Very pretty house. Don't paint the woodwork. You could introduce more colors the same color as the wood with some darker color also, dark + medium brown, such as a rug or throw pillows to tie in your 2 color woods.

Or, you could look for historical wallpapers that have the same colors + a lighter color to keep the house bright. You could go with a faded wallpaper that has the 2 colors + a light color, or grass cloth that has light cream or green + the 2 browns. Let us know what you decide!

Do you have the luxury / inclination to just live in the house for a while to see how it feels? Often drastic measures taken without thorough research and reflection are the wrong ones, and impossible to retract. We hired someone to redo our floors and they took a chain saw to them and cut them all off one side of the room. Really! And these contractors were highly recommended.

I wouldn't paint all that lovely wood. Agree with above poster live in the house awhile to get the a feel for it

What a shame it would be to paint that lovely antique, old growth trim. It really is gorgeous. Not sure why you would buy such a beauty to just cover her up with paint. If you are going to refinish the woodwork anyway then you can pick the color and make it darker to go better with your furniture. I wouldn't personally do that, as I love the grain of the wood....but it is saves this trim from painting then that is something.

Regarding wall color. You can't really pick a color until after you move in and see your stuff in there then you can try samples and pick what works good with the trim, your furn and textiles. Anything else is just guesswork.

Definitely don't paint the woodwork. Finding homes with this type of character & gorgeous woodwork doesn't happen everyday. You can paint the walls to coordinate with your furniture. I understand that most of your furniture is an espresso finish, however, your tastes will change over time. The original craftsman look is timeless & classic. Enjoy your new home!

Normally I'm not a fan of stained wood trim. Having said that... our current house has original features that I was sure would be modified shortly after we moved in. After painting the walls and living with the features some have grown on me and I really appreciate them. I know it's easier to paint before you move in but if you're not sure then I'd say live with it for awhile. It's too hard to go back after the paint goes on that trimwork. If you do decide to paint then I'd do the built ins too.

I would not paint the woodwork. Wood tone of your furniture does not need to match the trim work. I have furniture in many different wood tones - some antiques and some newer. Same wood tone in all furniture and trim would smack of matchy matchy.

I have a home in St. Louis city built in 1926. All of the wood trim, the fireplace mantle, ornate stairwell and stain glass windows were intact and not painted. I pulled up all the carpet and had the floors sanded and stained a darker color. It would be a shame to paint over such beautiful wood and built ins. I have a dark chocolate Crate and Barrel couch from my last house and didn't want to replace it. I just added pops of color with an area rug and pillows! As well as an area rug under my dining room table. The woods don't all match and I'm fine with that... Previous owners had painted the kitchen and bathroom window trim white along with the inside/backside of the bathroom door. I left those since I went with new white cabinets and subway tile in the kitchen and white subway tile in the bathroom. Unfortunately they also removed the original baseboards and replaced with some junk. I am looking for some salvage trim to add back into my kitchen right now!!

I can't believe you would seriously even. Consider painting. I have spent years and many dollars to get back the natural finish in the properties I own. I believe you would regret it.

I'd change the color of the paint on the walls, but wouldn't touch that wood. It's gorgeous. Regarding the expresso furniture, wood tones do *not* need to match. You can pull it all together with wall color, textiles, and art.

GeeenDeaigns........well said & agree.

I agree with everbody - don't paint the trim

Trim doesn't need to match espresso furniture. I may consider painting the baseboards though. They appear to be a different color anyway. I might also consider painting the corner cabinet in dining room.

I agree with everyone. It is beautiful. I hate wood baseboards though. If you do want to go white, consider pulling up the current ones (mark on the back the exact spot where they go) and replace with new white primed baseboards. You can do the same with the window trim if you really, really want it white (yes, it's labor intensive, but worth it. less labor than stripping off paint). Get all your stuff inside and live with it for a few months. You might learn to appreciate it.

Please please please don't paint the trim!! You really can't go back from painting and you'll lose all that patina - don't be scared of mixing wood tones, I ended up with an eclectic mix courtesy of heirlooms; cherry dinning set and bed set, oak cabinets, pine desks and curio, really you'd be surprised how interesting a room with mixed woods and stains can be. I also have some cheap espresso furniture but I think the only clashing I have is with the espresso and blond pine which I quickly separated into ajourning rooms - problem solved. If the espresso furniture is less than 20yrs old it's almost certainly chipboard and if you're lucky it's got a real wood veneer, really I'd prioritize the built ins and trim and keep or change your furniture.

I'd paint the kitchen cabinets a sage green (with some grey in it) and change the counter tops to something with a warmer tone. Definitely paints the walls.

Thank you all for your input! Like I said, we're first time homebuyers and all of this is brand new to us! I guess in my post I should have added that some of the trim especially around the windows and floor isn't in the best shape, which is why I had considered painting, plus to brighten up the space. However, I know the wood adds plenty of character to our home, and maybe some refinishing could really bring it back to life!

Alyssa, I refinish antique wood furniture. I've gotten dresser tops that looked horrendous but after stripping and sanding, the bare wood was almost pristine. The thing about this oak in your house is back then (110 years ago!) All the wood they used was from old growth trees. That oak is far superior, denser and beautiful graining, than anything you could buy nowadays. Take some graduating grit sandpaper and do a test piece on one of the windows. Take it all the way down to bare wood. You will be shocked at how beautiful it is. It will refinish wonderfully.

Please, please don't paint that woodwork - any of it! It's original, it's Craftsman and it's lovely. Also don't go staining your floors dark as someone mentioned doing, or painting just the baseboards (which would look truly weird, IMHO). This isn't some 1970s Pacific Northwest ranch with cheapo casing... It truly doesn't matter if your furniture matches it - different wood tones are fine together. Does the wood really need refinishing? Very hard to tell from the photos. Before you try Beth H's suggestion re: sanding, definitely try cleaning/reviving it first. Here's one solution: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/clean-grime-woodwork (I know there are others). You may find that's enough and it will save you a LOT of work. I refinish furniture too - it's hard work and I wouldn't want to tackle a whole house full of baseboards, trim and doors if I didn't have to.

The criminal part is what they did with the kitchen. That white kitchen, while trendy, just does not belong in that house. I can see why you'd want to paint the trim to match.

My last place was a 1915 duplex condo, our half had all the original trim painted white. The other half had the original trim refinished and restored. The kitchens were identical in layout except for cabinet colors and finishings. Each looked good as the kitchens fit with the trim.

I might suggest you change out the kitchen cabs and leave your trim alone.

What Jennifer said. :) The cabinets look to me to be cheap MDF - and the bulkheads they installed above them wouldn't be original either. Unfortunately, giving this house the kitchen it deserves won't be cheap, as it should have good quality craftsman style cabinets in either wood tones to go with the trim or painted, and which go to the ceiling. Here's an option you might consider, if you have room for an island: [https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-traditional-kitchen-philadelphia-phvw-vp~381184[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-traditional-kitchen-philadelphia-phvw-vp~381184)

Agree about kitchen but don't think you have to go all wood stained cabinets. They just have to be nicer quality and nicer countertops. Assuming you have the money and desire to redo the kitchen. Look up Rebecca Zaveloff kitchens. Her kitchens are amazing, mixing woods with painted cabs and different metals.

http://kitchenlabdesign.com/category/kitchens/

Don’t paint the wood work. Save up for furniture from the period of your home.

Put wallpaper somewhere…this is an Amy Butler, a contemporary designer, perfect for your home.

Leaving the original millwork is a smart "resale value move".

There is products that can help you revive the damage trims in 2 steps, like Howard's "restore a finish" and "feed and wax", without having to go through sanding and stripping.

Other advantage of keeping the wood trims is vacuuming scuffs won't show on baseboards.

Cons of painting existing wood trims;

- it will not breathe well anymore and will be prone to checking and cracking.

- it will decrease resale value

-If you want to paint it, do not, remove all the wood trims and resale it as a reclaimed bundle for a premium, someone will buy and repurpose it with respect! Then reinvest that money in putting inexpensive mdf trims!

Don't paint it. The original woodwork is much more beautiful than painted, and I love painted woodwork. There is something special about that woodwork you've got there. It does not seem dark in there at all as it is. In my opinion not all wood colors need to match. Espresso wood will go fine with this. It is more interesting if things aren't perfectly matched. And mixing old and new is a big thing right now anyway. Having that kind of woodwork really adds an importance to your house in my opinion. It's easy to get white painted wood, it's not so easy to have original 1918 woodwork.

Alyssa, welcome to new home ownership and the age old question: to paint or not to paint....
You fell in love with a house with history and craftmanship. Something you will never see in a new build. Do not paint but add a print somewhere. In a curtain, a carpet or a cushion. And pull a colour out that you can use to paint and to add in accessories. All wood goes together so your espresso furniture will look great!

As much as I have and prefer painted. In this case I would leave it as is. It's really what the house is all about.

Please don't paint the trim. Beth H is right. The quality of the wood back then is much higher than what you by now. It hasn't been dried or cured in the same way. I would also suggest that while you're anxious to put your stamp on your beautiful home, wait with the permanent things until you live in the house a while and really get a feel for it.