Somewhere in the last century, brilliant white gloss became the factory setting for all domestic millwork. Crown molding, doors, and banisters have all suffered the same fate. But shiny white surfaces belong to interiors of a much sleeker sort, where everything is contemporary, immaculate, and erring on the institutional.
Adding color to your woodwork instead—a trend spreading wildly across social media—almost feels like something we should have been doing all along. (Or, by the look of older homes, more like something we never should have stopped doing.) Why neglect such a significant part of your home's architecture when it could instead be an audacious red or lovely green? Below, we’re breaking down how to do it best and sharing the designer tips to get a professional look.
Where to Start
If you are tentative about using color in the home, begin in the hallway or utility room. These are the spaces where white gloss fails us anyway, scuffed by wellies, vacuum heads, and everything else that gets carried in from outside. A midtone or deep color on the baseboard hides it all.
The finish matters as much as the color. High-sheen paint highlights every ripple, brush mark, and dent in old millwork, while dead flat and true matte finishes look wonderful but mark in minutes. Eggshell is far tougher and kinder on imperfect surfaces.
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Where to Stop
Let’s be clear: You don’t have to paint all your woodwork. One of the most attractive combinations in an old house is a colored trim around a stripped pine door—it looks like a frame around a picture. Equally, you might just paint the banister or baseboard.
RELATED: 10 Old House Features You Should Preserve, According to a Historic Preservationist
How Designers Do It
Paint Everything One Color
This is true color drenching, covering everything—including your woodwork—in the same shade. Removing the bright white lines that chop a small room into pieces makes it feel larger, so it’s especially effective in studies, mudrooms, attic spaces, and anywhere with awkward angles you would rather not draw attention to.
Color drenching is also trending, according to Country Design 100 honoree and designer Leanne Ford: “I see us trading quiet simplicity for incredibly personal, thoughtful maximalism [in 2026]. Picture color-drenched rooms layered with the things people truly love.”
Paint the Millwork and Leave the Walls White
The most commonly used arrangement sees woodwork painted in color against a white or neutral wall. This is a brilliant way to test your tolerance to color without committing to putting it everywhere.
Go Tone-on-Tone
Want to embrace the trend but love a colorful wall? Try tone-on-tone color. Painting your millwork a few shades darker or lighter than your walls is the most digestible way to introduce color without overwhelming your senses.
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Rachel Edwards is the Style & Interiors Editor for Country Living and House Beautiful, covering all things design and decoration, with a special interest in small space inspiration, vintage and antique shopping, and anything colour related. Her work has been extensively translated by Elle Japan and Elle Decor Spain. Rachel has spent over a decade in the furniture and homeware industry as a writer, FF&E designer, and for many years as Marketing Manager at cult design retailer, Skandium. She has a BA in French and Italian from Royal Holloway and an MA in Jounalism from Kingston University. Follow Rachel on Instagram @rachelaed
