Painted trim with hardwood floor?

Question

How would it look if I painted the woodwork in my house, but have hardwood flooring? Right now there seems to be too much wood.

Oh, I should have said -- the wood is PINE, not oak. Were I oak, I wouldn't think to paint it. The pine makes the house look too country for my taste.

Answer 1

I think that painting the trim white would look great with the hardwood floors!

Answer 2

Man if you are talking oak wood in a big house don't paint it. Lighten up everything else. The walls, the furn. the lighting, windows,, etc. You will be sorry if you paint it is so beautiful. If it is oak and dark it needs a Homer Formby wash. Look at the cans and see what you need, try it in a spot that won't be noticed. Also if your floors are oak and very dark have them sanded all over and polyeurethaned. That will lighten the wood. It can also be bleached. Same with your woodwork but this is a long process. We painted some of ours because we didn't have the time or money to replace some of the damaged pieces. I painted the mantle to match the walls-it blends in really well. The mantel top we changed to a lightwood color. Let me know what you decide.

Answer 3

Most of our house is hardwood and all of our walls are painted. We live in a very old (100+ years) Victorian. The floors are a nutty medium color. I think that it looks fine. We do like the continuity of the same flooring from room to room. But, we are remodeling the kitchen and it seems as though having a similar wood in cabinetry would be too much for us.

So... I think that it's entirely personal preference but I think that you can reach a point where, unless you are trying to achieve a certain Architectural Digest-Look, you can have too much of the same surface (IE: finished wood) in your home.

Answer 4

Do the rooms you'd like to paint or paint it all it's your taste. Alot of my clients DO and have been doing this for years. It's your home and you should have it the way you like it. If your trim is oak keep in mind this is a grainy wood and will take a few coats to fill up the grain, standard for new wood is 1 coat of primer (preferably oil based) and 2 coats of finish. good luck Les the painter

Answer 5

I agree with you about the look of too much wood when the trim is wood too. My bedroom has hardwood flooring and the trim is painted semi gloss white. I personally think it gives the room a more "finished" look.

Answer 6

I think it depends of course on personal taste, but I would have a good look at the workmanship--if it is truly a work of art, you might enjoy the finished wood and considered the alternatives in some previous posts. Look at the seams and the corners. Is it even all the same baseboard? If the workmanship is clumsy I'd sand, primer with oil base, sand, paint, sand, paint.
But in this case, you're the artist so the sky's the limit. Have fun!

Answer 7

It is all a matter of taste, however in my opinion the trim compliments the hardwood flooring and gives the house a richer warmer look.

Answer 8

My walls are tan, my trim is white and I have hardwood and I love it. Come on over and take and look and see what you think. I think my house looks very crisp and clean yet it's very homey with my Shabby Chic decor. Good Luck and God Bless

Answer 9

as a painter, i personally prefer painted trim, but leaving cabinets a nice wood finish. make sure to sand well (to get varnish off and to create a good base for your primer coat) and then clean well for durability before applying a primer (i prefer a trusted latex vs oil for trimwork). and then two coats of latex paint. i prefer a satin/eggshell finish, not too glossy but not too flat. good luck.

Answer 10

Don't do it stark white, I would do it more of a warm shade, like some kind of an off white, it would really depend on the wall colour