For me, the whiter the better without painting. I use the type plaque that gives the head a more natural position. It is made of 3 pieces of wood. With this, just by rotating the angle-cut piece in the center, I can convert from a wall mount to a pedestal mount. Just my $0.02 worth...
Look good. All I need is a buck. to mount.
Word of caution- I used to frequent a woodworking forum. A retired truck driver said to avoid pallet wood. He stated he had seen all kinds of chemicals spilled on them and just put back in the stack for use.