Which Color Interior Trim Looks The Best?

This designer-approved guide to choosing wall trim colors is a comprehensive guide on the topic. Trim refers to the molding in interior spaces and can be painted in various colors, from classic white to bold hues. The guide covers 11 trim paint ideas for your home, including Benjamin Moore’s Chartreuse and natural wood. It also provides tips for choosing white, contrasting, or wood trim, and examples of different color schemes.

Interior trim doesn’t always have to be pure white; interior contrast trim color ideas can inspire you with a variety of hues, from pale or pastel to dramatic jewel tone. Cloud White OC-130 and Simply White OC-117 are great choices for trim next to warmer wall colors like reds, oranges, yellows, beiges, and tans.

The guide recommends avoiding flat/matte finishes for trim, as it typically looks better with a glossier finish. A stark white looks best with clearer, cleaner colors and blue or violet under-toned greys. White Dove is a soft white that plays well with other colors and is recommended for off-white or cream and contrasting wall and trim color combinations.

Special hardwoods like oak, cherry, and maple are recommended for clear-finished trim work. White is considered the most popular trim color due to its ability to make a home look new and clean. Greige, a mix between gray and beige, offers warmth to trim that white paint cannot provide.

Should trim be lighter or darker than the walls?

Light trim colors are ideal for classic or traditional homes with robust architectural features, adding elegance and brightness to the space. White is often the universally acceptable choice for trim, especially for dark walls, as it makes the room feel lighter and brightens windows and doorways. The bright colors of light trim reflect light, making darker rooms appear more inviting. If you have a lighter room and want light moulding, white trim can still add brightness and cohesiveness.

For contemporary homes, choosing a trim color that is the same color or tinted similarly to the walls can create an open, airy feel. Warm-colored walls complement warmer paints, while cold-colored walls look best with cool-toned trim in the same shade or hues. Making the trim the same color as the walls or very close to it helps bring the room together and gives it a smooth, almost seamless finish.

How to pick trim color?

To create a cohesive look, paint all trim in the main areas of the house the same color. However, experiment with unique wall and trim color combinations in personal spaces like bedrooms and bathrooms. Within a room, paint all trim the same unless you want to emphasize elements. For example, a salvaged antique mantel can be left unstained, while the baseboard, crown molding, door frames, and window frames are painted creamy white. To enhance wainscoting or other wall treatments, paint baseboards a similar color but all window and door frames white. Test the paint on a poster board before starting the trim.

What is the most popular interior trim color?

White Dove OC-17 is a popular choice for trim paint due to its warmth and subtle touch. For walls with cooler undertones, White Heron OC-57 and Decorator’s White OC-149 are preferred. Interior trim colors can be used to create a variety of styles, from crisp white shades to saturated hues that make decorative features pop. There is no such thing as “trim paint”, and quality paint used on walls or ceilings is suitable for trim. Experts at local stores can help choose the product that best suits your project.

Advance ® Interior, a popular choice for professional painters and DIYers, is engineered with Gennex ® Color Technology and is available in over 3, 500 colors. Benjamin Moore’s premium paints can be used on trim, but Advance ® Interior is a great choice for professional painters and DIYers due to its hard, furniture-quality finish and outstanding coverage and hide.

What color to paint baseboards and interior doors?

Matching door paint to wall paint can create a seamless look in a room. If using a color other than white or eggshell, use white or eggshell for ceiling and trim or leave the trim in natural wood. Avoid dark colors for interior doors exposed to direct sunlight as they may fade. Choose a finishing coat resistant to water, wear, heat, chemicals, and liquids. Keep trim in natural wood color, protected with a stain, as it degrades more quickly in high-traffic areas.

There is no set rule for interior paint colors, but it is recommended to stay consistent throughout the home for continuity. The Design Center staff can help builders and homeowners turn their bathroom design visions into reality.

What color trim is timeless?

White is a classic paint color that can be used to create a fresh, traditional look. Neutral furnishings can make the space appear more sunny and spacious. If you prefer a soft gray color, pairing white walls with gray trim can be a comfortable choice. A happy-hued trim paired with peppy wallpaper can be appreciated by both young and old. The light blue trim, drawing from the rainbow-inspired pattern, can complement various wall covering styles. Overall, white on white is a versatile and comfortable choice for any room.

What color do painters use for trim?

Trim can be used as a complementary or contrasting color to existing interior colors, creating harmony and bringing the space together. Many people choose lighter or slightly darker shades of white, cream, natural wood, stain, or black to complement a wall. White or stained wood trim is often used to compliment a wall, but contrasting colors can also be used to make the interior wall color pop. Darker trim colors, like black, are often used to call out or accent features like windows and doors, making them stand out within the room. This darker trim color option has gained popularity recently. Overall, trim color plays a crucial role in creating a cohesive and visually appealing space.

What color trim makes a room look bigger?

Moulding can be a powerful tool in creating a larger, more spacious room. By choosing the right colors for trim, you can add depth and create the illusion of pushing the walls further out. For example, a lighter trim can extend the ceiling and make it look taller. White trim over darker walls can also achieve the desired effect. Chair rail moulding, installed at the height of a chair back, can break up a wall into two distinct areas, adding depth and dimension to a small room.

By painting the area above the chair rail a lighter color and the area below a darker one, you can convey a higher ceiling and a larger space. By carefully considering the design and color of your trim, you can maximize the potential of your space.

What color trim is in style in 2024?

Moody blues are a popular color choice for setting off natural wood trims and doors, such as maple, oak, or white oak. They provide a beautiful backdrop that allows woodwork to shine. Introducing blues in millwork details can complement warm tones in flooring and furniture, creating a stunning compliment to the space. A basement in an Activa model home in Kitchener, Ontario, features a navy basement with a contrasting white contemporary baseboard and casing.

Rich browns like Behr’s Wild Mustang are perfect for metallic hardware, such as brass or brushed gold knobs and handles. Benjamin Moore’s Bleeker Beige is a great neutral for kitchen or bathroom cabinets, with warm gray undertones giving them a sleek, modern appeal without stealing the spotlight.

Should baseboards be white or same color as walls?

Matching trim and walls in the same color adds height and elevates design, according to designers Mark Williams and Niki Papadopoulos. This seamless method can make rooms appear spacious and elegant, especially in small formal living or dining rooms. Goodloe, a designer, loves using just one color for both elements in high-impact spaces, such as powder rooms, bars, and dining rooms. This method is particularly effective in small, high-impact spaces, as it creates a powerful impression and is often loved by people. Overall, using one color for both elements can make a significant impact in a space.

What color is replacing the gray 2024 interior?

Beige is a popular neutral color that brightens spaces and evokes a sense of calm and timelessness. Its warmer, more organic feel makes it an ideal backdrop for various design elements. Beige can be paired with colorful art, textured furnishings, and natural materials like wood and stone to create layered, interesting spaces. It works well in kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms, providing a neutral yet cosy foundation that can be easily updated with different accents over time. Warm whites, like Alabaster and Simply White, add a touch of cosiness and softness to interiors, making them popular among designers.

What color should your baseboards be?

White or off-white paint is ideal for classic or traditional interiors, as it can highlight the historical or intricate qualities of the trim. White trim lightens and brightens the room, making the wall color “pop”. Pure white, also known as cool or blue white, is ideal for rooms with great natural light and pairs well with cool-toned walls. In northern climates or rooms with limited natural light, creamy whites with warm undertones are recommended.

A trend has grown in selecting dark colors for trim, even black, as it gives a room more depth and effectively frames views when used on window casings. Dark trim contrasts well with some of today’s trendiest room colors, such as soft aquas, powder blues, greens, and grays. Dark trim doesn’t have to be just dark brown or black; consider selecting a color several shades deeper than the wall color.

In addition to wall color, trim can affect the size, shape, appearance, and mood of a room. Homes built in the late 19th century and earlier typically featured intricate woodwork stained or varnished in colors ranging from mahogany to honey.