“Woodwork is an opportunity to experiment and push the boundaries in a more classic project. It changes the feel of a space and has a huge visual impact,” says designer Lonika Chande. It can also be a wonderful way to create progression and flow both within and between rooms.
There are many ways to make a house feel cohesive if that's even something you are aiming for. A motif that is woven throughout rooms has been floated as one such possibility, or choosing colours from the same palette for each room. Perhaps it's having antiques to ground each room with a dark brown moment, or referencing the same mid-century period through the whole scheme. Whatever it may be, there are many ways to weave a common thread throughout so that a house feels cohesive. One such way is through woodwork. Historically having always been left as wood or painted white (or off-white) by default, woodwork has had something of a colourful renaissance in recent years and there's a lot to unpack.
Colourful woodwork can add flavour to a room. You might think of a room's design like a carefully planned menu; each course may be different, but there'll be some thought into the continuity and flow of the dishes. A room may be scattered with vibrant colours and textures, but the woodwork is an excellent way to tie them all together. Lonika uses this method in entrance halls, staircases, and on landings: “We might paint the woodwork in a darker colour to the walls. This gives a sense of continuity and calm. A darker woodwork grounding the lighter walls. It also makes the stair runner – if you have one – pop beautifully against it.”
Painted woodwork can also create aesthetic conversations going between as well as within rooms. “I think repetition can be one the keys to a cohesive colour scheme in a room, especially in rooms which flow one to another, for instance in an open plan living through kitchen space, or on a staircase," says designer Benedict Foley. Benedict explains that his decision to go from a full green to strong pink in interconnecting rooms in Max Hurd's irreverent London home was softened by opting for the same green for the woodwork: “It provided a note of continuity that invites you to consider the spaces as connected but separate.”
Benedict also points out that woodwork and detailing (from cornicing to ceiling roses) would historically have been much more prominently decorative. As such, the woodwork would have created a throughline between each room. But in more modern interiors “these are rarely present” he says, "so the need to continue a woodwork colour from one space to the next can be quite a compelling one.” It can be a great way to tie in various styles and languages, too. Say, for example, you've opted for a very modern kitchen, but your living space is more cottage-y – picking up the same colour in the woodwork detailing (whether kitchen cabinetry or doorframes) can create a satisfying through line that indicates confidence and foresight. “In a recent project we used the same woodwork colour throughout a modern apartment in rooms with very different schemes to link the spaces and to add a sense of architectural detailing in a space where it was totally lacking,” explains designer Sarah Vanrenen.
Nicola Harding follows the same thread, adding that “it's important not to overlook the woodwork colours you choose, as they will ultimately finish a room and connect your spaces. For instance, the colour you paint a door will be visible in both a hallway and the connecting room. So, if you choose a bolder colour for one side of a door, make sure it works well when the door is open into the next room.”
But what about when you want a scheme that centres around a neutral palette (whether that be white, off-white, or a pinky hue) but you don't want it to look too dull and lacklustre? According to Venetia Rudebeck of Studio Vero, painting the woodwork is the perfect antidote: “It’s a great way to tie a scheme together. One way that we love doing it is where we have a lot of white walls and painting the skirting and door frames in a contrasting colour," she explains. “In one project, we painted the skirting and door frames in a dark, inky blue, which ties the whole scheme together and gives a great contrast to the lovely fresh walls,” as seen in the image above.
Olivia Emery agrees that if you are “not keen on bold colours all over your walls then adding these to the woodwork can be a really nice way to incorporate those darker tones and frame the room.” And Venetia agrees that this detailing can be essential to tying even the most scattered colour palettes together: “If you are going a bit out there and have lots of wonderful colours in your design, it’s one way to pull them all in."
If you're totally colour-shy, or you prefer to keep to the traditional format of a colourful wall with neutral woodwork, then woodwork is still worth considering. Olivia says calls even neutral woodwork “essential to a scheme": "To just put white on there is a wasted opportunity if you ask me. If you are going for a darker colour on the walls then a lighter (but definitely not white!) complimentary colour on the woodwork can frame the wall colour beautifully." And neutral woodwork needn't be the same neutral throughout the house: you may opt for a yellow-white (like 'Pointing') in a child's nursery - to bring in warmth and sunshine - but a more pinky white (like ‘Dimity’) in a romantic bedroom suite. If you have a sage green kitchen, you may want an architectural, papery white like ‘All White’ for your woodwork, to keep it clean and fresh. But still, each room has a ‘neutral’ or ‘off-white’ trim. Cohesion achieved, without homogeneity!
Sarah also uses colourful woodwork to “contain” patterned wallpapers. By continuing it through the room (as seen in the image above) she creates a consistent and thorough framing device, through which to really appreciate pattern and texture.
What all the designers seem to agree on is the sense of play that colourful woodwork can bring: “it's an opportunity to have fun and to bring excitement to a room,” Lonika enthuses. “We use it as a contrast against wallpaper or any backdrop as an indication that the room doesn’t take itself too seriously! We often use gloss paint too, which gives a wonderful sheen and more prominence to the woodwork.” Benedict agrees that fun is the order of the day here. “In a way there aren't any hard rules,” he says, “but it's best to make a considered choice and then keep to the logic of your choice!” A final word of advice from Nicola is “consider the condition of your skirtings and architraves. If they're not in great condition or if you live in a modern home and they're less of a statement, you don't want to create too much contrast between the woodwork and the wall colour. However, in a period property with beautiful skirtings and windows, using a contrasting colour can highlight them, and using different finishes can add texture.”
