12 Best Paint Colors for Interior and Exterior Trim

C.E. Larusso
Written by C.E. Larusso
Updated July 19, 2022
A closeup of a man painting window trim
Photo: Barcin/iStock/Getty Images

The crème de la crème of trim

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Your trim color is more important than you might think; the right choice can highlight your furniture, flooring, and artwork, making a room feel considered and complete. Whether you’re looking for a punchy color to pair with your simple white walls or you’re ready to go all-in on floor-to-ceiling monochrome blue, select from our list of the best paint colors for your interior and exterior trim.

1. Bold Black

A view of a room with black trim and wallpaper
Photo: Paul Viant/DigitalVision/Getty Images

A bold choice, black won’t cast a gothic pall over your home if you use it to contrast a bright and light color—especially white walls. A black-and-white combo can help gold and brass accents pop throughout a room, and is especially elegant when paired with graphics and wallpaper. 

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2. White-Gray

A view of a room with white trim
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complement light gray walls. It brings the simplicity and elegance of white without being too staid.

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3. Muted Brown

An earthy, muted brown has a grounding effect, especially when painted adjacent to whites and light grays. It’s a classic, beachy tone, reminiscent of the stones cast onto the shore by the sea. Because of this, it’s perfect for coastal spaces (and even the trendy coastal grandmother look). 

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4. Blue-Green

When painting the interior of your home, use a muted, blue-green hue as both the main paint color and the trim color to maximize feelings of tranquility. In addition, painting the trim the same color will draw eyes upward, making your room seem larger than it is.

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5. Bright White

An exterior view of a gray house with white trim
Photo: LOOK Photography/UpperCut Images/Getty Images

If off-white isn’t cutting it, choose the brightest white you can find. There are a lot of colors that work with white trim, but we recommend painting your walls or the rest of your home’s exterior a darker gray color to allow this bright white to work its magic. 

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6. Sage Green

An exterior view of a house with sage green trim
Photo: Iriana Shiyan/Adobe Stock

A muted sage green can be used against wood to create a woodsy, organic look. Or, use it as a monochrome color for an entire room! Sage has blue undertones, giving it a cooling, nature-forward vibe.

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7. Greige

A view of a room with greige trim
Photo: New Africa/Adobe Stock

If you can’t decide between gray or beige, choose somewhere in between with greige. Greige has warm undertones, so it’s extremely versatile and is able to hide dust better than a bright white. It’s a soft shade, excellent for bedrooms.

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8. Cocoa Brown

A man paints window trim brown
Photo: ronstik/Adobe Stock

A brown with soft red undertones is a perfect fit for homes with dark wood floors and furniture. It pairs nicely with a bright white, and is a fun choice for dens, offices, or other spaces where low lighting might play up its dramatic tone.

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9. Blue-Gray

A steely blue-gray that can work equally well in a modern, minimalist space as it can amplify furniture and accents made from silver or other metals. But is also an excellent choice for a more beachy vibe, especially when paired with a crisp white. It looks charming in bathrooms, especially set against natural stone such as marble.

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10. Terracotta Red

An exterior view of a red house
Photo: Wirestock/Adobe Stock

Terracotta red looks like it sprung straight from the core of the earth, and it’s beautiful next to brick—whether it’s on the exterior of your home or surrounding your fireplace. This color also looks lovely when paired with a muted French gray.

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11. Soft Black

An exterior view of a black and white house
Photo: Dariusz Jarzabek/Adobe Stock

Use a muted black on your front door and window trim against an otherwise white house to make your home the most buttoned-up on the block. Used sparingly, it is bold without being stern, and also adds a modern touch to a home that is otherwise wood and white.

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12. Deep Green

A closeup of green trim
Photo: Artem Bruk/Adobe Stock

A rich, deep green is a bold option to pair with white when black is just not your thing. Used as the exterior trim on an otherwise all-white home, it will conjure up serious New England vibes—imagine it adjacent to the colorful tones of trees in autumn. 

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