Decorating and Design - paint wood molding or not

Good day- I recently bought a 20 year old home that has stained and varnished wood molding, doors, and windows throughout. I'm used to the painted molding from previous homes but this is starting to grow on me...just not sure how to decorate with it. The whole house seems dark...will replace lighting, but need to figure out how to decorate without painting the wood. Ideas or recommendations of resources? My style is somewhere between colonial and country classic with mustard yellows, colonial blues and reds. Furniture is a mixture of mostly dark finished or painted wood. Also any help on freshening up the wood would be most appreciated. Thanks, Carolyn

hmm......i'm not sure how to answer your question. i don't think you really do anything differently in a house with stained trim than a house with painted trim. the only thing maybe is that you're a little more limited on the woods you use. for example, if the whole house has golden oak trim, and all your furniture is cherry, that might tend to look a bit out of place.

if you don't like it, you can certainly paint it.

you say your furniture is either painted or dark wood - what color is this trimwork? is it clashing? or working?

Annette- thanks for the reply. In my attempt to be concise with my post, I left out some important information. The trim as is, is a medium brown cherry (I think)...my furniture is mostly cheery and mahogony and painted pieces are black. It doesn't appear to clash with the furniture. What it clashes with is every bit of experience I have with decorating! I'm used to using wainscotting, a little wallpaper (emphasis little), painted walls (yellows, blues, red), and white painted trim...I had this look down pat! This house was last decorated in the 80's and has a pink room, large flowered curtains, lots of waverly paper...not at all my style. It also has a fully paneled family room with the same wood as the trim (very nice-- will leave as is, but paint the brick fireplace to lighten up the room). My initial thoughts were to paint the trim and doors throughout all but the family room, but then would have to paint the windows and those little dividers in the windows and this will be a lifetime of work. Plus my husband likes the wood and we do best with a little compromise so I could give him this one. Every magazine and design book I look at has painted trim these days...I guess I really want to know if I should bite the bullet and just get painting or if there is a way to design with this and not have it look like an 80's design? The whole house feels very dark...part of this is the lighting and the act that it sits on a very shaded lot; but I think the dark trim (and absence of anything white in any room) contributes. It seems silly that I am fixated on the trim when so much else needs to be done in the house (carpet, hardwood flooring, kitchen cabinets, and lighting), but I need to have an idea of where I'm going with the trim so I can make decisions on the other. If I stay with the natural wood trim, am I limited to white walls to lighten the place up? With natural trim and doors, should I go with matching cabinets cause painted cabinets would clash? Obviously I need to match hardwood floors to the trim- huh? So as a decorator, if you walked into my house (want to come to Atlanta?) would you advise keeping the trim natural or painting? Thanks, Carolyn

my, you ARE worked up about this, aren't you?! i think the main problem here is that you're used to painted trim, and this is a whole new game for you. don't paint it - keep it stained. change is always difficult, but embrace this new world!! ;) and don't worry - it's not 80's, it's just stained. it's ok! it can still be as formal or casual as you had your other home with the painted trim and wainscoting. it's just different.

the house is (no offense) a wreck right now, and you're focusing on the woodwork. i think once all your touches have been introduced, and all the offensive decor is removed, you'll love it.

shaded lots and bad lighting are what's creating this darkness, not the trim. i have stained trim in my home and it's very sunny & bright with a warm glow. my walls are a chamoise color, the carpet is a creamy speckled berber, the wood (laminate) floors are a shade lighter than the wooden cabinets. but, like you, i have added some painted furniture pieces to get away from so much wood (creamy distressed finishes). no one used to comment on the wood trim when it was still yucky white from the previous owners, but once we painted the light gold color, everyone's first comment is on the fireplace moulding. they all thought we'd redone the fireplace! but it was just that the golden color brought out the beauty of the honey oak trim. you need to find a color that does that for your woodwork - not white.

you don't have to have matching cabinets or flooring. actually, just the opposite would be better. too much wood can be, well, too much. introducing painted cabinetry would be great, and the floors should be either lighter or darker (we're talking wood floors here) for some variety (i'd go a little lighter).

once you get going on all the other things, you won't be so fixated on the trim. :thumbup:

Thank you so much Annette- You've given me exactly the advice I need. I really appreciate it. Carolyn