How do I know whether to paint trim, walls, moulding, and ceilings all the same color?

emily9454 · 2025-05-14T01:21:55+00:00

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Hello! I'm choosing colors to paint our new home. There is a lot of detail on the walls. We'd like a warm neutral (classic sand or pueblo by SW) but can't decided if we make the trim the same color, or white. And where do you stop? If we paint the trim and walls the same color, what about the doorways, or trim around the fireplace. I don't think I want white trim… maybe a lighter neutral? or maybe all color washed? Help, please!

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Comments

susan25309164

I am not an interior designer, not even close, but I love crisp, white trim! You mention that you don't think you want white trim. I would look online at pics of your wall color with and without white trim. If I were fortunate enough to have nice trim I would make it pop with white.

catemooch9193

It's nice the way it is. Bring in colour with the area rug and furniture.

user2005622

I'll not go into why, but I was forced to do this in my first apartment, I painted everything a buttery cream, with little faith in what it would look like. It was an Art Deco apartment with beams across parts of the ceilings, in the end, this worked very well indeed; the shadows from the beams etc., provided quite a dramatic tonal variation in both day and electric light. This room appears to offer a similar potential.

MrsAllnut

Open floor plans always seem intimidating at first but here's the thing: you don't have to commit to a final plan all at once. I know, there's that urge to just "get it done", but sometimes it's better to attack in stages.
In my case, I chose neutral olive greens and painted just the walls. The trim was left the original chef white because honestly, it's in the stages of being replaced completely. But, it turns out, I like the contrast between the green and the white. If I didn't, I'd simply color drench, which is what I'm doing upstairs in the bedrooms.
Don't forget the ceiling. A lighter version of your wall color or the trim color can complete the look of the room. My kitchen/ dining/ living room/hallway ceiling had to be replaced and I used the chef white from the trim to tie it to the room.

Zephy

Hi, Emily — I think this whole trim question is totally about fashion. Right now, trim is in style (ceiling moldings, baseboards, chair rails, squares of molding on the walls), and people who don't have trim are adding it to their homes. But 15-20 years ago, molding was not in style, and people who had it were advised to take it down to have uninterrupted expanses of wall. This just shows that you should do what pleases your eye. The rules are going to change at some point.

I personally like molding and trim. I also like more traditional styles in furniture and home design. You might be a modernist and really like the empty wall look. So do what makes you happy. But at least be aware that many people would kill for all the trim you have. You can go halfway and paint all or some trim the same color as the walls, so as to keep the finished look of the trim but look less busy.

digna7412

After years of living in a 4500 sqft sprawling Ranch house with 2.5 baths large glass windows, glass doors and colorful walls, we moved to a 2650 sq ft house with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. One of the 2 larger rooms is our office, the master bath is a narrow sliver with a bathtub and shower and I closed the door to the hallway leading to the garage as a safety measure, and installed a tub, shower and toilet. It's convenient and equivalent to a half bath. We still have the large bathroom with a full shower, toilet and sink in the hallway.

heyjudith

Please DON'T paint everything the same color! The color you describe would look very elegant against white trim.

Shelly

Leave the moldings and trim white as well as the beams. Paint the walls in both rooms in the color of your choice and do a lighter version on the ceilings. Your space will look classic and elegant. If you live with the white for a while and still don’t love it go with cream it looks amazing in older homes.

Shelly

My camera cannot capture just how lovely this place is but no matter what the wall covering or color all the rooms have white molding. I hope this gives you some inspiration.

allisonjean

I just painted my living room walls, trim and ceiling the same color but different sheens in SW Greek Villa. Matte on the walls & ceiling and Eggshell/Satin on the trim. Looks really good!

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