Go Ahead, Paint the Trim!
Your house, your rules—who says your baseboards have to be white?
Your house, your rules—who says your baseboards have to be white?
As someone who’s been on a semi-nomadic journey for the past year, I’ve discovered a ton of new decorative interests inspired by every new place I’ve stayed. One such obsession includes any oft-looked opportunities to explore color, particularly when it comes to trim. Sticking to the standard white trim appears to be a given, like having a white toilet, and it’s understandable: It's classic and safe. There are no concerns of it clashing with the rest of your home and minimal worries about waking up regretting the choice. But where’s the fun in that? To help explore how colorful trim can positively impact a space, we tapped Brooklyn-based designer Delia Kenza of DeliaKenza Interiors for some advice.
Carefully plan your palette
Unless it’s paired with a jazzy wall color, white trims tend to blend in in a sort of unremarkable way. However, Kenza says colorful trim presents an opportunity to "set the stage and jazz up something that’s ordinary and make it extraordinary." For a colorful trim that acts as a portal to a delightfully character-filled space, Kenza recommends starting with a carefully mapped out palette.
An interior that's already pretty colorful benefits from the grounding nature of black trim.
Zach Pontz
"Maybe you really like blue but there are so many different shades. You want to find the right blue for that setting, then use a paint chart," Kenza says. In other words, don’t let the battle between cerulean and blue-green derail your project. "If you’re shy about [the color], you can always go up or down three shades." Go to a hardware store and pick out the swatches that move you the most—and then let the shades on the swatch guide your path.
Trust your color instincts
Try not to get too overwhelmed by the transformational power of paint. Before shying away from that bold purple shade of your dreams, keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be permanent. Go with what resonates and use paint swatches, sticky samples or apply a coat to a tiny spot on the wall to sit with the color before fully committing.
The beams, doors, and trim are in Valspar's ‘Black Evergreen’ and add some visual interest to a palette of warm woods and natural tones.
George Barberis
"I think a mistake people make is being too bashful," Kenza says. "Sometimes we tend to overthink things and forget that it’s supposed to be fun and an extension of ourselves. When you have the idea to have the trim stand out, but you don’t just lean into it, it doesn’t really have that impact. Paint is something you can easily switch out with a little bit of elbow grease."
Add some structure and highlight the architecture of your space with just a little paint.
David Foessel
See the full story on Dwell.com: Go Ahead, Paint the Trim!
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