Pros and Cons of Using White for Your Interior Trim | Rules of Renovation

Back in 2016, Benjamin Moore called white the color of the year. Now, in 2017, white’s efficacy as a color for design is up for debate. Should it still reign this year as king of the hill, or should another color take its place?
Interior designers tend to fuss over questions like this, and while the rest of us may think it trivial, there is some real value to the consideration of whether to use white for things like interior trim. But it’s not just a “design” question. It’s also a question of taste, and of style. Design trends come and go, but some styles are timeless, and some principles of design hold sway even as times change. So while it’s good to stay up to date with the latest fads, you need to make decisions about the look of your remodel that will stand the test of time.
To help you practice, let’s apply this “is white the right color?” question to the aforementioned interior trim, and look at some pros and cons. Once you’ve mastered making this decision on something small and specific, you’ll be better prepared to make them for larger items in the design.
Pro: White Enlarges Spaces
White’s been used for ages to make small spaces look larger. For some reason, it tricks the eye into believing there’s more space than there really is, and even tiny apartments can feel spacious with some white paint and the right furnishings.
You can do the same with your space, contrasting darker or bolder paint colors on the walls with invigorating white trim. It will help make the space, and the openings, feel more expansive, without having to paint all the walls white.
Con: You Can’t Do White on White
Just like you need to vary the color of your pants and your top, you can’t have both the walls and the trim painted white. It’s a design no-go.
To be fair, you can actually get away with white walls and white trim, but it takes a little work to keep it from looking like a bland college apartment. Doing things like filling the wall space with art, photos and decor can work, but you’ll be filling nearly all of the space. You can also get away with it by combining it with bold hardwood floors, and ornate trim that stands out because of texture and shape, rather than color. Either way, you run the risk of the space looking sterile.
Your best bet, if the walls are white, is to go bold with the trim. Black is great, and it matches with just about everything. Strong, bright colors are also a good choice, and it brings personality to the room. If you want a softer touch, you can go for something like a pale gray to give just a subtle visual break, but doesn’t draw too much attention to itself.
Pro: White Reflects Light, Making Rooms Brighter
If you have a space that needs more natural light (like basement rooms, or apartments with small windows), you can let the white paint do some of the work. White trim won’t absorb the light; it will reflect it, increasing the light level slightly, while still allowing you to go a different direction with the paint color for the walls.
Then again, you can achieve a similar effect if you use white on the walls, or use a pale color for the walls or the trim, freeing you up to use a darker color on what’s left. The key it to make sure the colors flow, especially if you’re using the same trim color room-to-room while varying the wall color. Whether you’re going light or dark on the trim, you want the trim to tie the home together, not create jarring effects.
This brief exercise has probably shown you a little of why interior designers care so much about the little things. With any luck, though, it’s given you a chance to determine the kinds of questions you need to ask yourself to pick out colors for different design touches, better preparing you to put together a style for your property that’s both trendy and timeless.
Check out Rules of Renovation for more interior design tips and tricks.
