard heaters. The style leans on long horizontal lines, low sightlines, and uninterrupted wall planes, so a dented or rusted cover is noticeable right away. A flat-fronted slip-on cover in white keeps the horizontal lines intact and reads as trim rather than as equipment, which is usually what the room wants. |
Mid-renovation Jana with a new cover ready to go on.
What challenge did the existing baseboard heaters present, both aesthetically and functionally?
The existing baseboard heater covers were one of those details that immediately made the house feel dated and neglected. They were rusted, worn, and visually distracting, especially against the updated finishes we were introducing throughout the home. Since the baseboard heaters run through several of our main living spaces, I knew replacing them would make a surprisingly big difference in the overall look of the rooms. I wanted a solution that would feel intentional and blend seamlessly with the new design rather than simply looking like a replacement for an old heater cover.
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From the Baseboarders team Rust on baseboard heater covers Rust is often the reason homeowners want to replace old covers, and bathrooms are where it starts. More on that here: How to Fix Rusting Baseboard Heater Covers in the Bathroom. |
The primary bathroom A single short run, with a Basic Slip-On Cover.
What led you to choose Baseboarders for the project, and what stood out compared with other options you considered?
What initially drew me to Baseboarders was their sleek, modern appearance. The other covers I looked at didn’t have the clean, contemporary look I wanted for the house. The durability of the product also stood out, and the customer reviews on the website and Instagram gave me confidence that this was a beautiful solution in both form and function!
The finished living room The Premium Slip-On Cover runs beneath the windows, adjacent to the stone accent wall.
What was your installation experience like with the Baseboarders covers? Was anything easier or different than you expected?
Even before installing, the process of measuring and ordering the covers was a breeze. I first ordered a cover for our primary bathroom, which was a short run, so measuring was easy. For the larger runs in the other rooms, I took initial measurements but reached out to the customer care team to be sure. A special shout-out to Debra — she helped me fine-tune my measurements and divide the longer runs into sections that would look best visually.
And installation was literally a snap! They took seconds to install and fit right over our existing backplates, which made the whole process incredibly easy.
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From the Baseboarders team Measuring long runs A baseboard heater run that spans a whole wall will likely need multiple cover pieces, joined together with couplers. But where the seams fall should be a decision—not an accident. A good rule of thumb: try to break the run into evenly sized sections. For example, an 8-foot run should use two 4-foot panels and one coupler; a 15-foot run should use three 5-foot panels and 2 couplers. If you need custom sizes for your run, we’ll custom cut your panels at no charge. |
Inside corner Two runs meet with a clean seam at the corner.
How did the new covers contribute to the finished space?
The new covers have completely modernized our spaces. They’re one of those details that might seem small, but they make a surprisingly big difference. Once the old, rusted covers were replaced with the clean lines of Baseboarders, the rooms immediately felt more finished, polished, and intentional.
“Once the old, rusted covers were replaced with the clean lines of Baseboarders, the rooms immediately felt more finished, polished, and intentional.”
Jana Bek, Jana Bek Design
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From the Baseboarders team Covers and backplates A quick note on vocabulary: the cover is the removable outer enclosure, and the backplate is the fixed metal panel behind the heating element that the cover hangs on. Slip-on covers go over the backplate you already have. |
Bedroom A baseboard heater cover along the wall of a bedroom.
As an interior designer, how important are details like baseboard heater covers to a finished space, and would you consider using Baseboarders on future projects?
Details like this are incredibly important to me as a designer. It’s often the small, functional elements that can either elevate a space or make it feel unfinished. When you’re renovating an entire home, it’s easy to focus on the big-ticket items and overlook things like baseboard heater covers, but those details really do add up.
I would absolutely consider using Baseboarders on future projects. They solve a very practical problem while also allowing you to maintain a clean, intentional aesthetic — and that combination is always a win in my book.
The living room A new white baseboard heater cover runs beneath the full wall of windows.
The bottom line
Baseboard heater covers are easy to leave off a renovation list; they’re rarely a room’s biggest problem, and replacing them doesn’t feel like a design decision. But in a house like Jana’s, where the baseboard heaters run through every main room, it can have outsize impact — and it’s among the few renovation upgrades a homeowner can finish quickly, without a contractor, a plumber, or an electrician.
Jana’s covers are Premium slip-on covers for hydronic baseboard heaters. If your baseboard heat is electric, the covers are different — they are built to the clearances electric elements require — but the slip-on approach is the same.
Shop Hydronic Covers →Shop Electric Covers →
Photography by Kate Bek.