Well, satin paint is a great compromise if you want a paint finish that has a bit of sheen, but isn't too shiny. It's also a versatile finish that can be used in a variety of rooms, from bedrooms to bathrooms.
Best for: Family rooms, living rooms, bedrooms, and hallways. Satin, which is a little more hard-wearing than eggshell, works well in those rooms and also in kitchens, dining areas, children's bedrooms, and bathrooms. Many satin finishes are tough enough to use on trim as well.
Find the Perfect Paint Finish
Flat, eggshell and satin paint are best for interior walls, whereas semi-gloss and gloss paint are best for trim and woodwork. An eggshell finish has a subtler shine to it, so it's a great choice if you're not ready for satin.
If your space has huge windows and lots of natural light, a flat paint finish can work well. If you want something more shiny and reflective, choose satin or semi-gloss. If you don't want your walls totally lustrous, you can paint trim or crown molding with a semi-gloss sheen.
Because it contains more gloss than eggshell or matte, it's also more durable. As a result, satin is a perfect finish for a kids' bedroom, mudroom, or foyer. Typically, satin works best on walls but you can also use it on trim if semi-gloss or high gloss finishes are too shiny.
In the living room and dining room, opt for an eggshell or satin finish. It hides flaws and imperfections — especially on uneven walls — and makes the room look more high-end, which you definitely want when you're showing your house.
Semi-gloss paints are fine for living room trim and window frames, but not the walls. Semi-gloss provide the greatest washability, but the shine enhances wall imperfections like bumps, patches, or unevenness in drywall.
Because of its durability, many people choose a satin finish for bathrooms, kitchens, and kids' rooms. Satin is also a popular choice for trim, especially if you want to emphasize the architecture of a space.
If you use flat paint, your walls will likely look shabby after just a few years. For the end user, it's ultimately better. Eggshell paint just looks richer than flat paint. The slightly higher sheen creates light reflection, which in turn gives the colors more depth and richness.
Satin Paint/Eggshell
They are the most popular choice for wall paint in homes because they are durable but also don't show as many imperfections in the wall as gloss sheens do. Satin and eggshell sheens are ideal for bedrooms, living areas, hallways, dining rooms, and even vinyl siding.
If you are painting interior walls across large windows, a satin paint can soften the glare of sunlight entering the room. If you are painting a darker room, you can use semi-gloss paint finish to brighten the space with a bold paint color.
Satin is more forgiving of pre-existing imperfections than semi-gloss. If you've got dings and dents in your walls, your cabinets, or your soon-to-be-painted dresser, the reflective nature of semi-gloss will only draw more attention to every flaw.
Pros: A satin finish reflects more light than matte and stands up well to washing. Use in high-traffic areas such as bathrooms, the kitchen and a kid's room as well as on trim and molding throughout the house. Cons: This finish does not hide imperfections in surface or application; any touch-ups will stand out.
Eggshell is always an interior designer's preferred paint finish, which is why our founder, Nicole, an interior designer, chose this as our ultimate finish for walls. The name eggshell stems from the fact the finish appears mostly flat with just a touch of luster... similar to a chicken egg!
Satin paint can be used on select low-impact surfaces like door casings, door and window trim, doors, and windows. High-impact surfaces should be painted with semi-gloss or high-gloss paint. Satin paint works well in kitchens, bathrooms, kids' rooms, bedrooms, living rooms, hallways, offices, and finished basements.
It's no secret that light colors make a room look larger, especially if the space is bathed in natural light. Eggshell or satin finishes will help reflect the light, creating the appearance of even more space. What's more, it works no matter your aesthetic or room type.
Eggshell conceals surface flaws well.
Although satin can fend off scratches, dents, and scuffs better than eggshell, if your painting surface already has these marks, eggshell will conceal them better, That's because the lower reflectivity dulls the appearance of damages, making the surface look even and flawless.
Eggshell and satin differ through the sheen of the finish that they offer. Eggshell has a lower duller sheen than satin and is close to a matt or flat finish that you find in a lot of emulsions.
Compared to high-gloss finishes, matte paints are the least durable and the hardest to clean. However, in rooms with little traffic and areas such as ceilings, matte finishes offer an elegant, smooth sheen and are more economical than high-gloss paints.
Flat paint works best in low-traffic areas, such as the master bedroom, a study, or a formal living room.
A satin finish will leave you with a medium gloss, that doesn't shine as much as gloss paint as it's less reflective. It can be great for hiding imperfections because of the finish, whereas the gloss can highlight imperfections.
Satin paint retains its color on walls and resists fading. It doesn't show scuffs in frequently cleaned areas, such as bathrooms, kitchen walls, and entryways. But satin paint is challenging to touch up. Brush strokes may show a noticeable difference in sheen.
A satin finish offers just the slightest hint of sheen. It isn't completely matte, as it does reflect light a little bit, but isn't a particularly reflective surface either. In many cases, any light bouncing off the finish is barely noticeable, if you notice it at all.