Trim Finish Opinions?

[Pappy]

We need to repaint the interior of our home. In the process, I want to replace the pine ranch trim with a colonial style. Except for the Master Bedroom and Bath, the walls will be an off white with accent walls in some rooms. The floors (other than the bathrooms, kitchen, and laundry) will get laminate flooring probably in a light cherry color.

The master suite is a Dusty Rose color and will get clear laquered maple trim. We are still trying to decide whether to carry this throughout the house or go to painted trim for the remainder. I know the second option is most common in new homes but I suspect this is for cost control more than asthetics.

The doors and jambs will be finished the same as the trim.

[isddarms]

Personally, I much prefer the look of wood. Why cover up to beauty of the wood with paint?

[JoeyGee]

I voted painted paint in a contrasting color, but that was before I actually read the post. If I was starting from scratch, I would definitely go with maple stained or clear coated.

Our current house had all the trim painted the same color as the walls before we moved in, and it drove me NUTS. I had never seen it before and assumed someone was just too lazy to paint the trim another color. There are still a few rooms left to paint, and I can't wait to get to them.

We are in the process of painting all the trim white in most rooms, with a complimentary color in others. It's all simple pine trim, which I would love to replace if "I ever get the time and money", which is Latin for Never.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I can't vote. I have the same dilemma over and over and over again. I have a moulder and want to start putting hardwood trim in certain rooms but of course the door issue comes up, then the other side of the door, and then the trim on the other side of the door, etc.

[jabe]

I would go with the wood finish. If you're going to paint, use cheaper wood or mdf trim pre-primed.

[Tequila]

I voted for paint since you're going with colonial trim. Maple's too light of a wood for a colonial look.

[Wandere]

Agreed with painted moulding for a colonial look, would save the maple for something special. Clean white borders/boundaries with an offwhite/pastel rose/blue/etc room would look sharp.

There are a lot of "color a room online" resources out there too so you can get a quick, free look at the finished result before you even start.

Quick google search turned up these. I've used a free downloadable program where you can take your photo and mask/color sections too...name eludes me right now but can look it up if you're interested.

http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jsp?sto...e_04292005.xml

http://log-homes.thefuntimesguide.co...int_colors.php

Have fun, the choosing process will be more frustrating than actually doing it. :P

-Rob

[Frank Carrino]

I voted for painted an offset color. Don't get me wrong I love natural wood but I have to agree with some of the others here, Colonial Look calls for paint. Just my humble opinion

[dlminehart]

To go with the rose, I'd use a neutral to very slightly warm white, rather than a cold white. The latter looks good with blues, but too harsh with warm colors like rose. DAMHIK.

[Pappy]

Rob,

I tried both links you gave. The second one led me back to the first one. Don't mind the registration but I don't want a newsletter on recipies of holiday decorating and it won't accept registration without a selection.

Guess I'll do the color selection the old fashioned way, with color samples from the store.

[Wandere]

Yep, BHG can be a PITA with the popups, etc. The other link listed free resources though, BHG may have been one of them.

I just looked up the program I used to choose siding and trim color for our house...unfortunately, it's no longer free but still a good tool

http://www.cbnsystem.com

If you want to use somebody elses rooms, Sherwin Williams has a free online tool, no download: http://sherlink.sherwin.com/swapp/color_visualizer/ (free) This is similar to what you'd find at the Behr stand at Home Depot.

Tech Republic listed this freeware link: Color Planner Take a look at the screenshot to see a sample

I found Behr offwhite to be warm white...tiny bit of vanilla thrown in. The color samples at HD gave us a headache, too many whites to choose from and they all starting melding into one another after a bit.

Try that second link again in my original reply and scroll down a bit to see a handful of free online tools, I just gave it a shot and it worked for me.


-Rob

[Pappy]

Thanks, Rob. I'll check it out more tonight.

[mschrank]

I voted last week (for "no paint"), but didn't bother to leave a note. I was thinking about this over the holiday:

The pro-paint voters comment that paint is more in line with the "colonial" look, which is true. But is the rest of your home really "colonial" style, or is that just the name of the trim style? I suspect your home isn't colonial style, given that it had ranch style trim to begin with.

I think colonial style trim looks fine in a "ranch" style home, and is definitely an improvement over the old trim. And I think a simple clear coat (or light stain and topcoat) will really add a lot of warmth to the rooms.

I just redid all the trim in my 70's split level. It had the "ranch" (I think it's actually called "clamshell?) dark brown trim. I replaced it with sort of a mission style alder trim, lightly stained and top coated with Hydrocote lacquer. We considered using MDF and painting it white (or off white). Would've been cheaper and easier, but in the end I'm glad we went the direction we did. Everyone is amazed at how much it adds to and improves the look of the interior.

[crokett]

I voted offset color but you should paint it all white. All the trim in my house is white and always will be. That way when your wife wants you to paint the living room 4 times in 2 years (and she is making noises about a 5th) the trim always matches. Or when you are told your oldest has grown out of the current paint job and her room will be repainted, the white trim always matches.

[twistsol]

I voted for clear lacquer over maple but with some caveats. For all the reasons Crockett gave above, natural maple works. The only issue is that it is such a light color and it yellows over time that some paint colors won't work with it. If you like vivid color or pure white on walls, it looks good. Pale earth tones don't work, the woodwork just about disappears.

Our last house had natural maple trim throughout and we repainted the the whole house three times in the four years we lived there. It looked great when we went with rich deep colors.