Painting Wood Trim

katiekessler123

So, this is obviously not at all wedding related, but just looking for some feedback and thoughts.  My husband and I own a house built in 1900.  It has beautiful wooden trim in all of the rooms, which really has preserved the character of the house. We also have matching wooden pocket doors on all of our rooms downstairs. On one hand I absolutely love the trim.  Like I said, I feel like it really gives the house character, the trim is totally original to the house when it was built, and we've decorated to basically mesh with the trim.  Recently though, I've opened up Pandora's Box and I've started looking at images of wooden trim that has been painted white on Pinterest and to be honest, I really prefer the look of the clean white trim. I've been thinking about painting ours or hiring someone to do it, but I feel really torn because I'm afraid we'll paint them and I'll wish I had kept the trim and there's really no going back.  My husband does not care at all.   I totally realize this is a first world problem, but what would you do?  Opinions? 

novella1186

In a historic house with original trim, I would NEVER paint it. Ever. It's been preserved for over 100 years. When people paint stuff like that, it totally breaks my heart. And it can also really damage the value of the house.

That being said, though, that's my own opinion. It's not my house. It's really up to you, but you're right. There's no going back.

katiekessler123

Yeah, those are kind of my thoughts too and I think you're right. I really do love our house and we always get compliments on it, so I probably just need to stop looking at Pinterest haha!  We don't plan on ever reselling, this is our forever home as long as nothing crazy happens in our lives, so I'm not too worried about resell value. Just worried I'll regret painting them in the long run.

ohannabelle

I face this dilemma frequently, on a smaller scale. (Furniture, not house)

On one hand, yes, any piece in it's original state might be more valuable.

But not always. 

All antiques are not created equally. If I'm looking at some incredible imported Brazilian rosewood, or English oak,  I'm spending the extra hours and labor to actually restore it. If it's a more ordinary factory made American piece, like 1000 others out there, I paint the bastard.

Modern paint is amazing. It can be removed fairly easily without damaging the wood. I'd never spray paint wood with petroleum based paint, but an ordinary interior latex won't damage the actual wood. Historically, wood trim was very often painted, so you're not suggesting some heinous violation of design. White trim might well have been seen in a home of that era. (If, 100 years from now, someone comes along and discovers that your house is of incredible historic significance, it can be restored.)

 If it was designed by a famous turn of the century architect, or the wood is some incredibly rare variety, or design, nope, leave it. If it's a more ordinary house, and there are many others like it, do as you please.

Paint is not permanent.  Paint removal isn't the demonic painstaking process it was even 20 years ago. And your house is meant to be lived in and enjoyed. Or it would be a museum or designated historical landmark. 

AprilH81

I vote for NOT painting it.  In a house that old let the natural character of the wood shine.  You can brighten up the rooms in other ways.

I also like white trim, but I think that natural woods are starting to come back into style.  Our "new" house has a medium toned wood stain and while I debated painting it white it fits the style of the house so much I can't imagine it painted white.

Also, if you do decide to paint it please double check to make sure the house doesn't fall into any "historic" categories that would prevent making significant changes without approval from a historical society.

southernbelle0915

Another vote to not paint it. Original woodwork is hard to come by. Im with @novella1186 that it breaks my heart when I see original trim painted. Its like smashing an original stained glass transom window to make a taller doorway

JoanE2012

I don't know, I'm all about white trim.  I just don't care for natural wood trim.  That's me though.  I love all of our bright white trim,, crown molding popping against the walls.....it looks so rich and clean.  But it fits in our house (70s colonial).  I wouldn't have bought a house if I didn't think white trim would work, that's how much I don't care for it.

luckya23

Don't paint it.

- Masters in Historic Preservation

julieanne912

A client of mine just spent $12,000 on a new construction house to put in wood trim, instead of white painted.  I would leave it, especially if it's in good condition.  The only time I'm OK with painting wood trim is when it's in bad shape or isn't original.

katiekessler123

Yes- it's in really good condition and really does fit the rest of the home.  The house also has the original hardwood floors, original wooden pocket doors, original wood beams on our dining room ceiling, and a huge, very wide, hardwood staircase with a landing. We truly do get compliments all of the time.  However, Pinterest is dangerous!!  I think you ladies convinced me to leave it as it is though..thanks!  I feel like our house is bright already just based on how we have it decorated and we have a lot of windows, so it's not a dark home by any means.  Thanks for the input, everyone!

mrscomposer

Is your ENTIRE house in the 100 year old style?  The reason I ask is that my ILs have a 100 year old house, too - and they have original wood panelling on the walls, original wood beams on the dining room ceiling... in the living room/dining room.  There are two bedrooms off the main area, and they're both more modern.  The kitchen was added about ten years after the house was built, and it's been updated and modernized.  White trim works in the three ancillary rooms, but would NOT work in the living room.

If your whole home is original, good condition wood, I'd say definitely leave it.  If half of your house is more modern, like my ILs, you can get away with more modern touches in those areas, like they have.

emmaaa

Obviously it is up to you but I would say to not paint the trim. I am partial to wood trim and baseboards anyways but it breaks my heart to see the original trim in an old house like that painted over.

However, like @ohannabelle said, removing paint from wood is much easier than it was even 10 years ago so you could always go back.

gmcr78

In my home, also built in 1900, all of the original wood trim ( windows, deep sills, doorways, baseboards, and crown molding) is painted white.  It was like that when I bought the home.  I think it looks great and in no way does the white paint take away from the historic look and feel.  It looks lovely against my original hardwood floors as well.

If you want to paint it white, I see no harm in doing so, and as PPs pointed out, you can always change it back if you don't care for it.  Maybe start with the baseboard or something less conspicuous, and make sure you like it.  

vikinganna87

Send photos!

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