I think a different style of window (if not in conflict with your home's exterior style) could have helped visually with the height issue. The three panes up top tend to lower the path the eye travels. I think it is a shame to match the crown exactly to the wall color. Maybe take it just a shade or two darker than the wall color, using the same paint color card to find a deeper shade of what you're putting on the walls. Do that first and it may help you see what to do with the baseboards.

Thanks for commenting. Unfortunately, the cottage style windows will have to stay. They are just newly replaced. I like the idea of making the crown molding a slightly darker shade. A sketch is so effective in demonstrating design elements. Using a simple graphic program called "Paint" allowed me to draft up various replacement window configurations on the exterior of our house and choose the best one. We are thinking of using roller blinds as a window treatment. Perhaps a program like PhotoShop or Illustrator would help with colour decisions.

In general, I like to keep all the trim the same. Trim does not have to match doors - I have white trim, but natural wood doors. I would keep the baseboards the same as the window trim. Baseboards occasionally match the floor if it works with the other trim colors too, but the flooring looks like you are refinishing it? - not sure from the photos.

For the stairs, I would either keep it natural to work with the rest of the trim, or keep treads and handrail natural and paint risers and spindles white. I am not even sure about doing the spindles white if the rest of the trim is wood. I don't see adding another color for the handrail - and painted handrails are an upkeep issue. The natural wood looks pretty and you've done a good job of finishing fir without turning it orange - good for you! You could stain the handrail a slightly darker color - but don't let it stick out as the only dark stained thing in the room. If you do that, treads should be stained darker too. The finishes all need to work together and doing things too many different colors / stains will not work together.

Thanks so much for your comments jhmarie. My issue with the staircase is that the wood looks drab or maybe its the orange look of the staircase which impacts the overall appearance. I am looking for some miracle product to lighten it to match the Douglas Fir trim.

In our previous home, I had the painter paint the interior of our doors the same as the wall color to blend in better, as they stood out to much for me.

I don't have any photos to share, as we are now in our new location/ new build. We have a T&G fir ceiling & alder doors & trim. You can go view on my page, under idea books; New Build/Gabe. I would have a hard time painting over the wood myself..

Hi jhmarie, your pictures of the staircase clearly illustrate what the white spindles would look like. My husband and I are thinking of painting the walls, and at that point we would have a better idea about what to do about the staircase.