Are you looking for a go-to trim paint color? Stop searching through dozens of colors and go with one of the effortless trim paint colors on this list!
Your trim makes a powerful impact on your home decor. Whether you are thinking about painting window trim, baseboards, or crown molding, it’s incredible how such a small part of your home plays such a significant role in your overall decor.
Unfortunately, people often only paint their trim when they’re doing a big, involved remodel project.
When that’s the case, the task of choosing a trim paint color will usually get lost in the shuffle of much larger decisions.
Or that one decision will be the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’ and leave the homeowner feeling overwhelmed and unable to choose.
Taking the Stress Out of Choosing Trim Paint Colors
I’ve been publishing a series of paint posts for a while. In this series, I explore individual paint colors and provide information on how they appear as well as ideas for great color pairing choices. My goal is to make choosing colors as stress-free as possible.
Now I want to do the same thing for trim paint colors!
One of the most common questions readers have been asking me lately is, “What color should I paint my trim?” Well, I decided it was time to tackle that question head-on! So, I’ve rounded up the best trim paint colors into one handy post.
More often than not, I see people WAY overthinking their trim paint color choices! While you don’t want to close your eyes, point to any color on the color wheel, and hope for the best, you also don’t need to stress over which color to choose.
Why?
Because I’ve got a list of tried and true trim color choices that will make your job easy peasy. No matter what colors you decide to use on your walls, one of these colors will work well for your trim!
FAQs
Most people use either a satin or semi-gloss sheen for their interior trim. Satin has become a popular choice in the last several years because it looks modern and has a little bit of shine.
However, I prefer semi-gloss paint because it has more shine, making it pop. Plus, it’s more durable and easier to keep clean, making it ideal for high-traffic areas.
Many interior designers recommend against using high gloss paint for trim. Although I love how it looks, its higher gloss level makes any slight imperfection stand out as if there was a giant foam finger (like the kind you see at sports games) pointing at it and saying, “look at me!”
If you want a headache-free choice (yes, please!), go with a semi-gloss sheen for your trim.
And to learn more details about choosing a perfect paint finish, read this article.
Should your ceilings and your trim be painted the same color?
I love the cohesive look that happens when you paint both the trim and the ceiling in the same color! However, make sure you buy a flat sheen for your ceilings because you don’t need to clean them often (or ever).
Also, a shiny sheen on your ceilings will create a glare and highlight any texture or imperfections.
Should I match the trim color to the wall color if my walls are white?
Yes, if possible!
When you paint your walls white, I recommend using a flat sheen for the ceilings, satin for the walls, and a semi-gloss for the trim and doors. That way, even though the colors are all the same, the sheen difference will help the walls and the trim look separate.
Should you match your trim color to your white kitchen cabinet color?
This question is a little harder to answer. The short answer is yes. However, you don’t have to.
To make it simple, I usually prefer to use a different coordinating white trim color if kitchen cabinets are off-white or cream. Using the same off-white color throughout the house will potentially limit your color choices in other areas of the home.
However, it’s a different story when kitchen cabinets are painted with a versatile, clean white color. Those colors are universal enough to carry well through the house and, in turn, create a polished look.
Choosing a Warm or a Cool Trim Paint Color
Besides the subtle differences between my favorite trim shades that I’ll point out below, the most significant factor to consider when choosing trim paint colors is whether you need a warm-leaning or a cool-leaning shade to match the rest of your paint choices.
Here’s a quick breakdown of which colors from this list fall into which category.
Warm Trim Colors
Warm whites tend to have just a hint of yellow in them. These colors tend to work well with wood tones, earth tones, beiges, and some grays and greiges:
- Sherwin Williams High Reflective White
- Sherwin Williams Alabaster
- Benjamin Moore White Dove
- Benjamin Moore Simply White
- Sherwin Williams Pure White
Cool Trim Colors
If you love cooler colors such as blues and some grays, you may prefer a cool, crisp white. Since they have a slight blue tint, they often appear “true white.” Check out these cool whites for your trim:
- Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White
- Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace
- Sherwin Williams Extra White
- Benjamin Moore Super White
NOTE: I included one non-white paint color on today’s list. Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black is a neutral deep gray that appears soft black. It’s a very balanced color that doesn’t lean warm or cool.
If undertones make your head hurt, you’re not alone! Grab your free copy of 5 Biggest Paint Choice Mistakes Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
Make Choosing the Best Paint Colors for Trim an Easy Choice
Although it’s not a hard and fast design rule, many homes paint both the ceilings and the trims in white paint.
And it’s a combination that I recommend because choosing a different color for your trim only takes the decision-making difficulty level from 1 or 2 to about 9 or 10. Who has time for that?
KISS Method for Picking Trim Paint
Here’s my super simple trick for choosing a trim paint color you’ll love: buy any brand of white semi-gloss paint and use it straight out of the can. Don’t add tint so that you know it’s a clean and simple white color.
Most designers will recommend not doing that, but honestly, only about 1 out of 100 people will even be able to see the minute differences between close shades of white.
So, if you’re worried about it, use this trick for stress-free trim paint colors and don’t devote any more time or brain cells to the decision.
However, if you want a color that’s tinted just a little, you can confidently use this list of trim paint colors. I’ve covered many of these colors in much more detail in some of my paint review posts.
If you want to learn more about any of them (including seeing more real-life examples), just click through the links I provide.
Feeling lost? I gotcha, boo! Grab a FREE copy of my new guide to avoid the paint color picking mistakes people make! Click here or enter your email below. I’ll send the tips right away!⤵️
Effortless Trim Paint Colors
Here’s my list of 10 trim colors that I recommend to people since they’re versatile enough to work with almost any paint shade.
1. High Reflective White by Sherwin Williams
High Reflective White (SW 7757) is a bright true white that will work with almost all other paint colors. It’s also the brightest white on this list but doesn’t look stark.
With an LRV of 93, it can sometimes be a little too bright in rooms with a lot of natural light. However, it’s a gem in darker rooms!
Professional Staging creates a cohesive look by using High Reflective White for the baseboards, window trim, cabinets, doors, shelves, and fireplace. It’s stunning! The wall color here is SW Icicle.
2. Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black
With an LRV of 2.45, I’m going from one extreme to another. Tricorn Black (SW 6258) is a unique choice for a trim paint color.
It’s a neutral, deep shade that can lend a highly desired modern look in the right setting. Try pairing this versatile shade with white for classic white-black decor.
Ugly Duckling House ties the window in with the fan accent by using Tricorn Black as the trim color. It’s a brilliant way to make the window an accent piece in this minimalistic bedroom!
3. Super White by Benjamin Moore
This clean white (OC-152) has an LRV of 89.09 and just seems to sparkle.
It’s one of my top choices for trim, baseboards, moldings, and more because it always looks crisp and fresh and plays well with so many other paint colors.
This hallway from The Creativity Exchange shows how Super White can work well with neutral paint colors (like the one used here, Gray Owl) while also providing contrast to allow the trim to stand out.
4. Sherwin Williams Alabaster
Sherwin Williams Alabaster (LRV 82) is my go-to choice when I’m looking for a slightly creamy off-white option.
This shade, SW 7008, is unique because it reads warm without looking yellow, making it one of the best warm white trim paint color choices!
I love the use of Alabaster here by Lizzy Designs Blog to paint the trim and built-ins. The soft warmth of Alabaster is a great choice in this room full of warm wood tones.
5. Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White
If you’re looking for trim paint on the cooler side of the spectrum, Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White OC-149 (LRV 85) has a hint of gray and blue.
It’s a longtime favorite choice that will read crisp, clean, and fresh without appearing stark or harsh. Avoid pairing it with very warm wall colors such as Manchester Tan.
Calypso in the Country shows why I love Decorator’s White so much. It’s an ideal choice for rooms with low natural light because of its brightness, but it reads neutral enough to pair with some warm colors.
6. Benjamin Moore White Dove
White Dove (LRV 85.38) is a favorite paint color choice for trim for many homeowners (and me too!).
Thanks to its soft, warm, neutral qualities, it’s a “jack of all trades” that just works almost anywhere. It has a hint of warmth but overall feels balanced and lovely.
Love! Home Like You Mean It brilliantly pairs greige walls, wood tones, and White Dove (OC-17) trim and fireplace. It’s simple, clean, and gorgeous.
7. Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace
This shade (OC-65) is a delicate, crisp classic. It lacks both yellow and blue undertones to deliver a clean white that feels fresh and balanced enough that it just might win the “Most Versatile” award (if it existed!).
With an LRV of 92.2, it lends a bright modern vibe and pairs well with everything. You just can’t go wrong with Chantilly Lace!
If you want a want an all-white palette, Chantilly Lace works well as an all-over color. It is also amazing at striking a bold contrast with vibrant colors, and with beautiful wood tones, like below on this exterior…
8. Sherwin Williams Pure White
Pure White (LRV 84) is another balanced go-to white. It lacks blue or yellow undertones but has a hint of gray undertones that give it a soft quality that brighter whites like Chantilly Lace lack.
On trim against darker colors, SW 7005 will feel warm and clean without being too bright in well-lit spaces.
Living Letter Home shows off the soft gray undertones of Pure White. It’s bright but still comfortable. In this space, it’s used as the wall, door and trim color.
Using one color for everything can be done so beautifully, but I highly recommend using different finishes to give a little contrast and visual interest in the space.
9. Extra White by Sherwin Williams
This shade (SW 7006) is a popular trim color choice because it’s bright but not too bright (LRV 86), and it doesn’t display many undertones (just the teeniest hint of blue), so it feels clean and neutral. It leans a tad cool but will read very balanced most of the time.
This is one shade you can often use on trim when working with other shades of white on the walls.
Charleston Crafted used Extra White as a trim color throughout their home for a clean, neutral vibe. In this lighting, it appears neutral and balanced. The wall color is SW Online.
10. Simply White by Benjamin Moore
Simply White (OC-117) has just enough yellow undertones to give it a soft, creamy vibe.
Thanks to its LRV of 91, this color is ideal for carrying throughout the home (including on cabinets!) and will look great in rooms with low light or bright light.
Below, you can see Simply White in a hallway paired with Revere Pewter as the wall color.
I hope you found this list of trim paint colors helpful! If you’ve been debating potential trim color options, devote your time and energy to other decisions and just go with one of these colors.
Need some more paint color inspiration? Check out these other paint ideas, too:
- 15 Green Paint Colors To Make Your Home A Tranquil, Nature-Inspired Sanctuary
- 15 BEST Yellow Paint Colors To Boost Your Mood!
- The Top 9 Light Gray Paint Colors
- 9 TOP Greige Paint Colors
- 15 BEST Brown Paint Colors For Rich, Velvety Warmth
- 13 FAVORITE Soothing Blue-Gray Paint Colors To Love
- 13 Most Popular Navy Blue Paint Colors Right Now
- 13 Best Black Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors + Tips
- 15 Best Blue Paint Colors To Make Your Home Beautiful
- Best Timeless Blue Kitchen Cabinets (Ideas + Tips)
- 5 Best Sherwin Williams White Paint Colors
- 5 Best Benjamin Moore White Paint Colors
- Favorite Wall And Trim Color Combinations
- 10 Favorite Trim Paint Colors
- 17 Timeless Sherwin Williams Exterior Paint Colors
- 8 Best Paint Colors To Make Your Front Door BEAUTIFUL
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