A reader recently asked: “Is it OK to paint your trim the same paint color as your walls or do you need to choose different color?”

Or, in other words, do your baseboards and crown molding have to be the same color as your walls?

These are very common questions around here…so let’s address them today!

Not only do I think it’s OK, but I’ve got ten great reasons why you might want to consider painting your walls and trim the same color.

*This post first appeared here last year but it’s been significantly updated since then*

Our former home’s “homework room” which was published in Family Circle Magazine.

(The walls, trim and bookcases here are ALL painted in Farrow and Ball Elephant’s Breath.)

10 Reasons To Paint Your Wall Trim The Same Color As Your Walls

If you’re thinking of painting your walls yourself, or hiring professional painters and giving your room a bit of a makeover, don’t forget to consider the wall trim paint colors as well!

While these borders might seem insignificant in your interior design paint job master plan, the color of your trim can have a significant impact on the overall look of your home.

I’ve talked a lot about the best choice for white paint colors for your trim (ie, the white trim which I know from experience will look great!)

In addition, black painted trim is another beautiful option for your home.

However, today we’re going to discuss an entirely different look –

Talking about when your wall color is the same as your trim.

It’s such a great look, one which doesn’t get discussed enough in the online design world.

And yes, this includes basic shades of white walls too!

So, today I’m going to reveal 10 reasons why you should paint your wall trim the same color as your walls.

1.Painting Your Walls and Trim the same color creates an elegant, minimalist color pallet

This interior design look oozes sophistication.

One dominant color allows the eye to take in the entire wall from the ceiling to the floor without any harsh lines or cut-off points.

This classic look, in turn helps create an interior design flow which will improve the look and feel of any room.

2. Make your wall trim pop

By sticking to the same color, but choosing a different sheen, you can make your wall trim pop.

All without having to resort to bold and dramatic tones.

A change in the shine of the paint (like from a flat paint to a semi-gloss finish) is enough to give you a desired and impactful interior design look.

I personally love a semi-gloss trim with a matte wall in the same color.

It’s such a classic dramatic look and so chic!

3. Give The Illusion Of Height

Above is our high gloss blue butler’s pantry.

The walls, trim, cabinets – everything (but the ceiling paint) is all the same color.

As a general rule, painting every element in a space the same color is a subtle yet powerful interior design optical illusion.

This helps blend your walls with the trim and baseboards which makes lower ceilings appear much higher.

So if you want to make a small room appear larger than it is, take a page from the professional interior designers play book and match up your paint pallet.

The eye won’t be able to differentiate between the end of the wall and the start of the wall trim work.

Keep this tip in mind especially if you have chair rail moldings breaking up the height of your walls.

4. Clean Crisp Backdrop

If your interior design style is eclectic or quirky and you like to add pops of colorful accents through soft furnishings and accessories, consider a ‘white on white’ backdrop.

A fresh coat of white paint on wall trims and on all the walls will give you a modern, clean and satisfying finish.

You can even go ahead and paint your ceiling and ceiling molding the same color too.

Now you can bring in contrasting textures, patterns, and bold colors without creating a cluttered or distracting design.

This single color method is an easy way to create such an elegant look.

A few more posts to consider if you’re thinking of going with white colors or different shades of cream:

• The best cream wall paint colors
• Benjamin Moore White Dove Paint Review
• Decorators White Paint Review
• Chantilly Lace Paint Review
• Why White OC -151 Is The Perfect White.
• The Best White Paint Colors For Your Home
• Swiss Coffee Paint Review

5. Discover The Picture Frame Molding Trend

Add depth to any room with picture frame molding.

This popular interior design choice involves adding framed panels to a wall to create a bold and sophisticated look.

Perhaps spurred on by the popularity of the hit Netflix TV show Bridgerton in recent years, this is a beautiful way to transform any room.

No wonder it’s been popular for centuries, as evidenced by the use of this single color design idea in historic homes throughout the country.

By painting your walls to match this new wall trim you can take a standard space and make it into a room fit to be in any stately home.

6. Touch Ups Are Easier

Using the same paint on walls and wall trims will help make the redecorating process easier than ever.

Choosing contrasting colors can make getting a straight and clean line where wall trims meet the wall, pretty difficult to get right.

Plus if you need to touch up the paintwork in the future, using the same color will make this a more affordable job.

Invest in one pot of paint rather than two.

7. Painting walls and trim the same helps to hide trim styles which don’t match your aesthetic.

8. Using the same color throughout also helps to hide built in storage.

Another great interior design trick is to install any storage units, bookcases or built in wardrobes before you paint.

Now when you match your paint with the color of the built-in storage units, you can blur out these storage features and create an almost seamless color block.

Make sure to match the wall paint with your units and wall trims for a completely finished and immaculate look.

9.Walls and trim painted the same color can make a small room feel larger

This is a great tip for small spaces.

When you paint your walls and trim and even the crown molding the same color (as seen here above) it will actually make the space look and feel larger.

Whether you’re designing a large space or a small cozy corner, the worst thing you can do is box yourself in by painting the walls one color, and the ceiling and the wall trims another.

This will instantly give a harsh structure to your room.

In order to visually open a space up – use identical paint colors to minimize lines, squares and boxes and opt for interior design zen.

This concept holds especially true for bedrooms and living rooms.

10. Create a seamless, harmonious space.

There’s no doubt, when your walls, window trim, baseboards and built ins are all one color, a room feels more cohesive and harmonious.

And harmony in our environments is something we can all use more of these days.

Regardless of whether you choose to go with a dark color or a lighter color, the end result will be more cohesive when you stick with one hue through out your space.

Conclusion

So, there you have it – 10 reasons to paint your walls and trim the same color!

Have I convinced you yet?

I always recommend trying out several paint samples, in different lighting as well as natural light.

Be patient in this process and live with a few samples for a few days before making your final decision.

A really great way to test out a paint color is with these Samplize large self sticking paint samples.

No trips to the paint store and messy paint cans to deal with before you commit. Win/Win!

Samplize self adhesive wall paint sample.

If you’re at all curious, you can find Samplize paint samples here, they even have all the Benjamin Moore paint colors.

I always use Samplize to test paints now, they’re the best new thing to come around in the diy market as far as I’m concerned.

Hopefully, you found this post helpful.

Any other questions, please feel free to shoot me an email or leave it in the comments below.

I always try my best to answer them.

Which reminds me… I’ve already answered a popular inquiry on which paint finish, or paint sheen to choose in this post, just in case your wondering:)

A few more things…

Additional Home Decor Inspiration For Your Entire House:

If you’re looking for even more color inspiration and design ideas, be sure to check out these other posts by clicking on each title below –

The Best Living Room Paint Colors

Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige Paint Review

The Top 10 Paint Colors For Your Kitchen Cabinets

Why You Should Paint Your Interior Doors Black

Sherwin Williams Alabaster Color Review

Decor Enthusiasts-

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