I'd say that if you're both of the same opinion to paint it, then go for it. My sister and her fiancee recently bought a gorgeous arts and crafts bungalow full of wonderful, extremely dark woodwork. They both loved the historic charm and detail of the house but had vastly different ideas of what that meant, along with the phrase "we'll need to give everything a fresh coat of paint". My sister is firmly in the camp of paint all of the woodwork a crisp white, he is firmly in the camp of re-varnish the existing dark woodwork. So if you and your SO are of like mind to paint, just do it! It's your home and you should customize it to be what you want to see every day! Plus, in a 110 year old home, it helps to love the way your house looks so when the roof leaks or your furnace craps out in the middle of winter it softens the blow a bit, BTDT

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:omg wtf did they do to that house. that is appalling.

I agree. So sad and tacky! The wood trim was gorgeous.

And honestly in that house, painting the trim was probably one of the least egregious acts that they committed. Ripping out the original stained glass window and victorian mantelpiece (only to replace it with a different victorian mantelpiece?!?) drives me bonkers.

Anonymous wrote:omg wtf did they do to that house. that is appalling.

I agree. So sad and tacky! The wood trim was gorgeous.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:omg wtf did they do to that house. that is appalling.

+1. That house is a damn travesty. FWIW, OP, we kept our original woodwork and I love it.

I can’t believe they painted the living room woodwork black! What a waste!

OP,

It looks to me like the link you posted that they didn’t just paint the trim. They made the foyer wall bigger so that was likely new trim and not the old stuff. As someone who would want the original detail, I wouldn’t want you to do it - but if you hate that option- you have to live with it in the interim so do what makes you happen.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Historic preservationists hate people like me but I strongly prefer painted woodwork. I say do what you like! Though you may have to strip it anyway to get a good coat of paint on there, unfortunately.

ugh re having to strip it anyway...

I was clicking through this HGTV contest home in Milwaukee and noted that the 'before' woodwork is a lot like mine, and I liked how fresh it looked white and it's got me thinking about this again. https://www.hgtv.com/design/hgtv-urban-oasis/2018/before-and-after-at-hgtv-urban-oasis-2018-pictures

Oh wow!

They completely ruined that house!

Some people should not be designers.

I'm OP and posted the link. And agree that the house is a little crazy now. But I do like the white woodwork in the entryway over the 'before.'

NP here. I agree that in the link you posted, I like the white better for that house. In that house, the house seems very dark and heavy in the "before" pictures of the entry and living room. If your house is like that, I'd definitely lean towards painting it. If you could lighten and brighten the rooms another way though (or if they already get a lot of light or seem lighter) then I might reconsider. But in the end it's your house and you plan to be there a while, so i think you should do what you like.

It’s hard to compare before and after because they changed everything, not just color/finish of the moulding. In the before pics, the walls are a gross putty yellow color which painted trim would not have helped. On the other hand, a pretty leafy green or pale blue on the walls with original stained trim might have been really lovely.

PP here. True. Here is a house that is lighter and brighter with updates but kept the stained wood trim. Honestly, I think I would still like painted white better, but I also think this looks nice.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/3622-Jocelyn-St-NW-20015/home/9978125

Is this the wrong link because this house is not nearly as old, has no nice woodwork, and half of the doorways are strange 80s vase display things with drywall “columns.”

We also live in a historic bungalow. All the woodwork/trim was already painted white when we moved it. I've often remarked that I'm glad that was the case because otherwise I'd be just like you, agonizing over whether or not to do it. I really appreciate historic and orginal details, but it sure looks nice painted white.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Historic preservationists hate people like me but I strongly prefer painted woodwork. I say do what you like! Though you may have to strip it anyway to get a good coat of paint on there, unfortunately.

ugh re having to strip it anyway...

I was clicking through this HGTV contest home in Milwaukee and noted that the 'before' woodwork is a lot like mine, and I liked how fresh it looked white and it's got me thinking about this again. https://www.hgtv.com/design/hgtv-urban-oasis/2018/before-and-after-at-hgtv-urban-oasis-2018-pictures

Oh wow!

They completely ruined that house!

Some people should not be designers.

I'm OP and posted the link. And agree that the house is a little crazy now. But I do like the white woodwork in the entryway over the 'before.'

NP here. I agree that in the link you posted, I like the white better for that house. In that house, the house seems very dark and heavy in the "before" pictures of the entry and living room. If your house is like that, I'd definitely lean towards painting it. If you could lighten and brighten the rooms another way though (or if they already get a lot of light or seem lighter) then I might reconsider. But in the end it's your house and you plan to be there a while, so i think you should do what you like.

It’s hard to compare before and after because they changed everything, not just color/finish of the moulding. In the before pics, the walls are a gross putty yellow color which painted trim would not have helped. On the other hand, a pretty leafy green or pale blue on the walls with original stained trim might have been really lovely.

OP here. Thanks all - it is a polarizing topic.

Our house is a bungalow and faces North so it tends to be dark most of the time - quite like the foyer of the HGTV house. I think I'm really ready for new wall colors and working around the brown molding feels limiting.

I think I may start with painting the trim in a couple bedrooms, and see how much work and how much we like it. We similarly agonized over whether to paint the brick around our fireplace and we're so much happier with it now (cream to white) that we should keep going and paint.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Historic preservationists hate people like me but I strongly prefer painted woodwork. I say do what you like! Though you may have to strip it anyway to get a good coat of paint on there, unfortunately.

ugh re having to strip it anyway...

I was clicking through this HGTV contest home in Milwaukee and noted that the 'before' woodwork is a lot like mine, and I liked how fresh it looked white and it's got me thinking about this again. https://www.hgtv.com/design/hgtv-urban-oasis/2018/before-and-after-at-hgtv-urban-oasis-2018-pictures

Oh wow!

They completely ruined that house!

Some people should not be designers.

I'm OP and posted the link. And agree that the house is a little crazy now. But I do like the white woodwork in the entryway over the 'before.'

NP here. I agree that in the link you posted, I like the white better for that house. In that house, the house seems very dark and heavy in the "before" pictures of the entry and living room. If your house is like that, I'd definitely lean towards painting it. If you could lighten and brighten the rooms another way though (or if they already get a lot of light or seem lighter) then I might reconsider. But in the end it's your house and you plan to be there a while, so i think you should do what you like.

It’s hard to compare before and after because they changed everything, not just color/finish of the moulding. In the before pics, the walls are a gross putty yellow color which painted trim would not have helped. On the other hand, a pretty leafy green or pale blue on the walls with original stained trim might have been really lovely.

PP here. True. Here is a house that is lighter and brighter with updates but kept the stained wood trim. Honestly, I think I would still like painted white better, but I also think this looks nice.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/3622-Jocelyn-St-NW-20015/home/9978125

I think that wood trim is really ugly. I would definitely paint that white.

If you’ve lived with it for 10 years and don’t like it, paint it!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Historic preservationists hate people like me but I strongly prefer painted woodwork. I say do what you like! Though you may have to strip it anyway to get a good coat of paint on there, unfortunately.

ugh re having to strip it anyway...

I was clicking through this HGTV contest home in Milwaukee and noted that the 'before' woodwork is a lot like mine, and I liked how fresh it looked white and it's got me thinking about this again. https://www.hgtv.com/design/hgtv-urban-oasis/2018/before-and-after-at-hgtv-urban-oasis-2018-pictures

Oh wow!

They completely ruined that house!

Some people should not be designers.

I'm OP and posted the link. And agree that the house is a little crazy now. But I do like the white woodwork in the entryway over the 'before.'

NP here. I agree that in the link you posted, I like the white better for that house. In that house, the house seems very dark and heavy in the "before" pictures of the entry and living room. If your house is like that, I'd definitely lean towards painting it. If you could lighten and brighten the rooms another way though (or if they already get a lot of light or seem lighter) then I might reconsider. But in the end it's your house and you plan to be there a while, so i think you should do what you like.

It’s hard to compare before and after because they changed everything, not just color/finish of the moulding. In the before pics, the walls are a gross putty yellow color which painted trim would not have helped. On the other hand, a pretty leafy green or pale blue on the walls with original stained trim might have been really lovely.

PP here. True. Here is a house that is lighter and brighter with updates but kept the stained wood trim. Honestly, I think I would still like painted white better, but I also think this looks nice.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/3622-Jocelyn-St-NW-20015/home/9978125

PP again. I think I would definitely paint the risers and spindles of the stairs white in the house above.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Historic preservationists hate people like me but I strongly prefer painted woodwork. I say do what you like! Though you may have to strip it anyway to get a good coat of paint on there, unfortunately.

ugh re having to strip it anyway...

I was clicking through this HGTV contest home in Milwaukee and noted that the 'before' woodwork is a lot like mine, and I liked how fresh it looked white and it's got me thinking about this again. https://www.hgtv.com/design/hgtv-urban-oasis/2018/before-and-after-at-hgtv-urban-oasis-2018-pictures

Oh wow!

They completely ruined that house!

Some people should not be designers.

I'm OP and posted the link. And agree that the house is a little crazy now. But I do like the white woodwork in the entryway over the 'before.'

NP here. I agree that in the link you posted, I like the white better for that house. In that house, the house seems very dark and heavy in the "before" pictures of the entry and living room. If your house is like that, I'd definitely lean towards painting it. If you could lighten and brighten the rooms another way though (or if they already get a lot of light or seem lighter) then I might reconsider. But in the end it's your house and you plan to be there a while, so i think you should do what you like.

It’s hard to compare before and after because they changed everything, not just color/finish of the moulding. In the before pics, the walls are a gross putty yellow color which painted trim would not have helped. On the other hand, a pretty leafy green or pale blue on the walls with original stained trim might have been really lovely.

PP here. True. Here is a house that is lighter and brighter with updates but kept the stained wood trim. Honestly, I think I would still like painted white better, but I also think this looks nice.

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/3622-Jocelyn-St-NW-20015/home/9978125

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Historic preservationists hate people like me but I strongly prefer painted woodwork. I say do what you like! Though you may have to strip it anyway to get a good coat of paint on there, unfortunately.

ugh re having to strip it anyway...

I was clicking through this HGTV contest home in Milwaukee and noted that the 'before' woodwork is a lot like mine, and I liked how fresh it looked white and it's got me thinking about this again. https://www.hgtv.com/design/hgtv-urban-oasis/2018/before-and-after-at-hgtv-urban-oasis-2018-pictures

Oh wow!

They completely ruined that house!

Some people should not be designers.

I'm OP and posted the link. And agree that the house is a little crazy now. But I do like the white woodwork in the entryway over the 'before.'

NP here. I agree that in the link you posted, I like the white better for that house. In that house, the house seems very dark and heavy in the "before" pictures of the entry and living room. If your house is like that, I'd definitely lean towards painting it. If you could lighten and brighten the rooms another way though (or if they already get a lot of light or seem lighter) then I might reconsider. But in the end it's your house and you plan to be there a while, so i think you should do what you like.

It’s hard to compare before and after because they changed everything, not just color/finish of the moulding. In the before pics, the walls are a gross putty yellow color which painted trim would not have helped. On the other hand, a pretty leafy green or pale blue on the walls with original stained trim might have been really lovely.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Historic preservationists hate people like me but I strongly prefer painted woodwork. I say do what you like! Though you may have to strip it anyway to get a good coat of paint on there, unfortunately.

ugh re having to strip it anyway...

I was clicking through this HGTV contest home in Milwaukee and noted that the 'before' woodwork is a lot like mine, and I liked how fresh it looked white and it's got me thinking about this again. https://www.hgtv.com/design/hgtv-urban-oasis/2018/before-and-after-at-hgtv-urban-oasis-2018-pictures

Oh wow!

They completely ruined that house!

Some people should not be designers.

I'm OP and posted the link. And agree that the house is a little crazy now. But I do like the white woodwork in the entryway over the 'before.'

I really dislike the wallpaper in the living room and a few other spaces. It’s so overpowering and takes away from an otherwise good remodel.

Paint it if you don't like it and don't worry about it. There's a popular view here that if it's old it's special and worth keeping, and sometimes that's true but some old stuff is hideous.