Huh? B & B in a dining room and foyer, sounds very barn-like to me. Did you mean wainscoting? Maybe in a paneled version? There are lots of pics on the web of both stained or painted wainscoting. When I think B & B, I think outside shutters, garage doors, sheds, etc.

lol. That's what I've seen people call it. I've read somewhere where they call it wainscoting or B & B. They make it sound like it's interchangable terms. So, that's wrong? :)

I'm talking about the following:

So your DH wants dark trim -- I assume that means stain-grade wood of some kind. Men and their stained wood . . . I think it would be a bit difficult to put a white wainscoting against dark trim. But you could do a dark wainscoting.

Or you could show him the difference in cost or stain-grade trim (and the labor cost to finish it vs. paint-grade. Then see if he changes his mind.

Also, if I were putting stained trim in a house in 2011, I would make sure it was beefed up, more historically-referenced trim and not just a stained version of standard builder-issue trim. Because the latter (IMHO) tends to look live every "upgraded" tract house from 1986.

I'm a big fan of wainscoting of various types and heights--including the board and batten style you've pictured. And I have to agree with Sweeby that even though that one she linked is done quite well, I think the plain white looks better. Here's a link that shows some of the various styles of wainscoting and the craftsman board & batten pictured is stained, but it gives a totally different feel than the white does. Jakabedy's point about the cost and perhaps showing him pictures of rooms you like using it might help convince your DH. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: This Old House Wainscoting Styles

You are absolutely right, that IS B&B! I was WRONG! That said, I agree that stained B&B would look wonderful with stained moldings, painted with stained molding, not so much. I googled again and still found much better pics of the stained versions under wainscoting.