I painted all my bedroom trim, baseboard, and crown before install. To me, since the ceilings were so high, it was MUCH easier. One thing to check. Does your wood have knot holes? Despite my urging, my GC brought pine that had knot holes, the best for the price I could afford, and I primed with ordinary primer then painted with an off white satin finish. Well, it didn't take long before those knot holes bled through. Make sure you use a primer especially made to cover knot holes (can't think of the name right now). I had to go back and touch up the trim and baseboard knot holes with the special primer and repaint with another finish coat. That was three years ago and yellow spots are still appearing. :(

I will vote for painting SOME of the trim in white. Look around each of the rooms and spaces -- and see if painting parts (for example - JUST an example!) of the trim -- like the spindles on the staircase or windows MIGHT make the space look less "choppy" to the viewer's eye. BUT -- do investigate Minwax's Polyshades wood stains and other wood treatments first. And of course -- there is the classic Murphy's Oil Soap for wood cleaning. And I have included a link to MY fav product for treating wood -- I use Williamsville Wax (it is NOT waxy at all -- just the name!) on my oak furniture and other wood furniture. Just a thought! Here is a link that might be useful: Williamsville Wax -- the BEST for wood!

You have very nice trim. I sure wouldnt be painting it. If you really have to have white cabinets, then just have white walls, and leave the trim. I dont mind painted trim, but, I really do not like white trim, nor do I like white kitchen cabinets, although, I do like cabinets painted in colors.. Your house looks very warm and inviting the way it is right now.

bania, I'd worry more about the ground in your front yard than the paint on your trim. since 1923 to the mid 1980's every gallon of gas burned emitted 1.1 grams of lead, and most of it settled in your front yard. Old inner city neighborhoods are the most contaminated areas which produced many brain damaged kids who played in that dirt. It just sits there in the top couple of inches waiting to be eaten by kids or kicked up and inhaled. I'd guess all the lead I've eaten or inhaled knocked down my IQ at least 10 points but I'm still smart enough to know lead paint can be removed, just don't eat or inhale it. It's something which can be taken care of and easier than the dirt in your yard. You can't get around lead and is even in the milk you drink, cows consume lead and pass it on. Your world isn't perfect but it's a heck of lot cleaner than the world my generation had to grow up in. Trucks driving down the streets fogging DDT for mosquitos with every kid in the neighborhood running behind them, how sweet it was. So does your old house have the original copper water pipes? 99.99999999% chance the solder used in those pipes contain lead. I shouldn't be like this but you need to know, and to be thankful your world is much safer than mine was, ever eaten mercury contaminated fish or crawled around in an attics full of asbestos? I have but there was no around at the time to warn me.