Let Your White Paint Shine

I have strong feelings about the painting unspoken ‘rules’ that seem to be pervasive regarding trim color for homes. As a Color and design consultant in Seattle, I have found that white trim and ceilings are a safe plan for many, but truly what it is can result in many contrasting outlines. This is fine, even amazing, in very large, high ceiling traditional estates. In our typical urban dwellings with many windows and doors and low ceilings, what this can do is make a lot of visual tension for the eye and soul.

Here is a solution: Paint the trim to match the wall it is on, just simply change the sheen.

It seems nutty maybe, but what you will find is that your attention is brought more to the view out the window or the lovely items you have in your home. Is not this better than your eyes always looking at walls? I believe that we are subject to a ton of visual stimuli all day, and we replicate that in our home with clutter and paint contrasts, etc. ..Take a few steps toward simplifying your paint palette and see how it changes your mood.

My intention is for you to read this and then think about the decision of white trim in a very mindful way, not as a default ..

In my journeys through peoples homes that there are many situations where white trim is perfection … even in small urban homes. For example: If you have wainscoting threequarters of the way up the wall and your home is full of dark wood and dark and you feel oppressed and depressed like we like to do here in Seattle, than by all means paint that stuff white! But before you do, take a deep breath and pick one with an undertone that matches the other colors in your home.

The shelter magazines and design shows like to boast about knowing the designers secret to the “perfect” white from such and such brand or ‘you must use’ the one from the so and so fancy brand in Los Angeles. It may true that their whites are just like the insides of an organic coconut from utopia, or feel like the breath of an angel baby but they are missing the point!. Each one of our homes requires a unique white, and each requires a specific paint for the specific surface sheen that will be painted on the white. Whether it is cabinets, trim, walls, ceilings, floors, or Whether it is to be lacquered or bone dry flat or sprayed in oil to make it look like an eggshell or faux finished to look very aged … There are so many particulars, in fact you could do your entire interior in whites, many whites and many textures and feel extremely happy and very modern.

With all that being said, let your white shine. Just make sure it is purposeful and not lazy.

There I go judging you again