Top Recommended Contrast Trim Paint Color Ideas
Imagine how dynamic this hallway would look with chunky wainscoting and a burst of color painted on the trim and mouldings! Ahhh so good! (That icky attic fan vent in the ceiling is going away soon.)
If you’re getting tired of white walls or any other wall color in your own home, painting a contrasting different color on just the trim can give you a massive transformation without a big budget.
What is Contrast Trim?
Contrast trim pairs light colored walls (often a neutral like white or light gray / beige) with a different colored trim. The darker and more saturated the color, the more drama it adds to a room.
Why Choose Contrasting Trim?
When you are dying to add some color to your neutral home but don’t feel up to the task of painting walls, painting only the wall mouldings, door casings, and interior doors a darker color is the perfect solution for less effort.
It’s a great way to highlight ornate mouldings and intricate architectural features in an old home. And it’s especially a great choice in smaller spaces when you want to create some visual interest without adding clutter.
That’s the case for our hallway, stairway, and foyer. It’s so very white, which I have enjoyed. But I can’t stop imagining how dynamic it would look with a pop of contrasting paint on the trim, crown moulding, and doors.
Can you envision it yet?
Imagine how a dose of color with a blue or green color scheme would look on the trim and wainscoting!
Source | Sunset
Paint Color Ideas for Contrasting Trim
If you’ve wanted to try the high-contrast look, here are some popular choices for paint colors on trim work below. All of these colors are frequently used by interior designers and come highly recommended by paint pros.
It seems only fitting to highlight trim colors for every color family of the rainbow since every color deserves its time in the spotlight, right?
As always, don’t let this post make your trim color choice for you. It’s always a good idea to visit your local paint store to see the paint chips in person, pick up some paint pots to sample, and test the trim color combinations in the natural light of your own home.
Tutorial: How to Choose Paint Colors for Your Home Interior Like a Pro
Challenge yourself to deviate away from white trim by trying some different shades instead.
I’ll definitely be pulling out the paint deck fan to “try on” a few of these colors in the next week!
Source | Becca Interiors | Rikki Snyder
Red Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Preference Red
- Benjamin Moore Classic Burgundy
- Sherwin Williams Rustic Red
Source | Avery Cox Design
Orange Trim Paint Colors
- Sherwin Williams Cavern Clay
- Benjamin Moore Tarra Mauve
- Farrow & Ball Charlotte’s Locks
Source | Wit and Delight
Yellow Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball India Yellow
- Benjamin Moore Man on the Moon
- Sherwin Williams Restrained Gold
Source | One Kindesign
Green Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Green Smoke
- Benjamin Moore Soft Fern
- Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog
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Source | Vanderhorn Architects | Amy Hirsch Design
Blue Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Down Pipe
- Benjamin Moore Water’s Edge
- Sherwin Williams Stardew
Source | Notes of Colour
Purple Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Brinjal
- Sherwin Williams Expressive Plum
- PPG Purple Dusk
Source | Stef Turner
Pink Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Sulking Room Pink
- Benjamin Moore Bashful
- Sherwin Williams Cabbage Rose
Source | Bell-Guilmet
Gray Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Lamp Room Gray
- Benjamin Moore Coventry Gray
- Sherwin Williams Peppercorn
Source | Carpendaughter
Beige Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Stony Ground
- Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
- Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige
Source | Lovisa Hager
Black Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Pitch Black
- Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron
- Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black
How to Find the Right Trim Color for a Room
Here’s a little trick that ALWAYS works when you’re trying to achieve the high contrast look in a room.
Choose the lightest color (or second lightest color) of the paint sample strip for your walls. Using the same paint sample strip, choose the darkest color (or second darkest color) of the paint sample strip for your walls.
Your two paint colors will have the same undertones so there is no second guessing that they work together! They’re meant to be.
Source | Benjamin Moore
Would you try out contrast trim in your home? Or have you done it already?
If you don’t feel ready to commit to repainting your trim, paint your interior doors for some visual interest instead. It really does go such a long way.
