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Mixing painted and stained trim

16 years ago

I'm sorry for yet another question...I'm just wondering if it would look okay to have both a mix of stained and painted trim work.

I'm specificially referring to having windows painted (and perhaps the trim around the windows as well to match the windows) but having the baseboard as well as doors stained (and varnished).

Would this look terrible?

Our house is only 4 years old and we're still working on the staining and varnishing. Unfortunately, I think some of the windows may need to be painted- I think we waited too long (condensation along the windows is wrecking both the finished and unfinished windows).

What would you recommend doing?

Astrid

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Comments (4)

ileyana
16 years ago
I think having the two different finishes on your windows and baseboards is ok. Especially if the room is large and you have a good bit of furniture etc. IF it isnt and if you dont, then the two different finishes may be too distracting.
patty_cakes
16 years ago
Astrid, having been in model homes in CA, NC, and TX within the last year, the stain/paint conbination is widely used. Personally, I would paint the baseboards, as thy're part of the trim, but stain the doors. Too much stain gives a very dull or dark look. However, if the floors are wood, it looks better with stained baseboards/shoe moulding.
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My trim is all painted, and so are the doors. I think it looks very bad to have painted doors and stained trim (as if someone has framed the door like a picture, or as someone said on another thread, as though they forgot to paint the trim.) However, I think it looks fine to have painted trim and stained doors -- especially if the door is a very beautiful wood, stain color, and finish. In a couple of our houses we had all painted trim and doors, but added beautiful french doors and stained them. It looked great. But that was only because the wood door was really pretty. If you don't like the look of your oak door, I think you should paint it, DH willing. Be aware that the oak grain will probably show through the paint.
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Thanks guys. Looking at pictures on houzz, you really don't see this too often. It's usually all white or all stained. Me not not being the most energetic housekeeper, I'm afraid the white doors and trim will really show the dust!
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I've always seen columns painted white unless they have a faux treatment (not suggesting a faux treatment). Do you want the trim to be stained by preference or are you just trying to tie into your living/kitchen areas? I don't think you need to match your entry to your living spaces. The archway/doorway will delineate between the two spaces. You could trim out your planned new archway. Paint the trim on the entry side as well as the rest of your hall trim. Stain the trim on the side facing into your living/kitchen areas. Your front door can be either painted or stained. It's perfectly acceptable to go either way. Just my two cents as that's what's done in my house. It was like that when we bought our house and there's definitely not a flow problem. I'll take some pictures tomorrow so you can see what our transitions look like minus the arch and columns.
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I agree with Casey: If it is not part of the stained millwork, it should relate to the ceiling (or sometimes, the wall). The crown moulding in my building (1840) is actually plaster cornice, and historically it appears to have been painted usually the color of the ceiling, and occasionally the color of the wall. In any case, its probably best not to treat it as a separate "strip" of color, but to relate it to the ceiling plane, since it is clearly not part of the stained woodwork.
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bristlingacres
Original Author
16 years ago
Hmm..

On the main floor I have a mix of light teracotta-ish tiles and maple wood floors. The upstairs has carpet in bedrooms and vinyl in bathrooms.

Do I have to do the same thing throughout the house? I mean, do all the windows need to be painted or can I just go room by room and decide?

How would it look to have painted baseboard and stained doors? I remember seeing one stained door/painted trim combo and didn't like the look of it.

Does anyone have photos they'd be willing to share?

I think dh will be adamantly opposed to painting the trimwork/windows/doors but the job isn't getting done and I'm sick of looking at unfinished wood. I am hoping that I can hire it out and then maybe just maybe it'll get finished.

Astrid
Kathleen McGuire
16 years ago
There was a similar post not too long ago. I dug it up for you. HTH!

Here is a link that might be useful: Paint & Stain

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