What Color Should You Paint Your Trim? | 3 Ways To Select Paint for Your Trim vs Your Walls

[@thepaintpeople]

Awesome video Nick! Thanks for getting me involved on this one!

[@Nick_Lewis]

Any time!

[@Kmplee]

I love how you set the objectives of your video and get right to the point. I also love how fast you talk and EVERYTHING you say informative. Also, It’s refreshing to watch a video / channel where the presenter isn’t asking over and over for the viewer to subscribe or to become a patreon. You are informative, personable, funny, and talented. Kudos!

[@Nick_Lewis]

Yeah I’m over that. If you like the content, you’ll subscribe. 👍

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

His pacing is perfect, not too fast or too slow.

[@Huntongardening]

When we moved into our house, there was a fun mixture of white baseboard/doors/trim with brown window trim, brown baseboards in some rooms, white in others, some brown doors, some white doors. A fun mix of tan and white light switches, outlets, plates....some tan switches in white plates. NOTHING matched. It made me literally go mad and my husband was like "I don't see the problem here." lol! I fixed it and now everything matches.

[@RealRandomVideos]

how did you fix it? i am facing the same issue in my new home 😢

[@deenaehret5006]

Who doesn’t want more Nick content? Great video once again! Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks Nick!!

[@Nick_Lewis]

I know right?! Glad to help!

[@arifjohariali]

LOVE how informational this video is. Thanks Nick! *Would love to see you talk about painting ceilings.*

[@jennaom1]

My dining room is Simply White with Hale Navy trim in high gloss! It's very bold but I think it looks great! My 100-year old house has beautiful ornate moldings, plate rails, etc., so it's nice to show them off. (I prefer the areas where the natural wood trim is unpainted, but some of the trim was already painted what I like to call "90s Hewlett Packard beige," so we decided to paint over that rather than go through the effort of restoring the original wood.) The moldings are so old and imperfect that the high-gloss actually just highlights how vintage they are.

[@jjpp2216]

It bears mentioning that a downside of colour on the trim is that it rarely looks good to have different trim colours in different rooms of the same house. So you have to pick trim colour that looks good in all rooms (matching every room’s paint colour). That’s not always possible.

[@tigerlily1034]

Thanks for reinforcing my decision; I’m painting walls and trim in Chantilly Lace 👍

[@Nick_Lewis]

Good choice! So bright and crisp - you'll love it!

[@tigerlily1034]

@@Nick_Lewis The look I’m going for👍Thanks Nick😊

[@cathybrown4102]

Is that a Benjamin Moore color?

[@Nick_Lewis]

@@cathybrown4102 yes chantilly lace is Benjamin Moore

[@tigerlily1034]

@@cathybrown4102 It’s Benjamin Moore OC-65👍

[@angellas.1314]

I think one most important thing to consider is skill level if someone wants to paint their own home as often folks do. It is much easier to paint everything, even the ceiling the same color. Got to remember that trims and wool framing should be sanded before a fresh coat of paint. I love painting the ceiling the same color as it elevates the height of my walls. The eye trick is seriously amazing. I see it now as I’m painting my own house.

[@debbie1247]

Maybe just differ the finish on each surface. At minimum flat on the ceiling and eggshell/satin on the trims and doors.

[@namastemoments]

Thank you Nick. You gave this novice a map to follow. You got me on my way. I close on a house in a few weeks. Grateful!

[@nicluzuriaga]

Please do a video on paint finishes and how it changes a home’s look! ✨

[@RVBadlands2015]

Yes, satin, flat, matted, bright. I always struggle on this.

[@trina14]

Could you do a video on choosing interior door colors?

[@jaeespo5413]

Yes!!!! Color palettes and trims. I’ve been searching for tips on molding, color and finishes. Thanks

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

Thanks to both of you. I always love classic white trim, in Benjamin Moore semi-glass enamel. It levels beautifully and dries to a hard finish, unlike latex, which stays sticky forever, and it is practically indestructible.

[@alexjohnson1650]

Ty! Would you recommend that for cabinets too?

[@vaderladyl]

@@alexjohnson1650 Yes it should work on cabinets too.

[@Pixiwoot78]

I so appreciate the straight to the point suggestion. And having the entire wall and trim painted with the same color...look clean and will look the room bigger with no contrasting color

[@AlexMercadoGo]

Way to reach out to others for added expertise! If you ever want to get into the craftier side of things, I love the work of Home RenoVision.

[@Nick_Lewis]

Awesome, yeah I'll check them out! I'll do more collabs soon!

[@tahneshawilson4391]

This is exactly what I needed. You’re amazing! 🤗 Thank you!!

[@Nick_Lewis]

You're amazing Tahnesha!

[@kayta5946]

ive been painting all my trim the same color as the walls because the trim and baseboard is so skinny! not in the budget to switch it out yet so we wanted to blenddd that into the wall.

[@alexjohnson1650]

What finish did you go with and did you do the ceilings too? How does it look? Ty!

[@John-cz1vw]

Hi Nick! Can you make a video about trim-less architecture? Mid century house. Shiny concrete floor. Massive field stone fireplace (warm rocks, cold mortar). I should probably go trim-less, but it’ll be very spendy 🤑. I can’t even pick a wall color. Sigh.

[@michellemichelle2639]

With building a new home, I have been watching so many designer videos. Without a doubt, Nick, Julie Khuu, and Michael from Kitchen insider are the best and most informative to me that I have watched; I will confess that I have watched an enormous number of videos from numerous sources. At some point, many start to regurgitate each other's design advice. Although I am much more traditional with a mid-century modern and eclectic design style, and Nick and Michael have a little more masculine taste in their designs than mine, I love their design skills and all three online personalities, albeit all very different. Nick and Michael are more about symmetry, and their design tastes seem more expensive. In contrast, Julie is focused more on making your finished design look more costly on an inexpensive budget. Her taste is much more cluttered than mine, but she has incredible skill, an excellent eye for color, and an ability to explain design concepts easily. I also prefer Michael and Nick's cleaner, less cluttered, symmetric design. Many other netizen designers focus on flamboyant behavior in their presentation, which is more distracting than imparting useful fundamental tools.

[@un4getablefriend]

I have an industrial brick wall whitish wallpaper. I'm thinking to paint my trim either grey or black. Also for the hallway too.

[@brainwashingdetergent4322]

NICK!!! I’m at odds! I have a mid fifties ranch and ALL of the trim matches, and it’s all oak, which matches the 1” oak floors, doors, and windows throughout the house. I just can’t bring myself to paint it, but I’d love to play around with really changing up the look. What am I to do? Thanks fir some of the best interior design content on the tube!

[@Joseluis_Santos]

Thanks, Nick. Quick question: say I decide on simply white in matte for the walls and in satin for the trim, should my doors remain the same (pure white)? How about the ceiling?

[@meggethann]

Hey Nick- my parents just bought a house and they are working on remodeling it. They want to keep most of the trim in the original wood stain, but they are hesitant to do much with it even though they would like to update it. They are feeling torn since it’s an old craftsman house and they don’t want to ruin the original wood by painting over it with white. I told them they could mix the woods by adding white trim with the original wood trim however they are unsure about this. I think this would brighten up the house considerably and go with my mom’s coastal craftsman vibe she wants. I have seen your video about mixing wood tones, but do you think you could do a video on mixing wood tones when it comes to interior trim and interior windows and doors? Example for their house: having cherry wood doors with white trim or the windows-having two colors of trim-leaving the cherry and adding white accents or with the stairs-leaving part cherry and painting part white? Also do you have thoughts on whether it is better to paint over old wood? Or use stain? Also is it better to leave the original wood and not paint or stain over it if it’s an old craftsman house? I know some people feel very strongly about painting over the original wood. Love your videos. I know this is an old one, but I’ve been binge watching them!

[@barbaradykema3441]

@NickLewis what are your thoughts on painting original wood trim in an older home. Thanks.

[@desertdweller8683]

Nick, you do such a great job, giving us really helpful information. I really appreciate that. I find paint colors somewhat challenging, I tend to just go "safe" always, but thanks to your videos I am thinking of venturing outside of my comfort zone. Still nervous, I am trying to find mostly somewhat neutral undertones, vs warm, or cool. Again probably me wanting to be safe. Haha, but I am going to add other colors, not just various whites. I love all your videos about paint, never too many, iMO.

[@Timetraveler1111MN]

Our home is eclectic! We are eccentric and swing dance, dress vintage yet with grey walls and white crown/ cove trim is a bit sad, yet we kept it to balance out our home items / decor? Thoughts on this? We have entry to living and a lot windows wood floors… I really love to have the 1927 house look amazing. I was thinking wall

[@tarakaur6950]

Great video, I am thinking of painting my hallway in a warm neutral like Simply White, what colour could I use on my ceiling? thanks

[@tombuck]

Yes I’m watching this as I’m painting our baseboards. The builder painted the walls, ceilings, and trim the same color and I’ve always hated it. I actually like the color, but they billed it as a “custom color” when really it was just a way to save money instead of only painting the walls and keeping everything else white. Oh, and they painted it matte so it scuffs and is impossible to clean 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@PrOBOY251]

Good collaboration fellas!!!

[@Nick_Lewis]

Thanks Pete!

[@kathrynp7595]

I am painting my interior Swiss coffee, what would be a good white baseboard color in the same undertone? Would really appreciate your professional opinion 🙏

[@nufangld]

All the trims and baseboards in my house that I bought in July are naked. I am torn on it. The wood tone is nice, but almost impossible to match with my other styles and it really dates the home I think.

[@JustYFriend]

I was set on painting the trim the same color as the walls because of the elegance, but then I saw the picture with the super white trim against dark colored walls and I loved it!! 😍 Now I'm torn!! 😂

[@Nick_Lewis]

Oh no! I made your life more difficult! Haha both are great options though!

[@waffle2589]

Awesome video Nick! I just have a question about choosing paint colour for walls if you are having a complementary colour scheme. Which paint undertone should we choose for the walls cold or warm?

[@anmmartin555]

Hi, I just installed pine doors in the downstairs hallway. Walls are white, new floor tile is a grey/black/white design - also modern black hardware on the doors. What are your thoughts on matching pine door trim vs. white trim? Do you think that pine trim would be too much together? I’m completely 50/50 on it. Trying to modernize an older house a bit. Thanks,

[@lkzjt8201]

What I’m not seeing in videos like these, and what I need help with is… say I want to paint the trim a bedroom the same color as the walls like you first suggested. I only want that color for the bedroom, so what do I do about the door casing going into the hallway? And what to do about the white door?

[@parms4707]

Great video. How about black baseboards and so on.

[@Shakashack2022]

Love the panel molding on your wall! Is it DIY friendly, installing simple-design molding?

[@fernm7379]

Need help.wall is white dove . Any ideas on window trim and baseboards.. ?

[@mschenandlerbong8539]

Here's a question. If you go with white walls and darker baseboards, do you have to carry that throughout your whole home? I really want to do this, but I'm nervous about the massive commitment if there's no natural way to do just one room or level.

[@ked4864]

What about interior doors? My doors and trim are all stained wood.... So yeah, we paint walls and trim... but the doors are pretty conspicuous! Paint them, or leave trim stained wood??

[@joykruczay]

Great video, as usual!

[@Nick_Lewis]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bazwar6]

You show a blu wall with white trim what colour of blue is that ( time 3:29)

[@CheeseBae]

1:40 that's a beautiful wall color. Kinda looks like Metropolitan by Benjamin Moore.

[@michellesanders871]

When painting an open floor plan, and doing all white. (SW Alabaster walls and BMSimply white trim)…Do you paint your kitchen cabinets the same color as trim? Or go all Simply White but different sheens. I’ve done it both ways. But was curious what is your opinion?

[@mjjareo]

I like to paint switch and outlet covers the same color as the wall they are on

[@richgreen345]

Great Video!!! I love the color of the first grey office …What is that color of grey? Thanks

[@pritighodke5575]

We have cherry colored kitchen and bathroom cabinates and same cherry colored baseboards and window casings throughout the house. We are planning to paint kitchen cabinates white and Gray dual tones. Bathroom cabinates white. Can we still keep the baseboards and window and door casings cherry? Really looking forward fir an answer. How will it impact when we plan to sell the house.

[@hibatuadam2777]

Beautiful video. Subscribed🎉

[@Timetraveler1111MN]

2:00 I love that color - dark grey green ??

[@stellak4734]

Anyone can answer is it good idea to paint walls , trim , doors and ceiling same color, like Chantilly Lace of course satin, flat and semi gloss textures? Including fire place and changed the blinds that are now pure white? Thanks for any suggestions in advance

[@newworldlove7031]

I discovered if you paint your skirting boards, doors and windows the SAME colour as your WALLS then it looks much more elevated and stylish, plus this way your ceilings look higher.

[@Tropigal05]

What paint sheen should I get for a bathroom? I was leaning towards matte or eggshell for walls and ceiling and satin for trim.

[@vaderladyl]

Satin resists moisture better and is more washable.

[@angellas.1314]

Could James tell me what is the purple color on the wall with the yellow sofa?

[@polocash11]

If I paint baseboards to match walls, did you say use the same sheen? Can I do this only in living area? Kitchen, dining and family room pretty open less arch between family and dining. Dining and kitchen are like one.

[@DH-qz2so]

I have the same question...and have decided on Chantilly Lace for the Walls in Eggshell...and Chantilly Lace in Satin for the trim... I believe I heard him say to go up a level in sheen in the trim in a video, m aybe this one! The lady at the paint store today suggested doing this as well...maybe that is where I heard it...

[@polocash11]

@@DH-qz2so I lived with all white for 10 years since my house came that way. Trying to add color.

[@tvdoffice6961]

I have a high vaulted ceiling should I paint wall and ceiling the same color?

[@madwhitehatter]

I can't stand white trim anymore. Maybe it was the age of the houses I grew up in, but I miss wood that looked like wood. If you ever saw Grimm on NBC, all of the trim in his whole house was thick stained wood. I want that so badly.

[@bonchauvin5744]

Hi there. Could u help? Exterior Benjamin Moore Platinum Gray. Want a white pop for trim, but a bit subdued ( not too stark). Any suggestions?

[@kirsten5155]

Hi Nick, I like the martini side table next to your parlor chair. Where did you source it please?

[@Michael-py4ui]

I want to attempt this, however I am still not sure how make the windows look good. I am not super confident about painting the windows. They are plastic, have lots of little areas, and latches to open and close etc. However, I feel like painting my entire room, trim, crown moulding, ceiling, etc a dark blue, would look really off if all of a sudden the inside of my windows remain that plastic white? I have seen other channels attempt to paint the windows with a plastic adhering paint...... but once it's done. There is really no going back ever I feel. You would have to repaint them white and potentially muck up all the latches etc. Any ideas? NOTE: Also....In all these videos or inspo photos, they never show the windows. I doubt you can install windows in eggplant, or some wacky colour like that so there has to be some degree of painting. Or is everything a new build or custom, which is way out of my price range.

[@laner.845]

We hate our trim so much. Many previous owners have repainted it over and over and it looks really shoddy and smoker's offwhite at this point. We want to pull it all off and put up stained wood trim instead. We're thinking about some 1x4 pine boards. We don't like the look of all the ripples and moulding and prefer flat rectangles. What's the thought on doing this with a sort of weathered grey stained board against a light grey wall paint?

[@TheSpiralLab]

You can paint out the trim in colors too. I think this is done more in Europe and the UK.

[@cherylhessler7862]

I have a 1960 built house.All the trim and cupboards are natural wood, no paint.Should I leave them ? I wanted to paint them but my husband says no.What would you do?

[@jenniferh.1319]

Great collab👍👍

[@annesolo2354]

what do you do if you have wooden windows that have turned orange what color fits ://

[@rmajor1515]

Question, whats the wall color at 3:03 , I love the look of it ! Loving your videos btw so helpful

[@yougotgroove]

I had the same question, and I see you sent to six months ago and you didn’t get a reply that’s disappointing

[@rmajor1515]

@@yougotgroove I never found out the color, but me and my wife ended up picking grey owl from benjamin moore , and love it. It looks very similar to the wall color in question, hope this helps

[@yougotgroove]

@@rmajor1515 I’m a professional painter in Toronto Grey Owl has been a favourite Of many real estate agents for pre-staging. That’s a great colour gives you different looks at different times of the day

[@mannyrobles7696]

Ya we have white crown molding but nice advise

[@helenedesmarais8697]

One thing that wasn't mentioned is that if you want to emphasize your trims, they have to be of some interest! I think it is worse to see basic low cost plain generic moldings being enhanced when there is nothing there to enhance to start with. Make them disappear with the wall color. Or... Adding a small molding a few inches away and painting the whole thing ( trim, space and molding) as if one bigger piece could do the trick ( fooled you! )

[@Jodi9810]

If going with a neutral/white trim color, should it be the same color throughout the whole house, or can/should it vary room by room depending on lighting, predominant colors used in different rooms, etc? Thanks!

[@alexjohnson1650]

I had this same question. My house lacks natural light so I think I'm just gonna go chantilly lace everywhere and get strategic with artificial lighting to balance it out from room to room

[@RVBadlands2015]

My ceiling are white, my front door is stain glass, my walls are a beige would it be ok for a off white trim around the doors. My baseboards are a warm tile due to my walls are lime plaster. I have a Strawbale home. Looking for eco paint that is breathable.

[@rabbitgregory9289]

Help. I have a large picture window in my living room. The inside trim is white and the outside trim a medium-dark grey. When the drapes are open I see both the white and grey. I know this is very picky, but I don’t like it. Is there a paint fix for this? The exterior of my house is a reddish clinker brick.The drapes are a sort of champagne gold and the walls are a slightly deeper shade of gold. I think this is something I’ll just have to live with, but I thought I’d ask.

[@wdpk837]

do you think ceiling trims are good for low ceilings? have heard that it draws the eye up but also that it cuts the height of the room/breaks up the flow great vid in any case, thank you

[@anncastaneda934]

What do you think of doing the whole room the same white? Ceilings too??

[@KS-op5hb]

looking for a lighter trim option for blank canvas (wall color) , rogue blue accent wall. Bedroom. Trim ideas folks?

[@kellyfarrell4971]

I have white walls, what colour blinds should I choose?

[@jacksmom5233]

Painting the molding the same as wall also is much easier, faster, less messy and good for people like me who don't have a steady hand for "cutting " and too lazy to tape everything off.

[@sherrydreher9997]

You didn’t mentioned stained trim. Is it outdated to have trim the same stain color as your cabinetry?

[@vaderladyl]

I think it is a classic look, especially f it really suits the house or it was built on a historical period like MCM, Colonial, etc.

[@anniesaw1511]

black trim is so in trend now, would you recommend?

[@dawnmichelle4403]

I found having a darker trim than the walls looks a little old-fashioned, but in a good way.

[@Budgetinpurple]

Personally I think that no matter what colour you're doing, if you paint trim the same as your walls it makes your space looks more like a rental than not

[@99treasures]

Wow thanks for this video

[@lindagoward6613]

What about doors if I go with the same color for walls, trim and baseboards?

[@venusvalera8692]

I’m having the same issue

[@vaderladyl]

Doos should be same color as trim.

[@suzannedawson4120]

Does all the trim in a home have to be the same color in every room? My original selection for trim was a warm, creamy beige which stands out beautifully against my cooler duo of greens but using it in another room that’s yellow, it’s looking grey. Very strange

[@vaderladyl]

No but same color gives more cohesion on a smaller house.

[@itsmargemrssimpsonifyanast2016]

Yaay I'm loving this collaboration! Ready to paint some trim now😁

[@quendelf]

Omg I need help. My whole house has old dark wood trim (skirting board in U.K. speak) and I don’t know what to do with it!!

[@edwinhesse11]

We always paint all of the trim in the house of the same color. I know colored trim can look really amazing but we have one can of trim paint, and when it gets messed up, you only need one can of paint to fix it ever.

[@kellymcdonell9687]

What about doors? Paint them the same too? Or different?

[@telman5221]

this channel is interesting as watching paint dry

[@tegmapat11]

Would you tell us how to get a smooth look to the trim? If I use a foam roller or other, I still get lines in the paint. If I use a brush, I get brush marks. I cannot remove the whole house of it's trim in order to spray it. What's the solution?

[@violet-green-eyes9574]

You could try if a thinner consistency paint will flow better?

[@debbie1247]

@@violet-green-eyes9574 I'd add Floetrol to the paint to extend the drying time and mask brush marks.

[@kaymarshall2469]

Where is your clock from Nick? X

[@j.zhanng]

Does this apply to door paint as well?

[@vaderladyl]

Yes.

[@mountain2816]

Question : shall I paint the wall first, or the trim first ?.

[@brunoyun8946]

In my opinion, you should use an outside inside approach, begin by the ceiling and the trim first and the walls after 🤔

[@vaderladyl]

Either way is ok but ceiling should be first.

[@itchyblanket5508]

Would you ever go with flat paint on the walls for instance a flat grey and then a semi-gloss white paint for the trim and doors?

[@vaderladyl]

Flat and semi gloss is a standard combination done many times over by painters.

[@diannaflutes]

What do you think of NOT painting the trim; leaving a natural wood?

[@angellas.1314]

I honestly think the size of ones house dictates the color scheme. Since I painted my house all one color, including the trim and ceiling, different sheens, it feels much larger. Cleaner and less intrusive. I am not a fan of white trims, it’s hard to keep clean and it cuts the space. But that is geared for a small home. For larger homes it’s an other story. Oh and I don’t know why they place those outlets right at eyesight level anywhere. So annoying and ugly.

[@wallihaley5194]

Just had my 100 year old house painted and I hate the semi-gloss trim paint they used. I think it looks too flat and cheap. I will be re-painting it with a high gloss paint like it was painted many years ago.

[@nixonsmateruby1]

I could kill for a nice piece of white trim. (Said OJ Simpson)

[@mannang5959]

Love ur voice

[@man.i.f]

I might traumatize Nick by saying I wanted a dark room, so I did Navy walls and Black trim 😅

[@codenamedav]

the lakers living room = triadic 🤣