painting doors and trim different colors

7 Best Ideas for Painting Doors and Trims in Different Colors

Painting doors and trim different colors can be a good idea for you to try.

painting doors and trim different colors

However, you need to know that one important thing that you always have to keep in mind before making a choice is that your choice is not merely about which color for the doors and which color for the trim.

It is also about the whole color scheme you use in the space where the doors and trim are installed.

Once you consider a choice, you need to make sure first that the doors’ color and trim’s color are also suitable for the whole color scheme, which also includes wall color that is connected directly to the doors and interior trim.

This way, both of the doors and trim will never look like they belong to somewhere else or like they do not fit in the space.

Do you find that these seven ideas interesting? If so, find out more information about each idea by reading this post further.

1. Wooden Color Doors and White Trim for Space Dominated with Brown and/or Wooden Colors

When your space is dominated by brown shades or wooden colors, the combination of wooden color doors and white interior trim is the one to consider.

It is so obvious that the wooden color of the doors in this choice is chosen because it has compatibility with both brown shades and wooden colors.

What about the white trim? Is it also found to have the same compatibility?

It is not.

However, it is no longer a secret that white is a neutral tone that can be paired with any color without failing.

So if being asked about whether or not white trim is suitable for the type of door and color scheme in this subheading, of course, it is a suitable color.

Moreover, the white trim gives an advantage to the whole room design.

Since the room is dominated by brown colors from paints, furniture, decorations, or items made from a wooden material, the existence of white touch in there creates a balance.

A really good example of the combination can be seen in the picture of traditional living room below.

spacious traditional living room with dark wood French style glass doors and windows, white trim and fossil gray wall
spacious traditional living room with dark wood French style glass doors and windows, white trim and fossil gray wall. image © Mullinix Custom Homes, LP

Even the brown color of the French-style doors and windows is not the same as other brown shades used in this living room; it is seen that the compatibility level in the design is quite high.

Together, all those items build up a cozy and warm atmosphere that is simply good for a gathering space like this.

As already explained previously, the white trim color in this room also creates a balance that can tame the warm look from a lot of brown details used together in one space.

Here, the white color does not work alone in balancing the look because the room also uses neutral gray wall color and white ceiling that, together with the white trim, making the balance needed in the room even stronger.

In simple words, it can be said that the result from the combination between wooden color doors and windows, white trim, brown shades, gray wall, and white ceiling in this room makes the living room looks cozy and warm but not too friendly.

If you want a slightly warmer and more inviting look, a different wall color is recommended to be paired with this choice of doors and trim colors combination.

For example, please take a look at the picture of traditional dining room below.

traditional dining room with wooden-glass doors and white trim
traditional dining room with wooden-glass doors and white trim. image © Stonewood, LLC

Instead of neutral wall tone, warm wall tone is the one chosen for this dining room design, in which the combination of wooden color doors and white trim is also found.

This wall tone makes the dining room more inviting, so hopefully, people will love to spend more time in there while enjoying their meals.

2. Black Doors and White Trim for Space with Black and White Colors Domination

The next different color doors and trims idea that is about to be recommended for you here is the idea of pairing black doors with white trim.

Although both colors used in this idea are neutral and very easy to be paired with any other colors without failing, you need to know that they are best to use in a space that is dominated with black and white colors.

One of the reasons is because this way the ultimate classic and timeless black and white look can be built up.

Besides, with white trim, the black doors also look bolder. This way the doors can be another center of attention in your home interior, and it is interesting.

For example, you can take a look at the picture of Victorian style entry in the following in which black doors are combined with white interior trim.

Not only that, the whole space is decorated just in black, white, and some other monochromatic colors, including the white color of the brick walls that are connected directly to the doors and trim.

With all colors used in the color scheme, this space does look not only classic but also stylish. This stylish impression is even supported nicely with the use of black and white tiles for the flooring.

victorian entry with white trim and black doors paint color
victorian entry with white trim and black doors paint color. image © Peter A. Sellar – Architectural Photographer

Being dominated by black and white colors does not mean that space must be decorated with both colors only.

A little touch of other colors can still be tolerated here without ruining the timeless classic color combination.

As an example, check out the image of a transitional entryway below.

transitional entry with black door and white trim paint color
transitional entry with black door and white trim paint color. image © Brooke Wagner Design

In this entry design, the color occurs other than the black and white colors are known to be a gray color from the wall and natural brown tones from the baskets, door shade, and also hardwood flooring.

While the gray color is known to be highly compatible with black and white, especially because the three colors belong to the same monochromatic category, the addition of brown color in this entry gives something quite significant even if it is not dominating.

With the brown color, the entry gains a bit warm look that erases the cold atmosphere in there.

3. White Doors and Black trim for Creating Graphic Look in Your Monochromatic Space

Adding black interior trim as pairing for your white doors is a great and efficient way to create a graphic look in your space.

This can be said so because the black trim can define shapes of items that are trimmed. This ability is inseparable from the fact that black trim always looks framing.

Because of this also, there is no need to add graphic wallpaper to your space since the combination of the white doors and black trim is already enough.

Besides, you also need to know that this combination looks the best when the wall color comes from the monochromatic category, mainly white and gray.

Check out the picture of traditional bathroom below as an example.

traditional bathroom design with white glass shower room door and black interior trim paint color
traditional bathroom design with white glass shower room door and black interior trim paint color. image © Douglas C Wright Architects

In this bathroom design, the graphics look does not only come from the combo between the white glass shower room door and black interior trim. It also comes from the white cottage style window that is also paired with the same black trim.

The picture also proves another thing. It is that black interior trim can significantly enhance the stylish value of the overall bathroom design too.

Even with no significant decoration except the framed wall art above the stainless-steel towel hanger, the bathroom area looks very stylish and decorative.

Moreover, the color theme used in there, which is monochromatic, matches the door and trim colors nicely.

While it is already clear that the combination between white doors and black trim creates a fascinating graphics look as well as enhancing stylish interior value, there are some other advantages that make this combination an excellent choice to consider.

The first other advantage is that the white doors and the black trim combination create an energizing look that is just perfect for the living area including living room and dining room.

This energizing look is the one that is resulted from the high contrast between the two colors.

The second another advantage can be obtained when the black trim is also used to trimmed windows in the same area.

In this case, the black trim can highlight the view outside the window.

This way, there is no need to add any paint to the interior since the live and highlighted one is more beautiful and exciting, right?

4. White Doors and Wooden Color Trim for Traditional Elegant Look

The next door and trim combination has white color for the door and wooden color for the trim.

This combination can be said to be a neutral one since both colors used in it are neutral.

However, we will not discuss how this door and trim combination goes well with any color scheme although this idea is possible to be applied.

This time we will choose something more specific, which is the use of white doors and wooden color trim combination in an interior space that is filled with the neutral warm color scheme.

Among the others, this color scheme can be said to be the most suitable one to build traditional, elegant look together with the doors’ and trim’s colors.

This is especially when the wall, which is directly connected to the trims and doors, is colored with a warm tone.

As an example, you can check out the picture of a traditional entryway below.

traditional entryway with white door and stained oak trim paint color
traditional entryway with white door and stained oak trim paint color. image © HomeStory

In this entryway design, the door is painted in white color, which is specifically known to come from Sherwin Williams Greek Villa SE 7551 paint.

The trim here is known to have natural dark wooden color, which none other comes from the stained oak material used to create it.

These two are paired nicely with warm tones used in the interior color scheme.

The first one that is visible in the picture is the warm wall paint color. Unfortunately, the brand of this paint color is not known. However, the primary color looks like something between cream white and eggshell white color.

Another warm tone comes from the medium tone hardwood flooring that seems to have another most dominant warm tone after the yellowish white wall. As shown in the picture above, this wall is also decorated with an area rug in darker cerulean blue color.

Instead of functioning as a decoration only, this blue rug holds a rather important function. It is something to create balance in the interior space so it will not look too warm even as it is dominated by warm tones.

Overall, the combination of all warm tones in this entryway design and the white doors and wood trim creates a beautifully elegant and traditional look.

Moreover, the entryway is also decorated with some traditional or vintage items such as the antique wall clock, black half-circular console table, and unique glass chandelier.

5. Blue Doors and White Trim for Cool and Refreshing Look

Now, let us move to a bright combination.

This time, the combination is between blue doors and white trim, and we will discuss specifics about how this doors and trim combination is found to be very suitable for an interior that is dominated with white color.

With this combination, you will be able to get a cool and refreshing look in your space.

This is a suitable choice to pick not only for those who love bright colors but also those who always want to get instant refreshing look whenever they are at home.

A door with blue color and white trim like this is also perfect for the front door. The reason is clearly that the cool and refreshing look can be seen whenever you are about to go out or come into the house.

As an example, you can check out the example below.

transitional entry with sky blue door and white trim paint color
transitional entry with sky blue door and white trim paint color. image © JCD Custom Home Design

From this entry design, there are several things can be pointed up. The first one is the combination of the blue door and white trim itself.

This combination is not only about compatibility between the two colors. It is about how the white trim also functions as something highlighting the blue door.

The second one is about how the blue door and white trim combo looks lovely in an interior that is dominated by white color.

Although the blue color of the door can be said to be the non-dominant color in this space, it plays an important role. It gives the area the cool and the refreshing look.

Talking about the blue door, it is factually okay for it to be the only blue item in the space since it already has a lot to steal attention.

However, better compatibility can be created by adding one or two items in a similar color with the door. The example shown in the picture above is the blue floral rug.

If you do not want to use this blue doors and white trim combo in a room filled mostly with white color, it is totally fine.

However, you need to make sure that white color still exists in a rather big portion even it is not dominating in the space.

The reason is that this way the blue color of the door can be prominent and gives the crisp and refreshing atmosphere in the interior.

Take a look at the picture example below in which the wall of the entry is warm gray that is combined with white wainscoting trim. For you to know the gray wall paint here is Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter HC-172 and the door paint looks quite similar to Sherwin Williams Calypso SW 6950.

traditional entry with sapphire blue wall and white trim paint color
traditional entry with sapphire blue wall and white trim paint color. image © In Site Designs

6. Bright Red Doors and White Trim for a Boost of Energy and Excitement

Next, we will still discuss bright color doors that are paired with white trim, but this time the door color is different. It is red.

While the white interior trim still has the same highlighting function, the red color of the door, primarily when it belongs to the category of bright red color, gives a different visual effect to the interior space.

This color can boost energy and excitement.

If being asked about the color scheme that can be paired with this combination, it can simply be said that the color scheme with a lot of white and/or black color is the most recommended one.

The reason is none other but the fact that these colors are the ones that can enhance the red door to give energy and excitement booster better.

The example below will explain everything to you.

craftsman entry with candy red door with glass feature and white trim paint color
craftsman entry with candy red door with glass feature and white trim paint color. image © ilumus photography & marketing

With the fact that this combination can be paired with black color, you may wonder what if the trim is black and not white.

Well, the red door also looks good when being paired with black trim. Although so, the visual effect that is resulted will be different.

Both of white and black trims can positively highlight the red door.

If white trim will make the red door more prominent, black trim gives something a bit different. It looks like framing the red door, and it seems bolder than the red color.

This way, the black trim will be the one that gains more prominence here.

7. Green Doors and White Trim for Fresh and Natural Look in White-Dominated Space

The last but not least is the combination of green doors and white trim that merely looks nice in an interior with a white color.

This combination is the one that will bring you not only natural look but also a fresh one.

This is very suitable for you who always love the beauty of nature especially the green ones.

Besides, it is also suitable for you who long for something that can relax your eyes, for example, if you are a person who works in front of a screen for a quite long time every day.

Just like the examples number 5 and 6, this one can be paired with another kind of color scheme.

Although so, white is the one chosen here because this makes the fresh and natural look from the door color looks stronger.

Take a look at the example below for inspiration.

modern entry with olive green door and white trim paint color
modern entry with olive green door and white trim paint color. image © Intexure Architects

So, those are the seven best ideas you can get inspired by if you want to paint your doors and trim in different colors.

By reading the detailed information about each door and trim colors combination above it is sure that you will get the best look.

While most of the examples above are mentioned to be applied for interior space, actually you can also use the color combinations for the exterior doors and trim of your house, such as the front door.

If you want to use the combinations this way, please be sure that you also consider other exterior colors you use so the visual effect created by the combinations as explained earlier can be seen effectively.