For baseboards, the best paint is a highly durable, scuff-resistant formula in a semi-gloss finish. Top-tier choices include Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel, Benjamin Moore Advance, or BEHR PREMIUM Cabinet, Door & Trim Paint. These self-leveling enamels cure to a hard, smooth finish that withstands regular bumps, vacuuming, and cleaning.
For a goes-with-anything soft white trim:
A versatile classic, White Dove OC-17 is a homeowner favorite for trim paint because of its subtle touch of warmth.
For baseboards, it's best to choose a sheen right in the middle of the spectrum, such as semi-gloss. 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.
Semi-Gloss (Trim Paint): Best for baseboards, moldings, doors, cabinets and high-traffic zones like hallways and mudrooms. It's tougher, more stain-resistant and built to handle wear and tear.
When choosing between Pure White and Extra White for trim (often compared in Sherwin-Williams paints), choose Extra White for a crisp, modern, and true-white look. Choose Pure White if you want a softer, slightly warmer trim that blends more naturally with transitional or warm-toned wall colors.
The best Sherwin-Williams white for trim depends on your wall color and lighting, but the top designer-recommended choices are Pure White (SW 7005), Extra White (SW 7006), and Alabaster (SW 7008).
The current trend for baseboards favors minimalist, clean, and seamless designs. The most popular styles are tall, flat-stock profiles with square or slightly eased edges, frequently painted the exact same color as the walls to elongate the room visually.
The choice between using an oil-based paint or an acrylic, water-based paint for your baseboards and trim is going to be determined on a project-by-project basis.
When Would you Not Use Eggshell Paint? It would help if you did not use this finish in high-traffic areas or on constantly touched objects—for example, kitchen cabinets and bathrooms. Instead, you would use a gloss because it's washable and withstands moisture better.
For the best finish on baseboards, use a combination of both. Cut into the top and bottom edges with an angled paintbrush, then use a 4-inch high-density foam or microfiber roller for the flat, broad surfaces to prevent brush marks and achieve a professional, smooth look.
Water Based Paints Stay White For Longer.
You want to keep color temperature in mind again when choosing a white trim paint. A warm white is a perpetual favorite that's versatile and inviting but is also the best choice to pair with other warm hues like reds, oranges or warm neutrals. A cool white will look great with cooler colors like blues and greens.
The best paint for baseboards is a water-based alkyd (urethane alkyd) or high-quality acrylic enamel in a semi-gloss finish. This combination ensures maximum durability to resist scuffs and kicks, a hard protective finish, and an easy-to-clean surface.
Don't use Simply White as a wall color with much darker trim and ceiling white colors such as BM White Dove, SW Pure White, BM Swiss Coffee, etc. It will make the darker trim and ceiling white colors look dirty. Avoid Simply White with Carrara marble; working with such a warm paint color is too cold.
| Simply White (Benjamin Moore OC-117)
This is a major designer favorite white paint color for walls for good reason. It is bright and crisp and perfect for giving you a clean look. But it also has enough warmth to keep it from feeling too stark.
You'll only need one coat of primer, but plan on applying two (possibly three) coats of paint when painting baseboards and trim, and be sure to let each coat dry thoroughly before moving onto the next.
If you're looking for the exact height to go with, you can use the 7% rule – choose a height closest to 7% of the overall height of your room. So here are some examples: For a room that is 7ft in ceiling height (84 inches), you would use a baseboard height of roughly 5.88 inches or taller.
Painting directly on wood without a primer can lead to several issues: Poor adhesion: The paint may not adhere properly to the wood's surface, leading to peeling, chipping, or flaking over time. Uneven absorption: Wood is a porous material, and it can absorb paint unevenly.
A home typically looks outdated when it features overdone, time-stamped trends from specific past decades, such as honey oak cabinetry, popcorn ceilings, or generic word art. Outdated homes also often suffer from poor lighting, worn-out flooring, and heavy window treatments that block natural light.
There is no strict rule, as both lighter and darker baseboards can look fantastic depending on your design goals. It ultimately comes down to the aesthetic you want to achieve.
Interior design in 2026 rejects stark minimalism and cool grays, focusing instead on warmth, deep earthy tones, and layered textures. The current aesthetic heavily prioritizes coziness, traditional detailing, and sustainable materials to create curated, "lived-in" spaces over ultra-luxurious, showroom-like environments.
The best paint for trim and baseboards at Sherwin-Williams is Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel. It is the top choice for professionals and DIYers because it mimics the rock-hard, non-stick durability of traditional oil-based paints, but applies easily as a water-based formula.
Finding a warm white with absolutely zero yellow undertones is tricky because "warmth" in paint and lighting is generally derived from yellow or beige bases. To get that cozy, soft feel without looking like butter or cream, you need whites that rely on gray, greige (gray/beige), or slight taupe/violet undertones to neutralize the yellow.
Joanna Gaines' go-to white paints are all part of her exclusive Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines paint line. Her favorites are tailored for specific looks and spaces: