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.
Paint has improved since then, so our current go-to is satin for baseboards and trim and eggshell for walls. Either satin or semi-gloss will work well for baseboards. You'll just want something that is a little glossier than flat or eggshell to make it easier to wipe off scuffs and other markings.
Semi-gloss finish: This is the best finish for your trims such as baseboards, mouldings and even cabinets and doors.
Semi-gloss baseboard paint is a great choice for baseboards for several reasons. First, having a higher sheen on your baseboards makes them stand out! It provides a striking visual contrast to the more matte walls. Second, semi-gloss paint is one of the most durable paint sheens.
And many design experts consider white the perfect color for any trim, regardless of interior style or wall color. With dark walls, white trim lightens and brightens the room while making the wall color really "pop." And when walls are painted light or muted colors, white trim makes the color appear crisp and clean.
Lighter Baseboards Are Often Easier to Coordinate with Other Trim. If your room has any other paneling or trim, such as wainscoting, crown molding, or chair rails, you'll typically want to match your baseboards to this trim. In many cases, this leads people to select a baseboard color that's lighter than their walls.
Dark and Dramatic: Embracing Bold Colors
While white and neutral trim will always have their place in interior design, 2024 welcomes the resurgence of bold, dark-colored wood trim. Dark wood trim can add depth and drama to a space which creates a stunning contrast with lighter walls.
Is it better to paint trim with a roller or brush? Brushing is generally the best option for most trim.
If your current design is traditional, farmhouse, industrial, or craftsman – go for simple, flat, and angular baseboards. If your home's design is more bohemian, colonial, or shabby chic – opt for ornate curves. For new traditional, use curves and bevels to make an impact.
Satin paint has less of a sheen than semi-gloss and sits right in the middle of the luster options. Semi-gloss reflects more light, which can help brighten up cramped or dim spaces, but the shine can be a bit much if it's on larger surfaces, like entire walls.
The best paint type for trim is a waterborne alkyd paint like Advance® Interior, which goes on smooth and cures to a hard, furniture-quality finish and is available in over 3,500 colors.
Should I paint the front door satin or semi-gloss? Satin finishes are great for hiding imperfections and providing an elegant look that can last longer than other types of paint. Semi-gloss is more durable, making it ideal for high-traffic areas such as entryways.
Here are some additional colors to consider for interior trim and baseboard paint or kitchen cabinets: Benjamin Moore Super White, BM Linen White, BM White Cloud, Sherwin Williams Pure White, and SW High Reflective White are good alternatives to the colors we have listed above.
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.
Is satin paint too shiny for walls? In most cases, satin paint isn't too shiny for walls. In fact, satin is likely the glossiest sheen that will work on walls. However, if you're looking to hide imperfections on your walls, opting for a flatter finish will be better.
If you want to paint your baseboards fast...
Choose a water-based paint, either semi-gloss or satin.
Use the same white paint color for the crown molding, ceiling, and trim. This is by far the most popular choice among homeowners, providing an undeniably classic, uniform look.
Modern Trim
The contemporary baseboard trim style typically contains minimum curves, corners edges, designs etc. It is a more minimalistic look. Some profiles only display a couple of edges while traditional has many different components to each baseboard trim profiles.
Colonial trim features clean lines and simple geometric shapes, making it a timeless choice for both traditional and contemporary homes. It typically consists of a flat board called a casing, which surrounds the window frame, and a decorative molding called a stool or apron at the bottom.
Spray The Trim With A First Coat
It's time for your first top coat, which should be a high quality trim paint! At Culver's Painting, we use Sherwin Williams' Pro Classic or Emerald Urethane. These premium products are specially designed for woodwork and will provide a beautiful and durable finish.
Paint the Trim and Baseboards
In most cases, we recommend painting your trim before your walls. Let the paint dry, then tape off the trim and move on to the walls. Using high-quality semi-gloss paint will protect the wood as well as leave a pleasing shine to your trim and baseboards.
A smaller foam roller for painting, sometimes called picture roller, can help you handle painting requirements for different types of molding, trim frames, and other smaller painting tasks. You can achieve a neat trim with these 3 to 4 inch roller designs.
It's all about cohesive design. Traditional crown moulding profiles look their best in similarly traditional spaces. Likewise, they don't tend to look very good in more modern design aesthetics. One could say crown is outdated in this sense, but this isn't a weakness of crown moulding.
Tiffany Monreal, one of our expert designers at Revive, sums it up: “Yes, white paint is still trending, but it's all about moving toward warmer and softer shades in 2024.” This shift reflects a broader design trend—creating spaces that feel lived-in and welcoming.
Although we are able to make any type of trim style in any material you want, our most popular wood trim options are MDF, Poplar, Red Oak and White Oak so we are going to focus on discussing those in this article.