Finding the right balance between dynamic color accents and the overall unity of your kitchen design is no easy task. Making a decision can be particularly challenging when it comes to molding. Specifically, many wonder if combining wood trim with white cabinets can be a good idea.
You can have white cabinets and wood trim if the wood tone matches other elements in your kitchen, such as the island, kitchen table, or floor. While it is recommended for the trim to match the color of your cabinets, a deliberate contrast can add a lot to your design.
Having contrasting trim is an interesting idea, but you should proceed with caution. It is important to avoid making such a dramatic contrast appear random.
If you want to beautifully combine your white cabinets with wood trim, follow the tips in this article to create an elegant and unique style.
Contents
The White and the Wood
White is a great base color for interior design. It makes the space brighter and visually adds more room. However, it is best to add other colors to create more dynamism.
All-white rooms are often compared to infirmaries. That doesn’t sound like the cozy living atmosphere we want to create.
Fortunately, the neutrality of white makes it easy to combine with any other color. It brings elegance to the space, while additional colors fill it with life and create vibrant accents.
Nevertheless, combining white with unfinished materials can be controversial.
Are white and wood a good combination? Surprisingly, yes! It may not be obvious, but it’s a growing trend in interior design.
Wood is a material that adds warmth and coziness to your space. Lighter wood tones create a soothing environment and brighten up the room, especially if you have many indoor plants to add some bright natural green to the picture.
Dark wood, on the other hand, can create a strong own accent and look exceptionally stylish.
All of this particularly applies when it comes to kitchens. The combination of white and wooden cabinets, countertops, and shelves is becoming increasingly popular.
However, such bold decisions need to be consistent.
Trim is one of the trickiest elements when it comes to contrast. In general, designers advise against adorning the color of the cabinets since the main purpose is to give your kitchen set a more unified and finished look.
However, contrasting trim can create a beautiful and strong contrast when done right. Let’s discuss in more detail how to do it correctly.
How to Combine White Cabinets and Wood Trim
To create purposeful contrasts in such combinations, the wood elements need to be matched with each other. Otherwise, the wood will look random, almost like you didn’t care enough to paint it. How do you avoid that? Let’s go over the basics.
Be Consistent with All Types of Moldings
Moldings come in different forms in your kitchen. Let’s shortly describe the trim you’ll need to work with:
- Crown molding: Crown molding is the one that runs on top of your cabinets. It fills the space between the cabinets and the ceiling, making the design look more finished.
- Light rail molding: This is located at the bottom of your upper cabinets or, as the name easily suggests, where the light rail sits. If there is a crown molding, the light rail molding creates symmetry.
- Base and toe kick molding: These are located at the bottom of your base cabinets. Aside from enhancing your design, they also bring more comfort.
- Window and door frames: These can also have trim, and if they are near your kitchen cabinets, they should not be overlooked.
Some kitchens incorporate all types of moldings listed, while others only have a few of them. However, when choosing your molding materials, consider both and make sure they all match.
As mentioned before, contrasting trim is a risky decision. While it is possible, it is strongly recommended not to have different moldings in one space.
If you decide to go with wood trim, stick to it consistently. Consider all types of moldings you want (or already have) and match them to create an elegant and well-thought-out look.
Commit to One Wood Tone
Aside from the molding type, you will likely (and should) have wood in other parts of your kitchen. Be sure to stick to one wood tone to make your design look cohesive and consistent.
The most important part of the equation is the floor. It takes up a lot of space in your kitchen and sets the tone.
If you are doing wood trim, it is also best to have a wooden floor, and the tones should match as closely as possible. Lack of matching will result in a color mismatch instead of an elegant accent.
Other wood elements are important as well. Wood chairs, a dining table, or an island are great additions to your wood trim, but they should also match.
When combining multiple contrasting elements, it’s all about coherence, so don’t neglect them.
Instead of focusing on large furniture pieces, you can also add more small details: tabletop, dishes, wood frames on the walls, baskets, etc.
Whatever you do, make sure your wood trim matches the other elements in your kitchen.
When to Avoid Contrasts
As much as I encourage you to experiment with bold projects, I have to acknowledge that combining wood trim with white cabinets is not always a good idea. Sometimes, it’s just too challenging to make it work.
To avoid design disasters, let’s discuss the cases in which it is best to avoid drastic contrasts:
- Your kitchen is small. Contrasting trim works best in large spaces, where there are more corresponding elements and more room for color diversity.
- There are more colors in your kitchen. Wood trim can look extremely out of place if your cabinets are not exclusively white or the other furniture does not match the color scheme.
Otherwise, your imagination is the limit. Keep in mind that designer recommendations are not set-in-stone rules, and you can do what you like.
Conclusion
You can have white cabinets and wood trim as long as other elements in your kitchen match the color scheme and support the accent.
Avoid making the wood trim look random by coordinating it with the rest of your design.
If your kitchen is not spacious or it is not possible for you to commit completely to the concept, perhaps reconsider opting for contrasting moldings.