Crown Molding: Our Pros Share the Latest Trends for Paint Colors

Crown molding gives a room a decorative, finished look. It comes in a variety of styles, from simple strips to ornate patterns. Despite its variation in shapes, like most trim, it usually gets painted the same color: white or cream. But there’s no rule that says you have to paint crown that standard neutral. In fact, going for another hue when painting crown molding can really give your room a colorful boost. Here are some ideas to consider.

Paint Crown Molding and Walls One Color

If you browse decorating sites, you’ll see that painting your trim the same color as the walls is right on trend.

Besides giving your room a sophisticated, professionally designed appearance, painting walls and crown molding the same color makes your space look bigger. This is because it lets the eye travel around the room without forcing it to break for a different trim color.

Painting walls and trim the same color is also a designer trick for spotlighting decorative items like furnishings, art or plants. This is because the single color creates a seamless backdrop for them, letting them shine.

Stain Trim a Harmonizing Color

Another option for crown molding that works well, especially for Victorian, cabin-style or midcentury homes, is wood trim.

In this situation, you can use stain to create different colors of wood. So, for example, if your room is light blue, you could use stain with a burnished copper undertone, because blue and orange (copper’s underlying color) are complementary colors on the color wheel.

Let the color wheel guide you to create a color palette that pleases the eye. Whether you try a primary scheme, secondary or complementary one, the room will look balanced.

Try a Bold Hue on Your Crown Molding

In certain rooms, like kids’ rooms or small bathrooms, you can get away with bolder color choices for crown molding and trim.

For example, in a chinoiserie-style bathroom, try painting the trim, crown molding and ceiling a rich red, then pairing it with a themed wallpaper. Or paint the trim a rich, glossy navy and the walls crisp white, for a fresh, coastal style.

If you have a girl who rocks pink, paint her walls a rosy seashell hue and the crown molding two or three colors darker (use a paint swatch to keep colors in the family). Using a paint swatch helps ensure you don’t get too far off the color trail.

Paint it Black

Another hot trend? Painting trim black or charcoal gray. This trick can energize a room, thanks to the contrast and visual pop. It can also hide imperfections in the crown molding or trim (for example, if some was replaced at different times and didn’t match). These hard lines make a statement, defining the room’s architecture.

Looking for ideas for your crown molding? Let our color consultants help you pick the right scheme – and decide how bold you want to go. When you’re ready to paint, don’t forget our interior paint pros. They’ll give your home a professional paint job, leaving you time do the things you love.