Asked on Nov 21, 2013

Leave the trim or paint it?

I'm in the process of updating my bathroom and recently painted the walls and tile and I can't decide whether to leave the trim wood color or paint it white. Does it stick out as the only wood tone in the room? Or does it work with it all?
I have a split level ranch house and on the first floor all the trim has been painted white, and on the second level all the trim is still wood. The bathroom is on the landing of the 2nd level.
Thanks!
(see: http://sandpaperandglue.com/2013/11/21/painting-tile/ for more pictures/details)
how it looked before painting the tile and walls, and how it is in process now (still need to recolor the grout, get new rugs, etc)
  31 answers
  • Heidi Heidi on Nov 21, 2013
    Paint it white I think. Just make sure there are no other wood colored accents. Looks great, just needs to be white is my opinion.
  • I'm leaning towards white too! I think with navy bath rugs and some nice accessories it'll make the room look a bit less sterile, and the white would blend well.
  • Shari Shari on Nov 21, 2013
    Definitely white! I don't think the wood tone adds anything positive to the room. It seems very out of place, imho.
  • Debbie Harris Debbie Harris on Nov 21, 2013
    In this case the wood definitely dates the room. Paint it!
  • Therese C Therese C on Nov 21, 2013
    Strangely I am seeing this window frame as being done in a white crackle paint. Something to give it texture and yet blend in. Shoot, go for the moon and do a faux stain glass in navy and soft tones with the crackle. Then you eliminate the need for curtains or shades.
  • thanks all! I think I just really needed other people to say it was ok to paint the wood! I'm going to go for it. @Therese C - I put up some frosted contact paper on the window so I don't need a curtain or shade at all. That's the only window and it gets soooo dark in there, having nothing is the best option to make sure I don't put on a clown level of blush in the morning :) haha
    • Therese C Therese C on Nov 23, 2013
      @Stephanie (Sandpaper & Glue) you are too funny! I cannot think of any woman that wants to walk outside and see all the children look for the circus or run in fright....lol
  • Cindy Cindy on Nov 21, 2013
    I would definitely paint the trim. About a year ago I went through our home and painted trim, baseboard doors a creamy white I have never painted so much in my entire life. It was quite a job, but well worth it. I too was undecided for awhile but things look so much brighter and modern.
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Nov 22, 2013
    I agree with everyone else...paint it to update the room. Just make sure you sand it a little and put on primer because of the moisture in that room! I think plain is best because crackle is going to become too dated!
  • I would lose the outdated trim and install colonial trim painted white, also the flooring and extend the window sill a couple of inches.
    • See 1 previous
    • Janet Parish Janet Parish on Aug 23, 2014
      @Sheila Selman You are so good at redoing projects like this. Sheila, please call me! Can't get into my Yahoo account. Every time I think to call it's late or some other stuff is going on. I got rid of the extra 5 people in my home so I will get your calls now. They wouldn't tell me if or when any one called me. Please call, Love you bunches!
  • Debbie Rennau Debbie Rennau on Nov 23, 2013
    Definitely paint it....
  • Linda B Linda B on Nov 23, 2013
    Definitely Paint it white..I like glossy white.
  • Elizabeth Elizabeth on Nov 23, 2013
    No question about it --- a soft creamy white in a satin finish will look very classic !!!
  • Kim Dagenais Kim Dagenais on Nov 23, 2013
    Yes I agree with everybody else. i would paint it, and make sure to prime first and then use a semi gloss paint for the bathroom to protect the wood from moisture. I would add accents of blue and dark blue so everything goes together and matches.
  • Chantelle Joy Chantelle Joy on Nov 23, 2013
    Paint it, you will be happier!
  • Terra Gazelle Terra Gazelle on Nov 23, 2013
    Paint it a dark blue...with the white of the window would be pretty.
  • Yvonne Yvonne on Nov 24, 2013
    PAINT , PAINT PAINT PAINT PAINT PAINT PAINT PLEASE PAINT IT WHITE
  • Pam B Pam B on Nov 24, 2013
    Paint it creamy white semi-gloss
  • Wendy Lee Wendy Lee on Nov 24, 2013
    There is not a darn thing wrong with a wood feature in the bathroom! It will add a warm look and to bring in wood touches, pictures framed in same color wood, wood shelves, woven trash basket etc etc, BUT to each their own.
  • Melinda Lockwood Melinda Lockwood on Jun 23, 2015
    I would paint it just for a continuity of look but you live there and should do what makes you happy!
    • Ja Ka Smith Ja Ka Smith on Aug 26, 2016
      I agree with Melinda.... Keep the flow going thru out the house, it will really make the room stand out painted white. I recently painted all the wood trim in my bedroom a simi-gloss white and it made a tremendous difference. I painted the wood closet doors also and I LOVE IT!!!
  • Lori Lori on Sep 13, 2015
    Melinda is right of course but if I kind of think if the wood made you happy, you might not have asked us. Personally, I'd paint it faster than you can say the word paint. It dates the room. Every piece if trim and door in our house was that wood when we bought it and it got painted before we moved in.
  • Terra Gazelle Terra Gazelle on Sep 14, 2015
    Paint!! It does stick out...if you had a wood vanity or something else..but yes, it sticks out and seems out of place. It's trim, not some antique...and trim is supposed to help pull the look together. I have wood trim and I hate it. It pulls the room in and makes it look smaller. I always paint the ceiling a very much lighter shade of the walls..White with a hint of the color..and I paint the trim..it tends to fool the eye making the ceiling look higher and less of a marked limits to the room. The Kitchen is getting done and I will be painting that dark brown trim...
  • Diana Deiley Diana Deiley on Nov 26, 2015
    All of the suggestions are great ones. Personally I would prefer semi gloss white. I think it will "open" up the space even more.
  • Gail Salminen Gail Salminen on Nov 26, 2015
    @Stephanie (Sandpaper & Glue) I am one that loves wood, but in this case it really sticks out. I would paint it the same colour as your tile to be more blended.
  • Clplott Clplott on Jun 29, 2016
    Definitely paint IMO, if you'd like something a little different, how about trying a dark charcoal?
  • Dee Dee on Aug 05, 2016
    I believe you shouldn't paint the wood because I feel that every room should have the warm tone of wood in it somewhere to prevent it from becoming sterile looking. You could add a matching timber accessory to your vanity or have a timber mirror to match at the vanity. But if you really hate it you could always sand the window frame and lime wash it so the grain can still show through.
  • Melinda Lockwood Melinda Lockwood on Aug 06, 2016
    I think you need to decide how you want the room to "feel." Personally, I think the wood looks out of place with the color scheme you have but-this is your project-go with how you feel when you look at it!
  • Ja Ka Smith Ja Ka Smith on Aug 26, 2016
    The painted trim gives it a more up-to-date look.
  • Eroque022810 Eroque022810 on Sep 10, 2016
    Paint it. It will match this room no one is going to notice that the trim is different on that floor and if they do ask them to take care of that for you. It's your space you need to love it. I think you want to paint it deep down that's why you asked but what we say does matter I don't live there,it's just an opinion.
  • Penny Stumpf Penny Stumpf on Oct 14, 2016
    I think it needs to be painted white. It stands out to me as old.
  • Regina Pinto Regina Pinto on Oct 16, 2016
    Paint it.
  • Daisyduck57 Daisyduck57 on Nov 21, 2016
    I would paint it whit to give it a fresh, updated look. I think wood trim gives a very dated look. Good luck!!
    • Patti kelley Patti kelley on Dec 12, 2016

      Personally I would paint it A few years ago I went through our home and painted almost all of our orangey colored woodwork It was quite a job baseboard, window trim, and even the doors. but I don't regret it it makes the entire house look brighter and up-to date. And as far as the doors are concerned, after painting them we applied molding with liquid nails turned out great.