While satin finishes tend to be fairly durable in high traffic areas, they're not as durable and versatile as semi-gloss against mildew and mold. Kitchen cabinets in high moisture environments can, therefore, do better with semi-gloss paints.
Semi-gloss: This is the best choice when painting kitchen cabinets. Because it has some sheen, semi-gloss paint will help reflect light and be more durable in the long run, which is important in a kitchen environment.
If you're looking for a luxurious finish that makes your kitchen feel cozy, then eggshell finish is the best. It is also easier to clean and can better hide scratches and dirt. However, if you want a safe finish which makes the kitchen space seem larger, then semi-gloss is your friend.
While glossy cabinets might seem like a good choice, let us tell you, in this case it is quite the opposite. Glossy finish reflects a lot of light, thus fingerprints and dust particles are easily visible on this surface. Opt for matte finish cabinets if you plan to let your help work in it more than you would.
Natural materials, like wood and stone, are always in style. Have your contractor install maple, birch, or cherry cabinets. Look for stone options such as granite, limestone, or slate. Your kitchen will be stylish and trendy both now and in the future.
If you are looking to maximize space, a gloss kitchen could be perfect. The shiny surface of the gloss finish bounces and reflects light, creating the illusion of more space. This is especially useful in smaller kitchens, or if you would like your kitchen to feel larger.
Semi-Gloss
They are very durable, even in humid environments like the kitchen, and mildew-resistant. It's hard to go wrong with semi-gloss in the kitchen.
Durability
Generally, kitchen cabinets need to be painted by using durable paints that can tolerate smoke, oils, spills, scratches, and grease. While in high traffic areas, satin finishes seem to be quite durable, however, they are not as versatile and durable as semi-gloss against mold and mildew.
Durability: Semi-gloss paint is more durable than satin paint. However, if dings, dents, or blemishes appear, they will be more noticeable with a glossy finish. Both options will be easy to clean, although semi-gloss paint will hold up better against moisture and protect the surface beneath it against water damage.
Go for the gloss.
Higher-gloss finishes stand up better to daily use and are far easier to clean without dulling the color over time. So skip matte, satin, and eggshell finishes in favor of semi gloss or high gloss.
Since kitchens are such a busy part of a home and often need extra cleaning, a satin or semi-gloss finish is the best options. Satin and eggshell finishes are commonly believed to be the same, but in fact, satin is a bit shinier. Satin finishes are easy to clean and good at standing up to mildew, stains and dirt.
Of the two, satin is more durable and is slightly less likely to scuff or mark than eggshell and it's easier to clean when it does get marked. This makes it a better choice, especially for woodwork such as painting skirting boards, than eggshell for high traffic areas like hallways and living rooms.
Kitchen walls also require a durable, washable paint. Unless you want a shiny, glossy finish on the walls, opt for either eggshell or satin paint. Use eggshell paint in the kitchen for walls farthest away from the stove. Eggshell is durable and washable without showing many imperfections.
Well, it should be no surprise… the classic white cabinet will still be the #1 cabinet color for kitchens in 2022 and beyond. White is crisp and clean, will brighten any kitchen, and will most likely never go out of style.
Honey Oak Cabinets
A staple in kitchens of the 1980s and '90s, these golden-toned wood cabinets have fallen out of favor as white and gray cabinets have risen in popularity. If you don't like your light-stained cabinets, but they're in good shape, consider refinishing or painting what's there.
Neutral & White
It's no surprise that white is still a top choice for kitchens. With an unmatched clean and timeless look and ability to make small rooms feel more spacious, all signs point to this remaining the direction for people to go for their kitchens.
Subway tile is the most enduring choice for a backsplash. Avoid bold, trendy colors, and instead look for white or neutrals. Keep it simple, and bring in color elsewhere in the kitchen, with more easily replaced items, such as dish towels, art, bowls of fruit and rugs.
Recommended: Navy Blue Shaker Cabinets
Another great kitchen trend of 2021 is open-shelving. Incorporating open-shelving cabinets to your kitchen design allows for more decorating possibilities. These possibilities can add much more style to your space, even if it's just two small shelves.
First, let's talk about white kitchen cabinets … these aren't going anywhere in 2022. A white kitchen is classic and never goes 'out of style'. It may not always be the current trend, but white kitchen cabinets are always beautiful. We'll also continue to see the two-tone cabinet color trend in 2022.
Semi-gloss is often most compared to a satin finish, but has much more sheen than the latter. That means light from windows and lamps will bounce off semi-gloss paint more easily than than a flatter finish, like eggshell or satin.
Semi-gloss is more durable and easier to clean.
(Either semi-gloss or satin finish, though, beats out their eggshell and flat/matte finishes for durability.)