Ask Joshua - Should I paint over wood trim?

Dear Joshua,

I inherited a house that belonged to my grandma. My family and I are planning to move in within a few months after I update the house. This house was built in the 1930s and has a lot of character which I really love about this house. I want to paint the main living area in dark colors but I am concerned about the wood trim around the windows, doors, and baseboards. I am trying to decide if I should paint over the trim in white in order to look better with a dark color wall. A few of my friends said it would be a huge mistake to paint over them and it would destroy the character of the house. I’m torn because I want to modernize this house to make comfortable for my family but also want to preserve the character of the house. What are your thoughts on this?

Thank you,

Ryan - Austin, Texas

Modern living room. Image created using AI via Canva

Hi Ryan,

Thank you for the question on painting wood trim. That is a very common debate on whether to paint over original wood, especially in an older home. I hear opinions typically split about 50/50 for and against on the issue. In my opinion it depends, as most things do with design, on the overall look of the house and what you want to achieve with it. I reviewed the pictures you shared with me and your house is a gorgeous home with a lot of character. For your situation, I’d recommend keeping the existing wood trim while still painting in the dark colors you mentioned.

To modernize the look a little, I’d recommend re-staining them to give a more fresh look that is going to pair better with newly painted walls and modernized furniture and décor. I found a great inspiration picture that shows dark walls with unpainted wood trim above. You can see how modern it is while still preserving the character of the house. I hope this image is helpful for you to picture your main living area could look like afterward.

I wish you the best of luck with your house project. :)

Joshua Jones

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