Painting woodwork - what colour?

[TwentyTinyToes]

Please help oh wise ones... We are decorating our 4 bedroom edwardian terrace, the whole house is white with horrible old yellowing gloss. We have prepared one bedroom and are now choosing colours. I am confused about what colour to paint the skirting boards, door frames, doors? Do i choose a colour palette for each room, but will it look strange with different coloured woodwork around the place? Different coloured doors will surely look odd too?

So do we paint all woodwork one colour? If so, white? Or would an off white look better? What finish, gloss?

Thanks.

I like Farrow and Ball eggshell in pointing

Farrow and ball are into painting woodwork in colour rather than white eggshell. That's the current fashion I think. We have dado rails and farrow and ball said not to paint the dado white as it would ruIn the effect of the colours either side of the dado.

I think coloured woodwork will date horribly (has done before!) I would tend to go for white or wood every time.
It also means that if you redecorate you don't have to do the dreaded glossing again!

Thank you for the replies. We have just been and bought some testers, went for all white for the wood and borrowed light and pale powder for the walls. Will definitely go for eggshell finish on the wood.

Very good point re not having to redo the wood. Am just concerned the wood may look a bit stark in a bright white.

We have pavillion blue below the dado and wimborne white above. The dado is painted in pavillion blue (for wood) and the skirting and coving are brilliant white. Farrow and balls point is that if you stick brilliant white in between Wimborne white and pavillion blue the pavillion blue suddenly looks darkens because of the contrast.. But everyone has their own taste do you should do what you think looks nice!

Our woodwork is cream water-based satin (actually quite matt). It was cream when we moved in and we kept it that way - I rather like it as it goes with anythign but isn't as stark as white.

I think it makes the transitions between rooms easier too if the woodwork is all one colour, e.g. doorways - otherwise you have to change paint colour somewhere on the doorway.

Thanks everyone for the replies. DP is adamant we want white so i have agreed, if it looks really stark then will redo before we do the rest of the house. Spent a small fortune on testers, cannot justify spending anymore on variations of white!! I agree that all woodwork the same colour is a good idea.

Agree with previous recommendation of pointing, which is not too stark and great in an older property.