A Guide to Choosing the Right Paint Finish
MH+D sat down with Sam Napolitano of Napolitano’s Painting to get the lowdown on paint finishes
When selecting paint for your home, how glossy should you go?
Higher gloss paint is more durable, easier to clean, and shows more detail. It’s often used for front doors, specialty mill packs, custom woodwork, and staircase handrails. If you have a very detailed front door that you’d like to showcase, for example, high-gloss paint makes the most sense. Semi-gloss paint, which isn’t as reflective as high gloss, is primarily used for interior doors and trim.
Where is flat paint typically used?
Flat paint carries no sheen. Unlike glossy paints, it can hide flaws, so it’s usually used on ceilings to mask minor issues. Flat paint is also the least durable, so it’s the best option for places that aren’t touched often. Paint companies have reformulated some lines to offer more durable flat paints, so there’s a recent trend of people using flat paint on walls in low-traffic areas.
In this 1,200-square-foot Portland condo, interior designer Tyler Karu covered custom cabinetry and the adjacent wall paneling in a dark blue satin paint that contrasts with the room’s white oak details.
Are there any disadvantages to using a super matte finish?
Super matte paint scuffs very easily and demands a high amount of upkeep. Super matte is often used for chalkboard walls, but with the colored ceiling trend gaining popularity, I could see some instances in which super matte paint could be used on ceilings.
What is the difference between eggshell and satin?
Eggshell is duller than satin. When applied appropriately, eggshell paint looks exactly like the texture and shine of an actual eggshell. It can be used in most areas of the home, but it’s more popular on walls than satin. Satin, which can also be used in most rooms, has a higher sheen that needs to be considered. For example, if you have a room with lots of natural light, a satin finish on a wall will reflect the light more than eggshell, which isn’t as pleasant on the eye. Like any glossy paint, satin will show more imperfections on the wall.
What is the most popular sheen of interior paint? What about exterior?
Eggshell and satin are the most popular interior wall sheens. Satin, semi-gloss, and gloss sheen on trim packs and flat paint on ceilings have been the industry standard for many years. Using matte paint on walls and satin on trim has recently gained popularity in more modern homes.
Exterior paint is more about durability—many homes in the Northeast take a beating in harsh weather. A higher sheen means higher durability, but painting a home’s exterior in high gloss is not a good idea. Instead, look for something in the middle: satin or matte should be used on the body of the home with a satin sheen on the trim. Unfortunately, the substrate of the exterior determines much of what a painter uses; a house’s exterior needs to be analyzed before making any paint choices.
When deciding colors and sheens for homes, natural light in the room, substrate conditions, and traffic level all play a factor in figuring out what paint makes the most sense. For example, a dark wall may not need the same sheen as a light-colored wall because the light-reflecting value increases as more sheen is added to the paint. In short, as the sheen goes up, the paint can appear lighter and brighter.
An eggshell finish helps with durability in this high-traffic hallway stairwell that features a dark accent wall with contrasting white trim (left). In this moody bathroom (center), a semi-gloss finish makes the eggplant paint appear brighter. Selecting an eggshell or matte finish for the accent paint keeps a small space like this bathroom (right) from feeling too dark and dungeon-like.
