Make your white walls pop with these go-to color combos
There are a ton of reasons to paint your walls white. They make the room brighter, allow for more versatility in furniture selection, and create a blank canvas from which to design your house. They also pair perfectly with so many trim colors.
Using a fun trim color with white walls is a creative way to accent your space, whether you want to keep it neutral or make it pop. No matter which direction you take, here are some of our favorite white wall and trim color combinations.
There’s something about white walls with gray trim that gives off a soothing vibe. Whether you go with a lighter gray that blends into the clouds or with a darker shade to create a clear definition between trim and the flat walls, this color combination is for the minimalist who also wants a classic look that won’t go out of style anytime soon.
For inspiration:
Sherwin-Williams Argos
Benjamin Moore® Gray Owl
Sherwin-Williams Light French Gray
Farrow & Ball Blackened
Blue trim with white walls is a classic Victorian approach if you choose shades more in the purple-ish or electric range of the color spectrum. Go heavy on the blue to have a big impact by painting your staircase balusters, or paint your wainscoting blue to create a two-toned look to tastefully frame your space.
For inspiration:
Sherwin-Williams Bluebell
Benjamin Moore® California Breeze
Benjamin Moore® Lake Victoria
Farrow & Ball Blue Ground
Painting black trim with white walls gives your space a bold and contemporary look. This yin and yang aesthetic is perfect for well-lit rooms and moody studies alike.
lossy and satin sheens will show imperfections more easily with black than with lighter colors, so be sure to spend time getting your trim looking perfect with the right sheen level before painting with this sophisticated shade. You can also use a matte or flat black sheen to reduce or even eliminate any small visual imperfections you might have.
For inspiration:
Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black
Benjamin Moore® Black Beauty
Farrow & Ball Off-Black
Sherwin-Williams Black Fox
Painting trim off-white is a timeless option that will never go out of style. For many homeowners, it’s an obvious choice as it creates the perfect backdrop for any design style, from vintage furniture to minimalist decorating.
Additionally, if you decide to change the wall color in the future or add an accent wall to alter the space, off-white trim won’t need to be repainted to match the new look.
For inspiration:
Sherwin-Williams Alabaster
Benjamin Moore® Cream Froth
Sherwin-Williams Shell White
Farrow & Ball Wimborne White
Give your space a natural look with green trim, wainscotting, and built-in cabinets. Green offers a lot of versatility, too, from richer, more gem-toned emeralds to olive and sage greens to pretty pastes. To stay up to date on the latest trends, you can’t go wrong with seafoam green paint.
For inspiration:
Benjamin Moore® Colonial Verdigris
Farrow & Ball Minster Green
Sherwin-Williams Talipot Palm
Farrow & Ball Calke Green
Choosing the “best” trim color is a matter of opinion. When you have a white wall, however, almost any color can be the best color as long as it's one you like. Whether you go bold and bright or subdued and natural, plenty of colors will look stunning with your white walls.
To choose a color you’ll love for years, make a shortlist of your top choices and grab stick-on color swatches for those hues. Stick those all along your trim. Come back to your walls at different times of the day when the light is hitting the room differently, and take pictures of the wall when you do. Once a full 24 hours have passed and you have a plethora of images to look over, your choice should be a lot easier.
They don’t have to be, but painting trim white when you have white walls can have many benefits. Often, the pairing makes rooms look larger and adds a ton of visual drama. It can also provide more of a blank slate to allow any of your wall decor to really stand out. However, there’s no “right” color choice for trim on white walls.
Many people choose to pair white trim with white walls to allow artwork and decor to really shine. Grab some ornate pieces of decor, fascinating artwork, or stand-out curtains and window treatments and put them up to make a statement piece of your entire wall. Whatever you choose, make it represent your personality and decor style.
Some people choose to paint walls and trim the same color, and others choose a stark color that sharply contrasts with their white walls. Another popular option is to choose a trim color that’s still white but an off-white that’s darker than your walls. There’s no hard and fast rule for your trim color, but choosing a darker off-white can help you highlight your trim—a great option if you spent hours poring over the perfect trim design.
