One of the best parts of updating your home is picking out a fun new paint color. Will your living room go from a faded cream to a bold green, or perhaps a calming gray? You may have a paint color vision in your head, or find inspiration at the home improvement store. But generally, you’ll come to a sense of what color looks best in your space.

But there’s another part of picking the right paint: Choosing the sheen. You may not even know what sheens are currently on the walls of your home, much less what sheen is right for your design goals and lifestyle. Fortunately, you can turn to this blog for some guidance on what sheen may be best for you and your home.

The Importance of Paint Sheen

You shouldn’t choose paint sheen randomly. The wrong sheen can mean lower durability and a surface that is difficult to clean, adding more work to your already busy schedule.

The right sheen, on the other hand, can amplify the parts of your home that you’re proud of. It can even make a room look lighter than it would otherwise. It can help your paint last longer, so you don’t need to worry about constant paint refreshes.

High Gloss

High-gloss sheen is exactly what it sounds like: ultra-shiny and cleaning-friendly. High-gloss paint is the most durable sheen option and it looks the most dramatic. It’s a great option for high-touch areas – like kitchen cabinets – or those you may want to draw some attention to.

But before you start buying high gloss for every room, know that it will likely be your most expensive paint option, and it may be too shiny for your average wall. It’s also unforgiving to application mistakes, so make sure you call the pros to help apply high-gloss paint.

Semi-Gloss

Repainting the bathroom? Semi-gloss may be your friend. Semi-gloss paint is more mold and mildew-resistant than other sheens, making it a good option for areas that get a lot of moisture. And like high-gloss paint, it’s durable. Semi-gloss is a popular choice for baseboards and doors.

But like high-gloss paint, it’s too reflective for most larger walls and surfaces. It’s also difficult to touch up without repainting the entire surface, which might be fine for a baseboard, but a major pain for an entire wall.

Satin

Satin has some shine, but unlike glossier finishes, its luster is moderate enough to use on walls. It has moderate durability, making it a good option for larger spaces that see a lot of movement, such as hallways. Its higher shine makes for an easier clean than matte or eggshell finishes. Satin is also a great option for dark or more dramatic colors.

Like high-gloss and semi-gloss sheens, satin is on the pricier end, and it’s more difficult to apply than lower-gloss finishes. If you plan to paint your home on your own for the first time, avoid satin.

Eggshell

When in doubt, eggshell is a great option for most interior walls. It has little luster, unlike satin, but it still has a pleasing, velvety finish. Its slight gloss still softens a room without drawing attention to itself. It is only slightly more expensive than matte paint, but it can take a dramatic step-up in quality.

At the same time, eggshell is less durable than higher-gloss sheens, meaning you’ll likely need to refresh it sooner. It’s also trickier to clean, so you may want a higher-gloss option for busier parts of your home.

Matte

As the lowest-luster option, matte has the highest pigment of any sheen and is thus the cheapest paint option and most forgiving in the application process. Choose matte for low-traffic areas that don’t need a lot of shine, like bedrooms.

On the flip side, matte is the least durable paint option and most difficult to clean. If you have kids or pets coming through, matte paint might get dinged up well before you’d like it to.

Apply Paint Correctly With Expert Guidance

Some sheens show mistakes more than others, and even those which are more forgiving can look subpar without the correct prep and application. If you cut corners in the application process, you’ll be able to tell.

Reach out to our team at CorsPaint for a paint job you’ll be proud of. Whether you choose high gloss or matte, our team of professionals will do a flawless job that you’ll be proud of, no matter the sheen.