Baseboards and trim in this
bedroom are several shades
darker than the walls.

Define with Color

Painting the woodwork darker than the walls focuses attention on window and door frames. If you love color, consider painting the trim a contrasting hue that's equal in intensity to the wall color.

Window fabric, favorite dinnerware, and majolica are good sources for colors. Choose the lightest or brightest hue for the major surfaces, a darker color for the window and door frames, and a third, medium tone for window sashes and skirting boards (the board under the windowsill).

If your walls are a pale color, you can emphasize windows, doors, and other architectural features by painting them with a soft, contrasting hue.

Around windows, the darker trim frames the view to the outdoors the way a mat frames a picture. Off-white or cream walls with contrasting trim -- gray-blue, muted green, mustard yellow, or barn red, for example -- recall colonial-style interiors.

Because darker trim against light walls calls so much attention to the woodwork, consider whether your woodwork is worth the notice.