White or stained skirting/trim

Sephillips

My husband and I own a 2 bed tenement flat in Edinburgh.
We're planning on selling up next year, and we're looking to make some home improvements just to spruce it up a bit with hope of selling quickly and for a decent price. We don't want to spend a fortune, but just make a few surface changes that may make it more appealing.

The flat currently has stained skirting and trim throughout, which I think looks dated. He wants to keep it, saying it looks unique. I think it will possibly put younger buyers off, and our flat is probably aimed at the first time buyer market.

I wondered if I could ask this forums opinion, and hopefully settle our little dispute

Thanks!

Mr.Generous

any defects can be filled / caulked if your painting, same with gaps between skirting / architraves and the walls. Caulk the gaps then paint. Much easier than when staining, and looks brighter, cleaner and more modern. My vote PAINT!

flashg67

Unless it's a period property with original wood then my vote is paint too!

Doozergirl

Paint. Clean and fresh

Hoploz

Yep, paint.

edwink

Both my hubby and I say paint them. It will make the flat look clean and fresh as others have said. We had stained skirting boards in our first flat and it did make the place look rather dark. A nice white paint will brighten it all up.

Just a thought though what colour are the doors?

So that's 2 votes for painting from us two.

Edwink

EssexExile

Paint.

Tell hubby stained skirting is not unique, it gets everywhere, just watch a few episodes of Escape to the Country/Homes Under the Hammer etc.

Hoploz

If rubbing down and repainting is hard work, consider replacing them. You can get ready-primed, or even fully finished skirting for very little cost. If its not a big place it might be worth considering

Sephillips

Thanks all.

Our doors are stained, the same colour as the skirting. We're tempted to keep the doors stained, and just paint the skirting and frames as finding replacement doors for tenements is really expensive, so could be costly if we decide it looks pants.

EssexExile

Downstairs our doors are stained dark but skirting & architrave is white, it looks fine.

Le_Kirk

Your doors are stained, your skirting is stained, what about the architraves? Might look unbalanced with white/painted skirting and stained architrave.