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Believe it or not, choosing paint sheens can have a dramatic effect on the look and feel of your room. And with the wide range of sheens available today, there isn't just one right finish for every surface in your house.
From minimal modern to farmhouse fresh styles, sheen can not only determine the durability of your walls, it can also enhance the style you're looking to create in your space.
Here are easy guidelines and interior designer tips for choosing the best paint sheens for your home.
Flat finish has the lowest possible to no sheen at all. It reflects very little light which helps disguise surface imperfections like inconsistent wall texture and undulating ceilings. Touching up with flat paint is virtually impossible to see.
Los Angeles based interior designer, Lauren Martin-Moro, used flat paint for the walls of this soothing bedroom to blend with natural materials and soft light.
Award winning Houston based Interior Designer, Veronica Solomon of Casa Vilora used flat paint in this stunning pink powder room design to "create a trendy matte finish juxtaposed with the classic details of the moldings."
Matte and Low Sheen finishes are more dirt resistant and washable than flat, but still create a smooth look due to their low reflectivity. Touch ups can be more noticeable at certain angles, so use these finishes in living rooms, master bedrooms, and powder rooms where a designer look is desired.
Egg-Shell and Satin sheens hold up to moisture and frequent cleaning making them good choices for bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. Paired with flat or matte walls, this low contrast look is fresh and versatile for almost every interior style.
Veronica Solomon said it best when she told us, "I love to use satin on trim and cabinets. It has the right amount of sheen to make them stand out from the wall, but not too shiny and reflective."
Semi-Gloss, Gloss, High Gloss finishes are highly reflective giving them excellent durability, clean-ability, and dramatic shine. Excellent for high traffic architectural details like doors, trim, railings, and cabinets, these glosses also add impact with bold front door colors and high contrasting detail next to flat and matte walls.
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