I Disagree, David Bromstad
In the new June issue of HGTV home magazine, I read an article where David Bromstad, host of HGTV Color Splash, answered paint questions from homeowners. One of the questions was:“What wall colors look good with dark woodwork? I don’t want to paint the trim that’s original to my house.”David answered:“Dark woodwork can be incredible, but only if the wall color majorly contrasts with it; otherwise it will look like a haunted house. That's why I would go with white.The lighter the walls, the more high-end the trim appears.”
This is where I disagree with the very talented David Bromstad. He is saying that you should use a white paint color for contrast to really make the woodwork stand out. But why would you want woodwork to stand out? ‘Hey, look at me’.
When I design a room, I select a wall color to bring the furnishings, window treatments, rugs and accessories together for a cohesive look. But if you have that much contrast between the wood color and the wall color, that is all you are going to notice in the room. If that is the look you want, then I would advise you to go for it. But just be aware, there will be a high contrast, wood-bossy look in the room.
If you want your room to look together and cohesive, I suggest using a color that works with the wood. That’s why I love the greens with stained trim, here and here:
viaI think it looks natural and beautiful together. So I am really sorry David Bromstad, I do not agree with your white paint and dark woodwork combination. It is too high contrast for me. Readers, who do you agree with?If you need help selecting wall colors for your home, contact me today.