In most cases, painting wood trim white will increase the value of your home. White trim can make your rooms appear larger, brighter, and more welcoming. Painting trim can highlight and enhance architectural features such as a beautiful staircase or built-in cabinetry.
White is certainly a dependable option for trim, but remember that it's not the only one. Rather than white, Goodloe says that she prefers to paint trim a darker color than the walls. This unexpected option is sure to make a good impression and elevate any space.
In the context of modern design trends, white or lightly painted trim offers a clean, updated, and versatile look, resonating with a broad audience. Such a fresh coat can brighten spaces, make them appear larger, and provide flexibility in room design, potentially boosting the property's appeal to prospective buyers.
Whether you personally love them or not, white is the most timeless paint color for kitchen cabinets (and trim). If you're looking for the safest bet for your cabinets with the best chance of holding value in the coming years, white cabinets are where it's at.
Interior areas of your home with trim may include baseboards, crown molding, doors, windows, and window frames. Painting the interior trim of an average-sized home will cost between $500 and $2,000 or $1 to $4 per linear foot.
The cost of quality paint and professional painting services is often considerably lower than the cost of new materials and installation.
A versatile classic, White Dove OC-17 is a homeowner favorite for trim paint because of its subtle touch of warmth. For trim with cooler wall colors: White Heron OC-57 and Decorator's White OC-149 are two favorite trim paint colors for walls with cool undertones—think greens, blues, violets, and cool grays.
As popular and classic as white or off-white for trim might be, some designers are calling the look dated and suggest you consider an alternative. LA-based designer and entrepreneur Loren Weiss is one of them. "Out: white ceiling and trim...
Achieving a Smooth Finish on Trim
For a smooth finish on trim, use a high-quality sash brush or a foam roller. Apply the paint in long, even strokes. Avoid overloading your brush or roller, and sand between coats for the best results. For added durability, consider using a water-based enamel paint.
When you use bright colors to make a room look bigger, you'll almost always want to opt for a bright white ceiling and trim. They'll enlarge your space even more by visually expanding the boundaries of your room.
Neutral Colors Have the Best Resale Value
The study found that homes with dark gray or light blue-gray exterior colors sold for more than similar homes with other colors. Homes with a creamy bright yellow to a flax yellow or warm yellow with brown undertones sold for $3,408 less compared to homes in other colors.
Durability: Stained baseboards hold up better over time than painted ones, showing less of the daily wear and tear than paint. Stained wood hides defects, and the stain penetrates deeper into the wood than paint, making it more difficult to scratch off.
Straight and unadorned baseboards
Minimalistic baseboards with straight, simple lines will be a hallmark of modern interiors this year.
White is classic, highlights any colour it's paired with and focuses your attention on walls and furniture. So often we pick a shade of white paint for trim, doors and ceilings. People forget that paint is the most inexpensive way to get creative in a space.
Pro Painter's Tip: Never pass the brush across wet paint, because it will leave a mark. Always start two feet away and feather the painted sections together for a professional finish without brush marks. Paints like ADVANCE have longer dry times so they can self-level. There is no need to overbrush a first coat.
The general rule when painting both trimwork and walls is to paint the trim first. Apply two coats of paint to the trim and let it fully dry before painting the walls. Another trimwork painting rule is to choose a color that's different from the wall color. Be sure to use the same color for all trim.
Paint Your Trim with Ease
brush is better. Your unique paint trim project will help you decide. If you're unsure, use both the roller and the brush to make your painting project as easy as possible.
Do you paint walls or trim first? From a professional point of view, with interior painting, it makes the most sense to paint your trim first, then ceilings, and then your walls. It's much easier and faster to tape off trim than to tape off your walls.
Business Insider asked color experts which hues are on their way out in 2025. Black may seem sophisticated, but it's not a great choice for long-term livability. More people will phase out colors like olive green and mustard yellow in favor of softer hues.
Benjamin Moore White Dove is one of the most popular white colors for trim and interior painting. This classic shade of white is perfect for creating a timeless look in any room, while still providing an updated feel. It's also great for highlighting other elements within the space since it won't overpower them.
'White trim provides a crisp, clean, and modern look and makes a perfect accent to any paint shade, be it white, grey, or color. While colored trim is certainly fun and a great way to add a pop to your space, white trim is a classic that will never go out of style.
The most common and best sheen for interior trim is a satin or semi-gloss finish. Satin paint finishes have a medium sheen and are durable and easy to clean. Semi-gloss paint finishes have a higher sheen and stand out in a room. They are easy to clean and stand up to dirt, stains, mold, and mildew.
SW 7006Extra White
For a clean and crisp look, this white does the trick. Its high light reflectivity makes it an ideal choice for trim and ceilings.
Makes Your Space Look Bigger
When your trim blends with the wall, you're keeping it free from contrast or secondary colors, creating the illusion that your space could continue forever. If you already have a room with high ceilings, painting everything in one color will create an even loftier look.