Update with paint. Have lots of wood trim. Ideas?

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

We are looking to update this executive house starting with just paint. The current color works well with the color of the wood trim but is quite darkening and feels drab. We’d like a color that brightens the rooms but doesn’t clash with the wood trim. We’re always on board with a grey if it’s the right one since there is grey in the kitchen backsplash and in the floor tiles. We’re also open to painting some of the trim if absolutely necessary. It’s just a huge task that I need to make sure we can finish. Unfortunately, we don’t have the budget for replacing the green counters.

I would love paint color suggestions and any other ideas that may make this house more marketable.

(All the walls are the same color and ceilings are white. Most of the house is warm LED lighting except bathrooms and kitchen. As you can see the color of the walls appear to be different due to the huge changes in lighting depending on where you are in the house. We were told the wood throughout the house is cherry including all cabinetry.)

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Above: Living room to entry. Mix of warm and natural light.

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Above: Dining room to kitchen. All natural light.

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Above: Eat in off of the kitchen. All natural light.

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Above: Half of the kitchen: cool LED lighting. Green corian counters.

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Beth H. :

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

It feels dark because all that wood trim makes it dark. and dated. All that dated wood trim was prob great back in the 90's (or an original 1915 craftsman).

But it's not now. And there is no way that's all cherry. It's oak or some other cheaper wood stained a cherry color.

Paint all of it.

yes, it's a lot of work if you want to save money and do it yourself. you do a little bit everyday. all the trim will have to be primed, lightly sanded, cleaned off, and then painted.

I suggest you look up a good DIY tutorial if you want to do it yourself.

https://www.younghouselove.com/lighter-beach-house-living-room/

Here's a good link for some great tips:

https://vintagerevivals.com/tricks-learned-painting-whole-house-mostly/

Ditto for the kitchen cabs. However, try painting all of the trim first, and then reevaluate the cabinets. Change bulbs in kitchen to 4000K bulbs.

paint walls a nice white. Simply White is a good one.

See below for painting all the trim and how it will look (it will look like night and day. trust me)

If you want to Paint the cabs a neutral White. Oxford White is perfect (BM)

https://www.evolutionofstyleblog.com/how-to-paint-your-kitchen-cabinets-like

Or Simply White:

Here is White Dove. it's a bit dingier than the other two

as for the countertop, you barely have one. you could prob find a remnant. if not, look for a Pre-Fab quartz or granite.

Similar cabs to yours, Before and After. Gray Mist.

here, super cheap redo. paint, new hardware, and a butcher block countertop. (Ikea or Floor and Decor) do backsplash w/white subway tile

in the family room area if you want to leave the wood trim around the windows, you can try that (and find some nice blinds or diff curtains) but all of the baseboards and crown should be painted. It's dark and dated because of all that trim.

don't overlook doing black trim.

Black doors are hot right now w/the gray

paint all that trim in the bathrooms, including cabs and doors.

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Comments (16)

apple_pie_order
4 years ago
Is this a flip or will it be your own residence?
0
J.K. Masters thanked apple_pie_order
Sammie J
4 years ago
If you are planning to sell, I'd skip the paint and replace the countertop. Buyers probably won'te be as scared of painting as they would be with that backsplash/counter situation.
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decoenthusiaste
4 years ago
Are you moving in or selling/renting it out? If renters will be moving their furniture in, the safe bet is white which goes with everything. If for you and your furniture, I suggest you base paint on the colors in your fabrics/textiles. I would leave the wood trim alone until I had the budget or DIY inclination to do it all.
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J.K. Masters
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
We currently own it and live in it. We aren’t sure for how long though. It’s in an area that is tough to sell. Anything that gives it a leg up is helpful thanks. We moved from less than 1,000 sq ft to this almost 5,000 sqft home. We don’t have a lot of furniture to help with selling it. It will look more like a blank canvas for potential buyers.
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Sammie J
4 years ago
If you are selling, but some creamy white paint and do all of the rooms. Definitely replace the counter first, tho.
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apple_pie_order
4 years ago
Which is the room you consider top priority? Try some off white paint colors on foamcore boards you can move from room to room.

Painting a 5000 square foot house interior (not the trim) yourselves will take months of weekends and some cash. Do one room at a time, highest priority first.

Get an estimate to replace the green Corian kitchen countertops and backsplash. Then you'll know how much to save up. If that's the only real update needed, you are lucky.
J.K. Masters
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
What color and material would you suggest for the counters that won’t darken the kitchen too much?
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Sammie J
4 years ago
I'd do the lightest cream color from your flooring for the counter. Hard to say what material - price them to see what fits into your price range.
apple_pie_order
4 years ago
Sammie J's suggestion of light cream is perfect.
0
J.K. Masters
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
If we decided to paint the cabinets and went with a cream countertop, what color would look good for the cabinets? Or would you go a completely different route with the countertop color? We are leaning towards quarts counters that go up as the backsplash as well. We aren’t sold on painting the cabinets yet but it is up for discussion. Trying to brighten up this home. I remember when we saw the pictures before buying, we noticed how dark it appeared. It is a lot larger than it appears. I am home full time, and have the time to put the work into it.
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latifolia
4 years ago
When you say "executive" house, do you mean size? What price range are you talking about? When I hear executive house I think high-end, up-to-date finishes, which the photos don't seem to show.

If budget is tight, start by painting all the rooms cream color. Paint all the ceilings reflective white. Even if they look clean, painting the ceilings usually brightens a room.

Don't paint the cabinets. It's a big job DIY, and expensive to get done professionally.

Consider updating the light fixtures. New countertops and backsplash would definitely help. Otherwise just clean the place so it sparkles.
J.K. Masters
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Beth H.: Thank you so much! The trim was the first thing I noticed about the house when we bought it. It’s crazy because it was built in 2005 but feels like a 90s home on the inside. (It could be the area we live in though). The trim is stained cherry. The previous owners left a sample I found yesterday. I agree, I think painting it all will make a huge difference. Do you think Simply White throughout the house or just the kitchen? As far as the counters...we actually have just over 55 square feet as that picture is about half the kitchen and the side that has all the appliances. I’ll hold off on the counters until the trim is done so we can make a decision about the cabinets first. I agree with waiting until the trim is done. I prefer to do the projects in chunks that can be completed and left if we can’t do anymore. If that makes sense. I have new hardware on the way now. Your pictures really show the difference painting can make. I am a sucker for grey walls with white trim...just so clean looking but not sterile. Thanks again...I’ll add more kitchen photos this weekend.
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J.K. Masters
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Latifolia: According to the realtors it is considered an “executive“ house. It’s just under 5,000 sq ft. and about $400,000 in rural Arkansas in an area that is nothing but executive homes. We are new to the state and think that the trends, at least in this area, maybe behind. Maybe that’s why it was styled this way when built in 2005. As far as features, it is a pretty cool house with lots of amenities/features that are REALLY high end for here. However, I only posted photos of what I considered needed the most help in the house. So it’s hard for anyone to see the “executive” in these photos. Lots of potential...the amenities don’t match the style...the outside of the house doesn’t match the inside, way nicer outside. It’s time this house looks the executive it’s supposed to. Could have been way too personalized for the previous owners who had it built? The neighbors house was built at the same time by the same builder and looks way more up to date but I’m not sure if they had it updated since then. It’s hard to wrap our heads around for sure. Thank you for pointing it out though...because it is the issue. It doesn’t look executive.

We are definitely considering the light fixtures, especially in the kitchen and maybe even the dining. Today we painted the kitchen light fixtures to see if that helps. As far as the cabinets go, I’ll wait until all the trim is done before even considering that project. I‘ve done cabinets before and it is a heck of a task. Super clean home, just dingy looking in the photos, dingy wall color, new but drab carpets. Just not full of light and with around 30 large windows you would think it would be.

I’m currently building a table for the downstairs patio and then a modern yet rustic living edge table for the dining room. I plan on covering the sconces for now and may paint the chandelier while we figure out what we want in the dining room. If we can budget it, I’d like to replace the ceiling fans with something less “Texas Country”. One step at a time.
0
PRO
Beth H. :
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I'd start w/the trim and work from there. it's amazing what painting that trim, and then the walls will do for a room.

I'd pick a neutral white for the trim. Personally I've used the White Base #1 straight from the can on ceilings and trim (I don't get any tint added to it).

But if you want it tinted, try Oxford White, or Simply White.

I did Simply White on my own walls and trim if you want to see

Here's a warmer gray color that will work w/the whites, your flooring and even your current wood cabinets. It's Light Pewter

better shot of it over on this side of the kitchen.

All of that trim you see is done w/ Simply White, semi Gloss

I used it over here too on the crown and on the walls (but in eggshell)

all 4 of these are more neutral, warmer grays. you can see the Light Pewter that I used top left

Sherwin Williams has these.

these floors have a slight reddish brown tone. the wall color is Smoke Embers. Also a really nice gray that looks great w/white.

you mentioned your kitchen. what you could do if you paint the cabinets (this is SW Alabaster) is to do a butcher block.

Or, a butcher block on one part and maybe a quartz on the other.

This is Silestone Charcoal and would look great w/your floors and the white cabs

This slab of quartz cost about 2K. You'd have enough left over for bathrooms

I also love this combo. Pale Oak on the walls, and either Simply white or White Dove on the trim. (I've tried White Dove and it just appeared dingy to me, so I repainted w/Simply White)
J.K. Masters thanked Beth H. :
apple_pie_order
4 years ago
Change the light bulbs to "bright white" LED bulbs before finalizing your paint color choices. If gray is still in fashion there, a lighter gray (not a mid gray) will be easier to update in a few years when you may sell.