Sherwin-Williams paint sheens range from flat to high-gloss, with each level increasing in shine and durability. As a general rule: flatter paints hide flaws best but are harder to clean, while glossier paints are highly washable and moisture-resistant but highlight wall imperfections.
Eg-Shel- Great to use for walls, eg-shel finish has a slight hint of shine and holds up better to cleaning. Low-Lusture- A smooth, subtle sheen that's durable and easy to clean. Medium-Lustre- This higher-gloss finish is perfect for doors and trim.
Sherwin-Williams categorizes its paint into three primary tiers: Premium, Mid-Grade, and Entry/Contractor-Grade. The best choice depends on your budget and the room's traffic. Top-tier paints offer superior durability and stain resistance, while mid-grade options balance quality and affordability.
Eggshell Paint
Eggshell finish, perennially popular with professional and DIY painters alike, has a low-sheen reminiscent of flat or matte, but it is infinitely more durable than its namesake.
Halfway there: satin, low-lustre and eggshell
All of these finishes have a sheen that is between semigloss and flat paints. Satin and low-lustre paints have a slightly higher sheen than eggshell finishes.
Eggshell and satin are both excellent mid-sheen paint finishes, but they differ primarily in durability and shine. Eggshell has a softer, less reflective glow that easily conceals wall imperfections. Satin is glossier, more durable, and much easier to clean, making it better for high-traffic areas.
When Would you Not Use Eggshell Paint? It would help if you did not use this finish in high-traffic areas or on constantly touched objects—for example, kitchen cabinets and bathrooms. Instead, you would use a gloss because it's washable and withstands moisture better.
Satin Paint sits right in the middle of the sheen spectrum—not flat, not super shiny. It has this soft, velvety glow that feels elegant and lived-in. The light reflection is subtle enough that it won't highlight every wall imperfection, and it's durable enough for moderate traffic areas.
Red is universally considered the hardest paint color to cover. Vibrant red pigments are highly transparent and inherently prone to bleeding through subsequent layers. Other notoriously difficult colors to cover include black, dark blue, dark green, and bright yellow.
Flat or matte paint is the easiest sheen to touch up. Because it absorbs light rather than reflecting it, you can easily blend, or "feather," new paint over a scuff or nail hole without creating a shiny halo (known as flashing).
No, the Sherwin-Williams paint sold at Lowe's is not the same quality as the paint sold at physical Sherwin-Williams retail stores. While manufactured by the same company, they feature different chemical formulations and are produced in different “good, better, best” tiers.
Steely, cool grays are being replaced by warmer, earthy neutrals. Instead of flat greys, designers are favoring cozy, nature-inspired hues that bring depth and comfort to interiors.
Light Reflectance Value (LRV) and Color Properties
With its LRV hovering around 3, Tricorn Black absorbs approximately 97% of the light that hits its surface, creating that deep, rich appearance that makes it so desirable for high-impact design applications.
For bedrooms, flat paint is ideal for adult master suites where hiding wall imperfections and reducing light glare is a priority. Choose satin paint if you need highly cleanable walls, making it the better choice for kids' rooms, guest rooms, or bedrooms that double as home offices.
Sherwin-Williams’ highest quality, premium paint line is Emerald. Priced at a premium point, it features advanced, self-cross-linking acrylic technology that creates an exceptionally durable, smooth finish with top-tier stain resistance, washability, and fade protection.
Sherwin-Williams Emerald is a luxury, top-tier paint featuring advanced cross-linking resins and excellent stain-blocking technology. In contrast, SuperPaint is a dependable, mid-tier "workhorse" formulated with solid acrylics. Emerald offers superior longevity, washability, and scratch resistance, while SuperPaint delivers great value but requires more frequent repainting.
Flat and matte finishes looked great but couldn't handle a wet rag without burnishing — that frustrating shiny spot that appears when you try to scrub a scuff off a flat-painted wall. So painters and paint stores pushed homeowners toward eggshell or satin on walls.
Paint Additives: Products like Floetrol or Penetrol are paint conditioners that help reduce brush strokes and extend the drying time, allowing the paint to level out for a smoother, more even finish. They're especially helpful in warmer climates where paint tends to dry too quickly.
Semi-gloss finish: This is the best finish for your trims such as baseboards, mouldings and even cabinets and doors. It's also a good choice for highly trafficked area that gets lots of wear and tear such as a mudroom.
Top 10 Timeless Paint Colors for Your Home
There are three main types of “impossible” colors: Forbidden colors. These are colors our eyes simply cannot process because of the antagonistic way our cones work, for instance “red-green” or “yellow-blue.”
Beige tones, hues of white, and grey should be the colors of choice for your furniture, curtains, drapes, and other home accessories. Neutral colors not only give that plush look, but they also give you that warm feeling.
Builders use flat (or matte) paint primarily because its lack of shine hides drywall imperfections, scuffs, and texture flaws. It is also highly forgiving for quick touch-ups without leaving visible overlap or roller marks. This makes it a highly cost-effective and efficient way to deliver a uniform finish.
Eggshell paint is slightly less reflective than satin paint, falling in the middle of the paint sheen scale. It provides a smooth, velvety finish, while satin paint has a glossier appearance with higher light reflectivity.
Eggshell finish is one of the most popular sheens because it provides a soft low sheen and elegant finish just like an eggshell (hence the name). Great for low-to-mid traffic areas. Covers very well and does not show imperfections in the walls as much as satin and higher gloss paints.