Trending: 8 Reasons to Blend Your Woodwork Paint With Your Walls
The days of automatically painting your doors, architraves and skirting boards white are long gone. So what’s new now?
Kate Burt
29 May 2017
Houzz UK. I'm a journalist and editor, previously for the Independent, Guardian and various magazines. I'm now excited to part of the editorial team at Houzz UK & Ireland, bringing the best of British and Irish design, interiors and architecture to Houzz.com.
Houzz UK. I'm a journalist and editor, previously for the Independent, Guardian and... More
There’s a growing trend for painting woodwork, especially skirting boards, the same, or a similar, colour to your walls. The effect can be visually dramatic, streamlining and adding a contemporary twist to a traditional room. Check out the key reasons why this look can bring style and interest to your home.
It can be all over
This snug farmhouse kitchen has lots of traditional elements – the ceramic sink, that hearty table and the cabinetry. But the all-green paintwork gives it an unusual edge. This kitchen goes way beyond just blending the walls and skirtings, with everything from the door frames to the cabinets painted the same shade. By not highlighting particular features or lines in white or another colour, the room becomes seamless and almost womblike – giving it a really cosy feel.
This snug farmhouse kitchen has lots of traditional elements – the ceramic sink, that hearty table and the cabinetry. But the all-green paintwork gives it an unusual edge. This kitchen goes way beyond just blending the walls and skirtings, with everything from the door frames to the cabinets painted the same shade. By not highlighting particular features or lines in white or another colour, the room becomes seamless and almost womblike – giving it a really cosy feel.
It can boost a contemporary twist
Homes that respect their period details but don’t wallow in the past are endlessly popular on Houzz. And this paint technique works perfectly with that approach, as seen in this bold and colourful living room.
Interestingly, one-colour walls and woodwork actually have traditional roots, it’s just that white woodwork has since become the norm. What gives the historic one-colour idea contemporary fizz is the clean finish it gives to a room – fewer lines breaking up a space make for a more streamlined look.
Here, there is still plenty of white woodwork. Merging those luscious blue walls with the skirtings draws attention to the elegant ceiling while visually stretching the height of the room – just picture the shortening effect if this space had white at its bottom and top.
Inspired by this colourful Victorian home? See more of it
Homes that respect their period details but don’t wallow in the past are endlessly popular on Houzz. And this paint technique works perfectly with that approach, as seen in this bold and colourful living room.
Interestingly, one-colour walls and woodwork actually have traditional roots, it’s just that white woodwork has since become the norm. What gives the historic one-colour idea contemporary fizz is the clean finish it gives to a room – fewer lines breaking up a space make for a more streamlined look.
Here, there is still plenty of white woodwork. Merging those luscious blue walls with the skirtings draws attention to the elegant ceiling while visually stretching the height of the room – just picture the shortening effect if this space had white at its bottom and top.
Inspired by this colourful Victorian home? See more of it
It can be sleek and Scandi
Bringing your walls right down to your floor, by painting them to blend with your skirting boards, really softens the effect, whatever colour you choose. But this putty pink, combined with pale wood and a chalky white – a gentle take on contemporary Scandi style – illustrate the idea perfectly.
You’ll need to pick a different finish for your woodwork, which requires a more hard-wearing paint type than wall emulsion. For a matt effect, try eggshell, or to add an element of contrast, consider satinwood or gloss.
Bringing your walls right down to your floor, by painting them to blend with your skirting boards, really softens the effect, whatever colour you choose. But this putty pink, combined with pale wood and a chalky white – a gentle take on contemporary Scandi style – illustrate the idea perfectly.
You’ll need to pick a different finish for your woodwork, which requires a more hard-wearing paint type than wall emulsion. For a matt effect, try eggshell, or to add an element of contrast, consider satinwood or gloss.
It can let the details shine
The default approach to decorating – white ceilings, window frames and skirting boards, whatever colour your walls – gives a room a crisp and classic frame. It would work perfectly here, with these salvage antique basins, but instead, by swerving the more obvious approach, the room becomes all about the basins, as they don’t have a band of white paint competing with them.
If you’ve invested in a large vintage piece, consider tailoring your paintwork to show it off.
Considering a darker palette for your wash space? Browse these stylish grey bathrooms for ideas.
The default approach to decorating – white ceilings, window frames and skirting boards, whatever colour your walls – gives a room a crisp and classic frame. It would work perfectly here, with these salvage antique basins, but instead, by swerving the more obvious approach, the room becomes all about the basins, as they don’t have a band of white paint competing with them.
If you’ve invested in a large vintage piece, consider tailoring your paintwork to show it off.
Considering a darker palette for your wash space? Browse these stylish grey bathrooms for ideas.
It can mix and match
In this generously sized entryway, the majority of the woodwork sticks with convention. But choosing to paint the built-in cupboard doors to blend with the wall means they melt into it, helping this hallway to feel more spacious as the back wall, being almost uniformly dark, appears to recede.
It’s a smart trick if you want a room to feel bigger, and could work well on bedroom wardrobes or fitted cupboards too.
In this generously sized entryway, the majority of the woodwork sticks with convention. But choosing to paint the built-in cupboard doors to blend with the wall means they melt into it, helping this hallway to feel more spacious as the back wall, being almost uniformly dark, appears to recede.
It’s a smart trick if you want a room to feel bigger, and could work well on bedroom wardrobes or fitted cupboards too.
It can be different
If you don’t feel that full-on matching walls and woodwork will create the look you’re after, but you still want to soften the edges where the wood and plaster meet, try this technique. Use two shades from opposite ends of the same colour card – by choosing two tonally connected hues, you create definition but not total separation, lending your backdrop a calmer, less formal style.
When creating this effect, go for neutrals, whether it’s off-whites, pastels or sludgy shades, rather than stronger colours.
If you don’t feel that full-on matching walls and woodwork will create the look you’re after, but you still want to soften the edges where the wood and plaster meet, try this technique. Use two shades from opposite ends of the same colour card – by choosing two tonally connected hues, you create definition but not total separation, lending your backdrop a calmer, less formal style.
When creating this effect, go for neutrals, whether it’s off-whites, pastels or sludgy shades, rather than stronger colours.
It can soften the edges
Consider the surfaces adjacent to your matching walls and woodwork too. In this country manor, the brown tones in the paintwork echo the colours in the flagstones, wicker baskets, logs and rugged front door, building a relaxed feel in this elegant but unfussy hallway.
So before you get your brush out, look at the surfaces next to and surrounding the woodwork you’re planning to paint. Take a sample of it, if possible, to a DIY shop that offers colour matching and then go a few shades lighter or darker.
Want to explore this country home? Take a look around it
Consider the surfaces adjacent to your matching walls and woodwork too. In this country manor, the brown tones in the paintwork echo the colours in the flagstones, wicker baskets, logs and rugged front door, building a relaxed feel in this elegant but unfussy hallway.
So before you get your brush out, look at the surfaces next to and surrounding the woodwork you’re planning to paint. Take a sample of it, if possible, to a DIY shop that offers colour matching and then go a few shades lighter or darker.
Want to explore this country home? Take a look around it
It can be snug
It might seem counterintuitive to go for dark colours in a room with little natural light, but pale colours won’t boost light where there isn’t any, so going the other way and emphasising cosiness is often a good solution. Blending painted surfaces rather than picking out highlights will emphasise this effect, as seen here in this basement snug.
Read more:
Amazing Alternatives to Wall Paint
9 Bold Wallpaper Looks That Will Win You Over
Tell us:
Have you painted your woodwork a colour other than white? Or would you like to? Tell us about it in the Comments below.
It might seem counterintuitive to go for dark colours in a room with little natural light, but pale colours won’t boost light where there isn’t any, so going the other way and emphasising cosiness is often a good solution. Blending painted surfaces rather than picking out highlights will emphasise this effect, as seen here in this basement snug.
Read more:
Amazing Alternatives to Wall Paint
9 Bold Wallpaper Looks That Will Win You Over
Tell us:
Have you painted your woodwork a colour other than white? Or would you like to? Tell us about it in the Comments below.
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Love this look, especially with dark paint colors!
This is the approach I'm using in our bedroom. We are painting the walls a medium gray and using the same color for the baseboard and crown molding. I still plan on doing the window and door frames white though. I hadn't thought about doing the closet in gray, but I might.
I am planning to recolor my old wood door but i don't know which type of paint is suitable, anyone can propose me some good type paint's brand.? thank alot