A curated selection of trim paint colors recommended by interior designers to help you try the contrast trim trend in your own home.
Instead of fully “color drenching” a room, many designers are turning to contrasting trim to add drama and personality with less effort and cost.
Picture a hallway with chunky wainscoting and trim painted a bold, unexpected hue — it instantly becomes a focal point. Contrast trim is an economical way to refresh a space, and it highlights architectural details like moulding, door casings, and wainscot without repainting entire walls.
If you’re growing tired of plain white or neutral walls, painting the trim in a contrasting color will give your rooms visual impact while keeping costs and effort low.
What is Contrast Trim?
Contrast trim is the practice of pairing lighter wall colors—often soft neutrals like white, light gray, or beige—with trim painted in a distinctly different color. The darker or more saturated the trim color, the more visual drama it introduces to the space.
Why Choose Contrasting Trim?
If you want to add color but aren’t ready to repaint whole walls, painting only mouldings, door frames, and interior doors can create a strong design statement with less time and expense. It’s especially effective in older homes with ornate trim or in small spaces where you want visual depth without adding clutter.
Our own hallway, stairway, and foyer are very white, and while that feels fresh, a colored trim would add energy and bring out architectural details in a new way.
Can you visualize it?
A blue or green palette on trim and wainscoting can feel both classic and contemporary, offering a calm yet striking contrast to light walls.
Source | Sunset
Paint Color Ideas for Contrasting Trim
Below are popular trim color choices favored by interior designers and recommended by paint professionals. These selections cover a range of hues so you can find the right tone to pair with your walls.
Before you commit, see paint chips in person and test sample pots on your trim and walls to observe how natural and artificial light affect the colors in your home.
Tutorial: How to Choose Paint Colors for Your Home Interior Like a Pro
Consider stepping away from standard white trim and experimenting with a few shades — you might be surprised by how much character it adds.
Source | Becca Interiors | Rikki Snyder
Red Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Preference Red
- Benjamin Moore Classic Burgundy
- Sherwin Williams Rustic Red
Source | Avery Cox Design
Orange Trim Paint Colors
- Sherwin Williams Cavern Clay
- Benjamin Moore Tarra Mauve
- Farrow & Ball Charlotte’s Locks
Source | Wit and Delight
Yellow Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball India Yellow
- Benjamin Moore Man on the Moon
- Sherwin Williams Restrained Gold
Source | One Kindesign
Green Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Green Smoke
- Benjamin Moore Soft Fern
- Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog
Source | Vanderhorn Architects | Amy Hirsch Design
Blue Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Down Pipe
- Benjamin Moore Water’s Edge
- Sherwin Williams Stardew
Source | Notes of Colour
Purple Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Brinjal
- Sherwin Williams Expressive Plum
- PPG Purple Dusk
Source | Stef Turner
Pink Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Sulking Room Pink
- Benjamin Moore Bashful
- Sherwin Williams Cabbage Rose
Source | Bell-Guilmet
Gray Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Lamp Room Gray
- Benjamin Moore Coventry Gray
- Sherwin Williams Peppercorn
Source | Carpendaughter
Beige Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Stony Ground
- Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter
- Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige
Source | Lovisa Hager
Black Trim Paint Colors
- Farrow & Ball Pitch Black
- Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron
- Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black
How to Find the Right Trim Color for a Room
Here’s a simple technique that reliably produces harmonious contrast: use the same paint sample strip for both wall and trim choices. Pick the lightest or second-lightest shade on the strip for your walls, then choose the darkest or second-darkest shade on that same strip for the trim. Because the samples come from the same family, they share undertones and will coordinate naturally.
Testing samples in your room—on the actual trim and under the natural light that fills the space—will help you fine-tune the final choice before buying larger quantities.
Source | Benjamin Moore
Would you try contrast trim in your home? If repainting all trim feels like too much, start by painting just the interior doors for an immediate and impactful update.
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See more paint color recommendations for your home here.