Interior Painting
Project: Navy Wainscoting in a Historic Hallway and Stairwell
A real MG Barillas job: beadboard wainscoting, doors and trim in a historic hallway and stairwell painted deep navy, with bright white walls and a repainted beadboard ceiling.
By Andrés R. Paz Barillas, Owner 2 min readPublished · Updated
Quick answer
Dark wainscoting with light walls above is a classic way to make a long hallway feel tailored. In this building we painted the beadboard wainscoting, doors and trim deep navy, kept the walls bright white and repainted the beadboard ceiling, working from ladders with the floors fully protected.
The space
An older building with a long upstairs hallway, a steep staircase, beadboard wainscoting and a beadboard ceiling. Spaces like this have a lot of trim, edges and detail — the kind of work where clean lines matter most.
What we did
- Protected the floors. The hallway floor was covered with paper and taped edges before work began.
- Painted the ceiling first. Working top-down from ladders, the beadboard ceiling got a fresh white coat.
- Navy below, white above. Wainscoting, doors, frames and the stair skirt were painted deep navy, with a crisp line at the chair rail and white walls above.
Why dark wainscoting works
A dark lower wall hides scuffs in high-traffic halls and stairs, while white above keeps the space bright. It is a durable choice for entries, stairwells and rental buildings — see our guide to painting rentals between tenants.
Key takeaways
- Dark wainscoting with white walls above is durable in high-traffic halls and stairs.
- Work top-down: ceilings first, then walls and trim.
- Detailed trim and beadboard reward careful cutting-in and clean lines.
Frequently asked questions
Is dark paint good for hallways?
On the lower wall, yes — darker wainscoting hides scuffs and marks in high-traffic areas, while lighter walls above keep the space bright.
Do you paint beadboard and wainscoting?
Yes. We paint beadboard, wainscoting, doors, trim and ceilings in homes and commercial buildings.
Related services: Interior Painting · Commercial Painting
