When it comes to trim, baseboards, doors, moldings, etc. a white paint color is the most popular choice. It provides a beautiful contrast to the wall color, really making it pop.
Opt for a cool white trim color. If all else fails: "A clean, neutral white will have a fresh, modern look that pairs well with pretty much any color." "Just like you would any other color, test your trim paint to make sure you love it in your space and that it looks good with your walls," Gibbons recommends.
White Walls and White Trim
White is a classic paint color for a reason. If you're looking to achieve a fresh, traditional look, white on white is a no-brainer. Neutral furnishings help this space to appear even more sunny and spacious.
Should my trim be lighter or darker than my walls? There are no set rules on whether your trim should be lighter or darker than your walls, it completely depends on your overall design and vision for your chosen space.
Joanna often uses Sherwin Williams Alabaster for her trim, and occasionally Sherwin Williams Pure White. Use one color for trim throughout your home and you'll have a home where rooms just flow from one into the next.
1: White or Ivory
Shiplap has been put in and new wood floors have been installed, as seen on Fixer Upper. The ideal shade to use on living room walls, even if they're not covered in shiplap. Suggested Paints: Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams or Honeymilk by Valspar.
Sherwin Williams – Alabaster
Joanna painted the main living areas of her own farmhouse Alabaster and she continually uses it in homes she designs on Fixer Upper as well. It's a great color to use on walls and trim both. We painted the shiplap in Mouse House this color.
When it comes to trim, baseboards, doors, moldings, etc. a white paint color is the most popular choice. It provides a beautiful contrast to the wall color, really making it pop.
'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.
However, the trim often gets beat-up, so it is important to factor this in as well. For these reasons, an eggshell finish for trim is typically the go-to for the pros. It has a light shine and will stand up to scuffs and dings from say the vacuum or children playing. Plus, it is easy to scrub clean.
White. White is, of course, always a good paint choice, because it feels elegant, fresh and clean. Plus, Gibbons says, “black and white are the most timeless colors you'll find anywhere and the most timeless color combination.”
BLUE. One of the most popular colors in the U.S. is blue. A preppy classic and never out of style, blue is a perfect color for a timeless look. Blues are soothing and navy blue is especially complementary to most hard and soft furnishings.
If your floor plan is REALLY open, then yes, using the same trim color makes sense – but in that case, you might be using the same wall color everywhere anyway. Sticking with various off-whites in most of your rooms is a safe bet.
White reflects light well, making a room look and feel larger, says Liz Toombs, president of PDR Interiors, an interior decorating firm in Kentucky. Warm whites, in particular, can help soften darker hues and create the illusion of more space, she says.
SW Extra White (color review) is one of Sherwin-Williams' most popular paint colors – one of their top 5 best sellers and one of the Top 50 Paint Colors. Many houses in North America use Extra White in one way or another, especially as a white trim color. It's also used as a base for many Sherwin-Williams colors.
The color you paint interior doors and trim does not have to be the same — but it can be. If you are looking for a subtle door paint idea, you can paint the trim to match the door. Alternatively, contrasting colors for the trim and door could make the door pop against the wall if that is the look you want.
'Satin and eggshell finishes are the most popular for woodwork because they balance durability without being too shiny,' says Helen. 'A satin or eggshell has a light sheen that makes a surface feel solid without looking too shiny.
Decorator's White has been considered a classic color for trim for many years. It is on the cooler side, with just the slightest blue-gray undertone to it, yet still comes across as soft, and not overly harsh. It tends to work best with cooler paint colors, and can give you the nice crisp white you're looking for.
Con: You Can't Do White on White
Doing things like filling the wall space with art, photos and decor can work, but you'll be filling nearly all of the space. You can also get away with it by combining it with bold hardwood floors, and ornate trim that stands out because of texture and shape, rather than color.
Perhaps no color hides dust and light debris better than beige, which makes it a natural choice for trim in lesser-used rooms.
Alkyd/Oil Based
Oil-based paint is the classic trim paint. If you have a house that is at least a few decades old, chances are good that the trim was painted with oil-based paint. Oil-based trim paint results in superior, glass-like finishes with minimal to zero brush marks.
Painting all window and door trim, crown molding and baseboards the same colour provides consistency, but is not a rule. For example, only black baseboards will anchor a room while having only black crown moulding will frame the ceiling and draw your eye up. Similarly, door casings and doors don't have to match.
All of Joanna's favorite color combos have one aspect in common: They include white. In her four favorite color combinations, she pairs white with cream, bold blue, gray, and light blue or green. The white and cream color combo offers a bit more versatility.
Joanna loves using grays in her homes for the main living spaces. Some of her favorites are Sherwin Williams Mindful gray, Oyster Pearl, and Passive Gray. Repose Gray is one shade lighter than Mindful and would look fabulous for an open living space.
Another fun fact? Joanna Gaines has used Alabaster so much it's one of her favorite colors! She painted the main living areas of her own farmhouse Alabaster and she continually uses it in homes she designs on Fixer Upper as well.