Sounds like you could paint the oak white and it will match your windows? That would be a nice look and you could paint just a doorframe or two and never finish and it would all still go together. I'd do that! :0)

Without even seeing pictures, unless the oak is in poor shape - and you've said it isn't, there is no way I would paint over all that oak. I would have fun with color on my walls and in my accessories, and I would paint over an oak item here or there as I pleased. Say perhaps you want a break from oak in a bathroom. I would paint the cabinet to better coordinate with a particular look in that room. Otherwise I would work with it. I had wood trim and wood 6 panel doors and cabinets in a previous home and I loved it! Knicks and scratches were so much less noticeable and even seemed to add character. I'm sure there may be a stain to darken it if you do not like the color, but the idea of priming and painting all of that oak just would not appeal to me or be worth it. I'm anxious to see pictures.

I would paint it! It looks dated, not classic. If your house was built in the 90's it's nothing but cheap builder grade wood trim, orange and shiny I bet! If it's good quarter-sawn oak or something you could get it stripped and refinished darker, but it's an expensive and messy process.

I would indeed paint it! Make your home work for you! :)

BUT try to post lots of photos here first -- create a free account at Photobucket. Upload your photos there -- and then move your cursor over each photo and four codes should appear -- click on the HTML one -- and paste the photos right into a fresh message here.

IF the codes don't show up right away -- go to your "DEFAULT" album -- run your cursor over the photo -- and codes should how up.

Hope this helps!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

most trim is oak anyway and I would DEFINITELY PAINT IT. iT JUST LOOKS SOOO MUCH CLEANER to paint trim. I too am having to do the same thing. One room, so far we have elected to keep JUST the windows stained with painting the trim and baseboards white dove but I am now on the fence about painting the windows (frame and mullions) the white too. It just looks fresher and provides a less distracting and better backdrop for whatever you do in your rooms.Painted trim goes well with ANY decor. I for one have a more eclectic look in my house: antieues with a bit of modern. Because I am so eclectic, I think stained trim just busys the place up too much with stained trim. Good luck.

Any if I can get any help with getting MY photos to post larger I would appreciate it. So far nothing I do other than resiing which makes them fuzzy works.

Unless it has a dark, rick look to it I'd also paint.

It is a large tast thought so I can see why you're thinking things through!

The white will look very nice with the windows.

We almost put oak trim through this house instead of white. My taste has done a complete 180 since then and I know I would've painted it all by now.

I have been struggling for a year with the exact same issue in our house. I love painted trim, but was sick about painting over the wood (even though most of mine is not in the best condition).

In the end, I decided to go room by room. First I painted the dining room and living room trim. Instantly, they became my favorite rooms in the house. So I painted the MBR and Master bath and the kids bath. All the rooms with painted trim look fabulous and up to date, warm and welcoming. I did, however, leave my doors stained and painted just the frames. It looks nice.

Personally, it was easier to select paint colors for the rooms with the painted trim. Colors I loved, like BM Powell Buff and SW Believable Buff looked great in the "painted trim" rooms but looked awful against the stained trim. The stained trim became distracting and difficult to decorate around (for me). In the end, because we do not plan to stay in this house for longer than 1 more year, I decided to paint the remainder of the house BM Linen White so as not to compete with the trim and leave the rest of the trim as is. In "our neck of the woods" people really like the stained trim, so for resale we won't do any more painting.

IMO, if it is not your style, then paint it - you will be happier. Just keep in mind, it is a huge task and does take some prep before you paint. Good luck!

These are pics of my living room. I tried to take stuff away so you can see the colors well. I really want some new furniture too but hubby is not so sure with a 4 year old and 2 year old that this is a good idea.

Here is a link that might be useful: Photobucket

I wouldn't hesitate to paint it if it wasn't my style.

If your home was a historic home, I would say no. But in your house, I say go for it. If your house was mine, I would pull it out and replace it with something with more presence and paint it white. I realize that you probably don't want to do that though.
Diane

I agree if it is 1990's oak I wouldn't hesitate to paint it if it's not to your style--esp. as it will coordinate with your windows. I would start with one floor and go from there, paying particular attention to the bathrooms and kitchens if they have oak cabinetry.

So I was just putting my 2 year old down for a nap and as I was sitting in the rocking chair in her room my eyes wondered..... there is an oak colored door, door frame, all the trim in her room, frame around the windows (which are white), wood blinds that match the oak, oak colored closet doors (the kind that fold shut... accordian I think?) and an oak colored wood ceiling fan. Her room is lavender and looks okay, all her furniture is white.

I think I am overwhelming myself. Naptime, yours was the blog I first read when trying to decide what to do myself. I totally understand your dilemma and it is so interesting how strong some opinions are one way or the other. But I read all comments and totally appreciate them!

BTW, if you look at my fireplace, there is white tile on it besides the oak. Hubby thinks that painting the oak white with the white tiles would not look good. Could we just leave that oak but still paint the rest of the baseboards and quarter round white?

Voice of dissent...in some areas of the country, wood is preferred over painted, and painted will always require more upkeep (not just painting it now, but future repainting).