What Color Paint Will Compliment Unpainted Wood Trim?

Accents of unpainted wood can be a great addition to any room. Depending on the style of the home and the color of the wood, a variety of paint colors can be chosen to compliment the natural trim.

Style of the Home

The overall appearance of the home can greatly influence your color choices. Modern homes may take advantage of white or primary colors with a light wood finish, while old country homes would be better suited to use darker greens and reds with a darker wood finish.

Furniture

Consider the color of the furniture in the room. Often it isn't wise to choose the main color of couches or other pieces, but subtler secondary colors in the upholstery make good wall color choices.

Living Rooms/Kitchens

Large informal rooms with light wood trims can benefit from a bold orange or light forest green. Smaller non-formal rooms should have lighter colors, like white, tan or gold.

Formal Rooms

Consider the overall feel of a room; darker cherry or mahogany trim and a more serious setting invite more somber colors. Add a bit of gray to reds, yellows or greens to take the edge off of brighter tones.

A Note on Gloss

Your paint should be about one degree less glossy than your trim. A super-gloss trim with matte walls will look out of place.

References

• Color Combinations
• Diversity in design: Mix, don't match, wood textures and colors