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If trim is white do my doors have to be white?

14 years ago

We need new bedroom, bathroom and closet doors. Ours are trashed and cut short for carpet and we refinished the hardwood floors years ago.

The floors are natural/clear finished oak. The baseboards and window trim are white. The walls are all painted colors not white. Living room is Benjamin Moore Kennebunkport Green for example.

I think it would be fine to buy birch doors and finish them clear/natural which would match the floors. DH thinks they must be painted white because the trim is white.

I hate white. No offense to anyone with white but for me it sucks. I ride horses and garden and DH installs furnaces for a living, even though we wash our hands we still get white dirty. I'm a bad cleaner. I don't want any more white than I have to have. Can't change the window trim, it is fiberglass and new and DH won't change the baseboards and door trim so it stays (smudged and dirty) white.

Plus, this is the Pacific Northwest where the skies are white or gray three quarters of the time and I really prefer color around me. Warm wood tones is so much "happier" for me than white.

What do you think? Thanks, been lurking here and haven't posted much...

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Comments (6)

PRO
Lori A. Sawaya
14 years ago
I love stained/woodtone doors with white woodwork. So far I've had all mahogany stained everything, then all white hi-gloss everything (doors and trim) so next house it only makes sense that I'm going to get my white trim and stained doors, right? If that Law of Attraction business really works, that's they way it should work out. :)

The Red Room at the White House is one of my favorite examples of white trim / stained door. You'll just have to get the right white to work with your chosen woodtone. You might have to play with the natural birch color - as in might not get away with a totally clear stain; it may need some tint. I'd get professional help with that one. Carpenter or painter who does stain.
annzgw
14 years ago
In a word, no, your doors don't have to be white.

I've posted the following pics before on this forum......the floors are white oak with a clear finish but they appear darker in the pics. The doors are clear fir.
BTW, I'm also in the PNW. :~)

Here is a link that might be useful: doors
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That's a very good question...I have done the opposite and painted baseboards same color as the wall and left door trim and molding white. I did it in three rooms. Here is a sample of what it looks like,...sorry I did not get crown in the picture. You can see what the base looks like meeting the door trim though. I got the idea to do this from the Benjamin Moore Aura paint site. They may have a picture to address your question on that site if you take a look! (just Google it you will find it) Here is the photo: http://photos.gardenweb.com/home/galleries/2008/11/benjamin_moore_lenox_tan_in_au.html
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PRO
Lori A. Sawaya
14 years ago
Gorgeous, annz. I really do love that look.
buyorsell888
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you!
annzgw
14 years ago
Thanks funcolors....I love it too! My last house was all white doors & trim and although I liked it, I like this much better!
nhb22
14 years ago
annz - I didn't think I would like that, but it is wonderful and airy! Very beachy looking. Reminds me of a beach house we had at Dewees Island, in South Carolina.

I don't remember seeing photos of your home before. I'd like to see more. :)

buyorsell888 - The only non-painted door we have with white trim is our front door.

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