What color family would work best with dark wood work?

by Megan
(Illinois)

I live in a two hundred year old home. The wood work is a dark brown. I would like to paint the ceiling a cream color and the walls a light chocolate brown. Would this enhance the wood work or take away from it?

Answer

The lighter the wall color the more your woodwork will show or be enhanced. A light chocolate color could hide your dark brown woodwork a bit, but this could be a good combination. The natural lighting in the room will change the wall color throughout the day producing a perceived lighter wall color than in the evening.

Try applying samples of your wall paint next to the base trim as well as a door or window frame. Make the samples 2 feet wide and 2-3 feet long. This will help you visualize the room with this paint color.

Look at the samples and try to imagine what the room will look like. The best times to look at the paint samples is when you would normally be in the room.

Choose a slightly lighter wall color if you feel that the dark trim disappears to much and start the process all over again.