There’s a great sense of satisfaction that comes from selecting the perfect colour for our home. Narrowing it down to the single best colour requires numerous trips to the paint store to collect and compile all the tiny little samples, time to pore over all the miniscule changes and then finally the courage to proudly declare the winner. Now you jump in your car and head to the paint store. Only there do you discover there’s a missing piece of the puzzle – the paint finish.
A paint colour will only look its best when it’s shown in the correct finish but how do you know which is right? Keep reading because I’m breaking down the different finishes and where they work best. Wondering which paint colours are trending right now? Read this post.
The Right Paint Finish For The Job
FLAT PAINT
Flat paint has no reflective finish meaning it doesn’t reflect light at all and as a result, has no sheen. The benefit to flat paint is that it covers imperfections really well since it has no sheen.
The downside is that dirt and grime can become trapped in a flat finish making it very difficult to keep clean. If you’ve ever noticed a shiny spot on a flat paint finish that’s likely due to scrubbing the area in an effort to clean it. Because there’s no sheen you actually end up creating a shiny finish to the cleaned area and it will stand out and draw your eye towards the area. Or even worse, you can entirely remove the paint in an attempt to clean a spot.
Flat paint finish is perfect for ceilings and I usually recommend a flat paint for the ceiling
SUMMARY
Sheen: Flat finish with little to no light reflectivity
Coverage: Excellent ability to hide imperfections
Scrubability: Doesn’t stand up well to cleaning
MATTE PAINT
I love matte paint but it’s important to use only high quality paint when using a matte finish. I recommend Sherwin Williams Emerald but if you prefer Benjamin Moore they have excellent products including Aura and Regal Select. When you purchase the right product you’ll get the both of both worlds – the soft matte finish that so many of us love but with the durability and cleanability of a paint with much more sheen.
Matte paint is a great option If you live in a historic home with plaster walls because the matte paint can be beneficial in hiding some of the imperfections that are natural with plaster.
SUMMARY
Sheen: Matte finish with little to no light reflectivity
Coverage: Excellent ability to hide imperfections
Scrubability: Use the right product and it will stand up well to cleaning
EGGSHELL
This is one of the more popular paint finishes because it offers a bit more scrubability which makes it easier to live with. Eggshell has a soft sheen that’s similar to an eggshell. It’s a beautiful option for someone with a family who loves a more matte finish.
This finish still covers imperfections but it allows you to clean normal scuffs and dirt that occur from everyday living.
I like to use eggshell in high traffic spaces that don’t typically take too much of a beating on a daily basis. Think about using it in your dining room, kitchen or even in kids bedrooms that don’t double as a play room.
SUMMARY
Sheen: Low sheen is very similar to an actual eggshell
Coverage: Low sheen will hide some imperfections
Scrubability: There is some cleanability but it’s not for high traffic areas
SATIN (also known as Pearl)
This is the most family friendly option when it comes to paint finishes. It has a moderate sheen which isn’t great at hiding imperfections but does give a nice soft glow to the finish. If you’re dealing with an older home with lots of imperfections you’ll definitely notice more of the flaws with a satin finish.
If you have a busy family, this is one of the paint finishes you’ll want to consider. It’s a much easier sheen for cleaning so it’s great for high traffic areas or spaces where kids are playing. You’ll be able to spot clean and remove little hand prints as well as everyday scuffs and marks.
I love to use a satin finish on hallways, bathrooms, laundry rooms and even on kitchen cabinetry. It’s also a great option for exterior painting as well.
SUMMARY
Sheen: Moderate sheen means there is some light reflected in the finish
Coverage: Less likely to hide imperfections
Scrubability: This is a great option for areas that need to be cleaned regularly
SEMI-GLOSS
While most of us don’t want such a high gloss for the main areas of our home, semi-gloss does have excellent cleanability. This finish is the standard for most trimwork including baseboards, crown moulding, built in cabinetry and kitchen/bathroom cabinets. This is also a preferred finish for both interior and exterior doors.
One of the cautions in using a semi-gloss paint finish is that because of the high sheen level all the imperfections of the paint job will be noticeable. That means you need to work more carefully at ensuring that there are no drip marks in your paint as they will be immediately noticeable.
SUMMARY
Sheen: Higher sheen means a lot of light is reflected from this finish
Coverage: Higher sheen means imperfections are more noticeable
Scrubability: Easy to keep clean
GLOSS
Source: Haneen’s Haven
Lastly, we have a high-gloss finish and that means it’s very light reflective. This also means it’s very easy to detect imperfections so be sure if you’re painting with high-gloss that you are extremely careful in your work.
There aren’t a lot of painting projects in your home that will call for high-gloss paint finish but consider it for doors or interior trim that requires a lot of cleaning. This could also include window frames that are exposed to lots of handling throughout the day and need to be cleaned regularly.
High-gloss finish can look absolutely stunning and in certain cases a small room like a powder room or a single wall can look so great with a high-gloss finish. You might want to consider leaving this job to professional painters since any flaws will be immediately evident.
SUMMARY
Sheen: Very high sheen level with lots of light reflection
Coverage: Won’t hide imperfections so use on areas in good condition
Scrubability: Easy to keep clean
Which is your favourite paint finish? I hope this helps you understand that often missing yet essential ingredient to the perfect paint. If you’re interested in a paint consultation, reach out to me. I’d love to help you select the perfect paint colours and finish for your home.
If you know your design style but you struggle with which paint to use, take a look at my Made-For-You paint palettes. They take the guesswork out and give you the confidence to get started.
