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Design Dilemma Home Decorating

Going all white paint...do I vary shade for walls and trim?

5 years ago

Bought a 1970s home that needs a little refreshing. I love the all white decor look. My question is, if I’m painting everything white do I choose a different shad of white for the trim, and ceilings? Photo is from how the previous owner had it.

Featured Answer

PRO

Diana Bier Interiors, LLC

5 years ago

Unless you're really familiar with the nuances of white colors, paint all the drywall, trim and ceiling the same white. Using flat or matte on walls and ceiling, and semi-gloss or satin on the trim will give you a nice contrast in sheen. Your paint will seem slightly different due to the difference in sheen and you won't drive yourself crazy trying to match the whites.

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Comments (13)

housegal200
5 years ago
It depends. It's nice to set off white walls with a different white trim. Here are some articles about designers' favorite white paints. Try out your whites in daylight--cloudy and sunny--and under artificial light.

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/designer-secrets-10-pros-share-their-favorite-white-paints-stsetivw-vs~72328851
PRO
JAN MOYER
5 years ago
What trim? I see none except the bookcase and wall cap. We don't need the prior owners swag lamps.....what does it look like now? : )
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Why not another color than white which is less of a contrast to your natural wood trim? I have three thoughts, all of which to keep in mind approximating the Tone of your natural wood: 1) if your walls are papered pick a color from the paper (or shade darker than the back ground,) if painted go a shade darker than the paint I assume that the paper or paint looks good against the natural door trim so why not a color from it? 2) Assuming that the wood has some varying tones to it, choose a middle range toward the dark of the woodwork and paint the baseboard that color. 3) Apply above ideas to what ever your floor is like. Before doing the whole thing buy a quart and either paint just a few feet of baseboard around the big door you are most worried about or paint some poster board strips and put them along there. Leave for a couple of days to decide. Goodluck and post pics, I'd love to see what you decide. (Ps my apologies if I forgot what you said about your walls, so many posts!) Lauren, I love your hall color, just painted my living room /dining room that color (with ivory trim). kathy
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Interesting suggestions, all! I have the Samplize of Simply White and many times i have seen people say they see "yellow" so I'm a bit leery of that. Mountain Peak White - yes, need to check that out. And White Opulence isn't one I would have looked at but now I'm thinking maybe? But I see bit of pink - and I have seen a wee bit of pink in Pale Oak at times - would White Opulence bring it out even more (which I don't want). What color white would have the opposite effect (keeping it the greige that I see in "normal" light)? That is one thing that is keeping me away from the White Dove, I read somewhere that the grayish tone was bringing out the pink in Pale oak. And thank you to Beth H for that pic on lighting. I have to check into what we have selected and whether I need to adjust that.
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Manon Floreat
5 years ago
You can also choose the same white in different finishes, eg: flat for ceiling, eggshell for walls and semi-gloss for trim. The different finishes will provide subtle contrast.
User
5 years ago
I second Diana Bier's advise. It's a great way to go.
housegal200
5 years ago
Weighing in again. I agree with Diana and golscombe--same whites, different finishes.
Jodi Austin
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you for your help. I don’t have such a trained eye that I would care to select differing yet complimentary whites. I like the suggestion of one colour with different finishes.
@Jan Moyer- it looks the same now, only empty. My work hasn’t begun yet. There is more trim in other rooms. I’m planning white walls+ throughout.
girl_wonder
5 years ago
I can vouch for Manon and Diana’s advice. I painted my walls and baseboards are the same color but the baseboards have some sheen and it’s enough of a contrast. I heard you want at least 2 levels of difference in the sheen.
Sylva Leduc
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Great advice Diana Bier Interiors, LLC. I have another question. If the walls and baseboards are painted the same color, what about the doors & casing? I'm planning to paint the walls in a flat SW Navajo White and do semigloss for the baseboards. Since SW Navajo White has a slight beige/yellow hue, I'm thinking the doors should be a lighter / truer white. In this case would the color of the door casing match the doors or the walls?
PRO
Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
5 years ago
Doors and trim are usually the same, in a satin or semi-gloss finish. I've never done the doors in a different color than the casing/baseboards.
Sylva Leduc
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Thanks, Diana! Guess it's back to the fan deck to look at other colors. Although I did find a few non-Houzz posts where people have done that.
PRO
JAN MOYER
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Doors are as window casings, baseboards and DOOR casings, and the sheen usually satin. The only exception that comes to mind? A wood door perhaps, or a door painted black. That's it.

If you want trim same as wall color, you elevate the sheen. Of that trim.

If the base skirts are hideous, and the rest of the trim is not hideous: Treat the base skirt as wall with same color and sheen, and change color AND sheen on ALL the rest of the trim, to include window casing, door casing and the door itself.
Sylva Leduc
5 years ago
Thanks, Jan!

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