How to Mix Wood and White Trim, Beautifully!
Yes, you can mix wood and white trim in the same house (or, even, in the same room)! Mixing painted and stained trim is completely doable, as long as you keep these tips in mind.
Our modern cottage home has original solid wood trim, crown molding, panel molding, chair rails, and ceiling beams... but... it's only like that in a few of the main rooms. The remaining spaces are filled with the same 3" stained baseboards that fills most homes built in the 1980s.
So, what do you do when some of your home's trim is high quality and the rest is builder grade? Does it all have to be upgraded ($$$)? Or, do you have to paint it all white (bye-bye beautifully stained original wood)?
Is it all or nothing?
The answer is a resounding "no".
Not only can you mix wood and white trim, you can also mix stained trim with painted trim of any color. Mixing trim is not as easy as "all or nothing", but the results are well worth the extra effort (and, it might save you some money, too!).
How to Combine Stained and Painted Trim
1. Decide which Trim will be Stained
First, determine which trim, moldings, and casings will remain in a stained finish (i.e. will not be painted). To make this decision, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I like this feature of my home in a stained finish?
- Is this trim made with quality wood?
- Does this trim make a statement in my home?
- Is this trim in good condition?
- Does this stained trim work with the "mood" I'd like to create in this room?
Save Your Favorite Ideas & Get Updates
- Save your favorite content (from my site and thousands of other sites including: home, DIY, craft, recipe, and travel blogs)
- Receive my weekly newsletter
- Gain access to my Freebie Library
2. Decide which Trim will be Painted
Next, determine which trim, moldings, and casings will be painted. To make this decision, ask yourself the following questions:
- Which wood-stained features do I dislike?
- Is this trim made with inexpensive wood?
- Does this trim distract from other appealing features of my home?
- Is this trim in poor condition?
3. Determine the Start and Endpoints
The trickiest part of mixing stained and painted trim is the start and endpoints. What do I mean by start and endpoints? Well, for example, this question:
"If I paint the baseboards white, should I also paint the stained door casing which opens to the next room?"
This isn't always easy to solve. In fact, in several rooms, I have painted trim up to a certain point and then stopped to mull it over for a while. I'm a visual person, and seeing it in real life helps me make the final decision.
My general rule regarding where to start and to end is this: keep each type of trim consistent within a room (with the exception of window and door casing trim). For example:
- all baseboard in a room is the same color,
- all crown in a room the same color,
- etc.
4. Decide whether each Window Casing will be Painted or Stained
So, do the window casings have to match the crown molding... or the baseboards... or the other windows in the room? Nope!
Rather, for window casing trim, choose stained or painted based on the following criteria:
- if you want windows to feel bigger, choose a low contrast trim color (see image #1, below)
- if you want to highlight windows, choose a high contrast trim color (see image #2, below)
5. Decide whether each Door Casing will be Painted or Stained
Like window casings, door casing trim can also vary within a room.
For door casing trim, choose stained or painted based on the look you want AND the impact on the adjoining room, for example:
- if there is a door, you can finish it in one color to the stop in the door frame and another color past that point (see image #1, below)
- if a cased opening does not contain a door (i.e. a pass-through), paint it all or stain it all based on which is most visually appealing (see images #2 and #3, below)
6. Decide whether Doors will be Painted or Stained
If you have a door between rooms, you'll have to decide whether the door will be stained or painted to match the trim. Just like all trim doesn't have to match, doors don't always have to match the trim, either.
In general, you have 4 choices:
- painted door with painted trim
- stained door with painted trim
- stained door with stained trim
- stained door on one side, painted door on the other side
Typically, I don't recommend the last option. In this post about How to Mix Wood Stained Doors with White Trim, I explain how to decide between the other 3 options.
Examples of Mixing Wood and Painted Trim
Dining Room with Wood and White Trim
For the first example, let's take a look at our homeschool room (also a dining room). I wanted the room to feel light and bright... after all light is imperative in a space for schoolwork.
When we moved in, the crown molding, window trim, chair rail, and baseboards were all stained wood. All that wood trim - combined with blue-gray walls - wasn't adding up to the light and bright space I envisioned.
But, I hated to paint over that gorgeous, thick, stained wood crown molding. How could I lighten up the room without hiding a feature that I loved?
You might also like: How to Brighten a Dark Room
So, I decided to try mixing wood and white trim in the same room (prior to this, I'd only mixed it in the same house). We painted the walls in SW Alabaster and the trim in SW Pure White (to match the adjoining budget-friendly kitchen renovation).
It turned out exactly as I'd hoped! The beautiful crown molding is highlighted because all of the smaller 3" trim blends in with the walls.
Bedroom with Stained and Painted Trim
For the next example, let's take a look at our master bedroom. We wanted this room to feel cozy, warm, and a bit rustic. It's a big room that can handle a deep, dark, paint color and heavy trim.
Plus, the wood beams are the statement piece in this room and I definitely wouldn't want them to fade away with white paint.
However, I wasn't interested in updating the inexpensive baseboards with similar trim to match the ceiling. It would be expensive and difficult to match the stains.
Instead, we chose to replace the 3" baseboards with paintable 1" x 6" boards. I painted the boards with SW Rookwood Dark Green (at 50%) - to match the dark green bedroom walls - which keeps the base trim from competing visually with the ceiling beams and trim.
Plus, I love how the dark green trim contrasts with the grasscloth-covered wall, while also complementing the green curtains (here are 9 more examples of rooms with painted green trim).
Tips & Tricks for Painting Stained Trim
- Use a high-quality semigloss paint, preferably with primer built-in. I like Sherwin William's Emerald Urethane Trim Paint for both trim and cabinetry.
- If your home is older (pre-1978), there is a possibility that there could be lead in the stain, varnish, or original paint. You can buy a lead test kit to confirm the existence of lead. Then, use a lead encapsulating paint as a primer/barrier before painting the trim.
Mix Wood and Painted Trim
Now it's your turn! Embrace the stained trim in your home by making creative choices with trim color.
Have questions? Feel stuck? Leave a comment, below. I'd love to help you figure out how to beautifully combine stained and painted trim in your home!
Like this interior decor idea? Pin it to save it!
Moved into a house filled with honey oak trim, honey stained wood floors, and honey oak wood windows. We recently had all rooms painted BM edgecomb grey.
Two rooms I am stuck on our kitchen/family room and sunroom.
1.sunroom. This room sits off of the family room separated by oak doors. The ceiling in pine. I would say a warm pine that is similar to the oak in color. I need to restain the windows and Patio door in this room due to some dark staining from years of neglect. I am afraid I won’t be able to remove the stains. I am considering either restraining a darker color or painting.
What colors would be good stain choices paired with the pine ceiling? What colors would be good paint choices?
2. Kitchen/family space
The kitchen is cherry cabinets with a busy granite countertop. Since this opens up into the family room I am having a really hard time designing on furnishing for both spaces. I am considering painting the baseboards white and leaving the windows unpainted or only paining the window trim white. This area is really dark as the windows sit at the end of the room butted up to an oversized fire place. So close in fact that I can’t properly hang curtain because the windows don’t have clearance in either side. Again, narrow room.
Will it look weird to paint the trim around the window white while leaving the window and doors that open to the sunroom oak stained?
Would painting the oak fire place edgecomb gray look off? I want to minimized the huge oak mass that it is. The insert is red brick.
Also will have floors restrained at some point. Thinking a walnut is a good “neutral choice to flow through spaces that open into each other. Thoughts?
1. I'd consider staining or painting the window trim a dark near-black (similar to the entryway in this home with edgecomb gray, oak floors, and black railing - https://www.younghouselove.com/photo-gallery-2/our-current-house-2/). If you don't use black as an accent in your home, or if you don't want as much contrast, you could simply do a semi-gloss of edgecomb gray (or a shade or two darker if you want a little contrast). Going with a color similar to the wall will make the sunroom windows feel even bigger.
2. I'd be inclined to paint the window trim by the fireplace and the fireplace itself, the same color. Since the fireplace is large, and the windows are at the end of a long room, I think that would provide a cohesive feel. It is definitely fine to paint those windows without painting the doors or other windows. Especially, if you paint it the same color as the fireplace - that will feel completely intentional. With that said, I'd go with white or edgecomb gray for the windows/fireplace. I'd probably be most inclined to go with edgecomb gray - though I think eitehr would work.
3. Yes! I think walnut is a great neutral that is not too yellow or brown, it is a great option for wood stain.
I am stuck! I want to keep trim in main living wood but paint the built-ins. The room has vaulted ceilings where space above built -in is part of wood crown I'm wanting to keep its original wood color. This same piece is quite elaborate and encases the balcony. Where do I go from here? Desperately not wanting to make a mistake as it would be impossible to fix... Can include pics in follow up.
Thanks:)
Hi Carol! Yes, please send pics, if you are able. Generally I recommend painting the trim/crown at the top of the built-in, cabinet, etc. the same; but this sounds like a unique case.
I have a chalet type house and I want to paint baseboards and window trim white but leave doors, wood beams and around fireplace stained. Would this be pleasing to the eye. I as well am a visual person . We get tons on natural light
Yes!! I think this sounds lovely!
I'm remodeling my ensuite bathroom. Gray and white. Gray floor, 2 tone gray shower floor, linen color vanity with matching huge mirror frame and matching linen closet. White quartz vanity top with light gray sparce graining and similar shower wall tiles. My problem is my entire house has wood stained doors, windows and frames which I love. But that won't work in my new bath. I need help as to what to do with the stained door and trim in the bathroom. I'm stumped. Please help! Thank you.
Well, I'd definitely paint the trim in the bath to match the bathroom. I'd probably consider the linen color that is on the vanity for the trim. As for the door - is it a linen closet door, also - or just the entry door? If a linen closet (i.e. inside the room), I'd paint it the same color as the trim. If just the bath entry door (i.e. shared with another room/hallway), I'd leave the door stained but paint the trim around the door AND inside the bath. You don't need to paint the trim outside the bath (I have an example image in my post of how to paint inside trim one color and outside trim another color).
OR
Go all in and paint the whole door and inside/outside trim the linen color IF it would be cohesive with the adjoining room/hallway that is the stained wood trim everywhere else.
I'd go with option #1 most likely, but feel free to send pics and I can provide any other suggestions.
Your home is beautiful! I have a 1969 ranch where there is a lot of clamshell trim. Some in not good shape in the entries and living spaces but in good shape in the bedrooms, especially the baseboard trim that is stained and matches the hardwoods. I'm leaning toward brightening the space like you did and I'm wondering if I could like the baseboards and then paint the door trim white so that I don't have wood trim extending upwards in a room which makes it feel dark. Do you have any wood baseboard trim with painted door trim?
Hi, Shannon! Great question and thank you for your kind comments about my home. No, I do not have any painted door trim with wood baseboard, I only have the opposite - wood door trim with painted base trim. If you are certain you want to paint the door trim, you could always do that first and live with it for awhile to decide on the base trim. I often paint in phases to allow myself time to decided what will get painted.
All of the bedrooms in our home have stained doors, windows and moldings. We are installing replacement windows (casement) and they only come in white. Can we use white windows and trim and leave the doors and rest of molding stained? The trim is not expensive but our doors are beautiful 6-panel solid wood.
Thank you
Yes, white trim with white window casements while leaving doors and trim stained is one of the best wood/white trim combos. It is so easy to pull off because there aren't any points where the trim meets one another and you have to make the switch between stained and white.
I am currently renovating a 100 year old house with some beautiful, yet varied, oak trim. I will keep my beautiful fireplace and 5' oak windows and trim, but paint the baseboards and door casings. My question is what did you paint your door in bedroom that is seen through entryway? I have 3 doors in the room that need to be considered. Would you do wall color or trim color? Thanks!
I left my bedroom door stained wood because the entry has white trim and the bedroom has green trim. Both spaces still have some wood trim (crown molding in entry and ceiling beams in bedroom), so since stain is the common element in both the entry and bedroom, I left the door stained. However, in other areas of our home where I'm dealing with just two trim colors (stained wood and white), I typically paint the doors white to match the door casings. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi, I have stained pine window frames, stained pine baseboards and stained pine bedroom doors. The doors are right off the living room. I want to leave the window frames stained because I like them. The stained door frames are in rough shape so I want to paint them. My walls are BM Glacial Stream, very light gray with a hint of green at a certain times of the day. Oh and I want to mention that the doors are old brown hollow ones, bad shape.
A large stained pine beam runs through the middle of the ceiling.
I would like to know if it is doable to paint the door trims and leave the stained pine window frames.
Wish I could paste a picture.
Thanks
Laura.
Ps all the frames are wide.
Yes! You could definitely paint the doors and trim without painting the windows. If your walls are Glacial Stream, and you are comfortable going with a non-white trim paint, I would do Glacial Stream in a Semi-Gloss, or possibly, Glacial Stream darkened 25% in a Semi-Gloss.
I think that a monochromatic look on walls, doors, trim, would really let your pine window trim shine!
We live in a 25 year old home with all brown wood trim. We are getting replacement windows, current windows are wood and match the trim. Replacement windows are white. My bedroom is painted White Dove by BM and the rest of the house is Feather Down by BM. I don't want to paint all the trim in the house but I think white windows will look very drastic with the brown wood trim (especially since we are used to them matching the trim). Can we paint the trim only around the windows the same color as the walls and leave the rest of the trim in the house stained brown?
Yes, this is exactly what I did when we bought our replacement windows. The first trim I painted white in our house was around the windows to match the replacement windows.
I have bamboo floors with oak baseboards. They look ok but I want to paint the baseboards white. I also have bamboo shoe trim that has not been put on yet. Can I paint the baseboards white and leave the bamboo shoe trim a stained color to match the floor?
Yes, you can! The shoe trim should match either the baseboard or the floor. I generally prefer to match the shoe trim to the baseboard when it is 3" trim. When it is taller than 3" I think either is fine. Personally, I just don't like how short a 3" baseboard feels with a shoe trim that is a different color. If the baseboard is taller, the shoe trim in a different color doesn't make it feel so short.
Can I use white chair rail in my grandson's bedroom that has stained walnut baseboard and one small window with same stain?
LEN
If the wall is white, then white chair rail would definitely be fine. If the wall has color, then I'd ask the following: Will the chair rail meet the window trim? Or is the window trim all higher than the chair rail? If the window trim meets the chair rail, I'd be inclined to paint the window trim to match the chair rail (white) or stain the chair rail to match the windows. In other words, white chair rail will look just fine if it blends with other elements in the room and seems intentional. I hope that helps! Feel free to email me with more details or pictures. Thank you!
I am updating my door trim in my house built in the 90’s. My doors are fir so I was going to keep stain on the door trim and around the windows and use painted white wood on the base. My wall colors are Sherwin Williams Snowbound. I feel like my laminate floors would look better with the white rather than stain. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
I think that makes sense. If you want to make the transition between base trim to door trim clear, use a slightly thicker door trim. Here are a couple examples:
1. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58058acc5016e176c8d090c4/1594153737939-EUWSY3E41Z6MN26HIVNS/How+to+transition+from+white+trim+and+baseboards+to+wood+trim+and+baseboards.+Tips+by+Nadine+Stay+%7C+Photo+Source%3A+Karra+Mann?format=1000w
2. https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/IMG_6748-e1580519306464.jpg
We are redoing our thirty year old stairs. We have stained trim throughout the house in minwax cherry and a hardwood floor of ash honey color. What are your thoughts of ash stair treads in a darker stain (English chestnut?) with white risers and white trim on both sides of the stairs? Thanks.
Yes, I think that sounds lovely! English chestnut will be a nice mid-tone between the honey ash floors and cherry trim. Then, the white trim around the stairs, and the risers, will make it clean and cohesive (i.e. not having cherry trim right up against the english chestnut stairs). It sounds lovely! Good luck with your reno!
Hi there,
We have similar trim in our house. We have oak everywhere. But it is the pretty oak. And my husband (who is handy) refuses to paint over ALL the trim. So, we have mixed oak with paint too. My colors are cream, tan and black (farm house decor). But my question is what to do in our bedroom? We have it painted green (and I love it), but want to lighten it up. We have black farmhouse furniture in there and I would love to paint the walls in Kilim beige (Shermin Williams). It is in other areas of the house too. But the problem is that the room has a chair rail (oak) and oak doors too. Do we paint the walls one color (Kilim) and then paint the trim (chair rail and trim on floor) a lighter shade then the KB? If so, what would you recommend? We are not sure what to do. I have been looking online and stumbled on your bedroom pic and it is similar to my bedroom. What is your advice? The room is a NW exposure. It does get a lot of light.
Thank you so much,
Heather
Hi Heather! Great question about the chair rail. In our dining room, we have chair rail. I actually painted it to match the walls, rather than removing it or painting it a contrast color (see it here: https://craftivitydesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/modern-cottage-home-tour_1200px_079.jpg). They actually aren't technically the exact same color, because our white trim is SW Pure White while the walls are SW Alabaster, but to the eye they appear as if the walls, chair rail, and trim are all the same paint color. You could go that route with the SW Kilim Beige - paint everything in that color (walls, chair rail, AND base trim, etc). OR, you could only do walls and chair rail in Kilim Beige, then leave the rest of the trim stained (or paint it white, whatever your preference is). In that case you are essentially just disguising the chair rail and letting in fade into the background since it matches the wall. Here is a good example: https://designmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/The-House-Of-Figs-5.jpg (from this post: https://designmom.com/living-with-kids-bethany-dufilho/#more-60413). I hope that helps! Let me know if you have more questions or want to send any pics. My email is loragreen@craftivitydesigns.com
On section 5. Image 2. What were the paint colors used for thw wall and for thw white trim?
Hi Jess! The wall is SW Alabaster and the trim is SW Pure White.