Interior Design
11 Classic Paint Colour Matches for Wood Details
Pair your wood trim and cabinets with the right shade of wall paint to bring out the beauty in both
What paint colours work best with stained wood trim? I generally select neutral colours when I am painting a room with natural wood details, whether cabinets or stain-grade trim. Greens, greys, whites and beiges are no-brainers. Warmer colours, like orange, brown, rust and red, work too, but the deeper tones of these colours work best. Here are 11 great combinations that I think got the choice of paint colours right.
1. Creamy white works with honey- and amber-toned trim. I like creamy whites in an eggshell or pearl finish for just a little bit of sheen. Save a flat finish for ceilings; a little bit of sheen will make cleaning minor scuffs on walls easier.
2. White is an obvious choice with wood trim. Stay away from bright white and look for something with milky undertones.
3. My favourite neutral with wood trim is green. The olive-toned greens are the best. Greens work with red, brown and blonde woods. I love this shade by Valspar, Grandma’s Linen 6001-1C.
Find the perfect paint colour with the help of an interior designer
Find the perfect paint colour with the help of an interior designer
4. Beige, tan and ivory work great with light and dark shades of wood. Notice the wood walls are a contrasting colour to the floor and ceiling. The contrast is nice with the trim, while the darker colours are highlighted again by the painted wall.
5. Cream is also a beautiful choice, but be careful not to confuse cream with a pale yellow. Yellow is not a good choice for wood trim, in my opinion. If you have amber-toned wood trim, like Douglas fir or pine, try Gentle Cream OC-96 by Benjamin Moore or Glow W-B-310 by Behr.
6. Grey is a winner with soft, blonde or weathered wood tones. Here, the grey is in the form of ‘concrete’ walls.
Here the cabinets under the stairs and tread colour are Bedford Gray by Martha Stewart Living, a perfect choice with the weathered wood ceiling.
7. “Greige” is a great neutral with wood trim. The trick is the right shade. Go toward a warmer greige if you have red-toned trim or cabinets, like cherry or mahogany. This one is Benjamin Moore’s Pismo Dunes AC-32.
8. Light blue with subtle gray undertones works great with a medium-toned walnut. The pale blue wall here blends beautifully with the wood floor and furniture and white accessories.
9. Turquoise and aqua shades can work too. This great shade of aqua, Blue Ground 210, by Farrow & Ball, evokes spring and looks great with the amber-toned ceiling.
10. Grey and brown can work with black trim or cabinets. Make sure the shade you select provides contrast.
Pair up with a professional to ensure your painting project is a success
Pair up with a professional to ensure your painting project is a success
Here Valspar’s Artichoke 6003-2A, a smokey charcoal, contrasts black accents.
11. Red, oranges, and rust work with many wood trim colours. Try earthy reds and oranges with brown undertones.
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Read stories about colour and colour trends
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Read stories about colour and colour trends