Satin finishes are the most commonly used paint for interior walls. They are easier to clean than flat and eggshell paints, which makes them a great choice for high-traffic areas like kitchens, bathrooms, family rooms, and playrooms.
Satin, eggshell and flat/matte are typically best for interior painting of walls. Gloss and semi-gloss paint are best for doors, baseboards, trim, cabinets, and woodwork.
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.
Flat paint is the most forgiving finish with the best color payout. If you need to cover imperfections, patching or joints, flat paint can absorb light, making your dings and flaws less noticeable.
From the perspective of a Color Designer/Consultant, I typically specify eggshell on walls for multiple reasons that benefit the people who are dwelling in the home. Eggshell paint cleans easier, covers better, wears better, and lasts longer than flat paint.
Eggshell paint sheen is popular for many good reasons. It is an attractive, one-size-fits-all paint sheen that draws out the best in a paint's color. At the same time, eggshell is cleanable and somewhat resistant to wear and tear.
We recommend matte paints for bedrooms and as living room paint finishes where the walls are exposed to less moisture, choosing a glossier eggshell finish for kitchens and as a paint finish for bathrooms, which are more prone to moisture, as well as children's rooms, which might need more regular cleaning.
In the living room and dining room, opt for an eggshell or satin finish.
Satin. Satin finish paint has a smooth, velvety look with a bit more gloss than eggshell. It is most often used for windows, doors, trim, or ceilings, but it can also be used as wall paint. This is particularly suitable for kids' rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas that get a lot of traffic.
Flat or Matte
This can be great for touch-up work, as the flat finish will conceal many imperfections in your walls. A flat or matte finish is a great choice for walls and ceilings throughout your property. It's easy to touch-up, simple, and likely won't ever put-off potential renters (depending on the color).
However, eggshell will hide imperfections better than satin. What is eggshell finish best for? Eggshell is a great option for interior walls, as it hides imperfections well. It is recommended for low-traffic areas and areas that don't require frequent wipe-downs, as its durability isn't as high as glossier options.
Tips for Choosing the Right Paint Sheen
The amount of gloss in your paint really comes down to what you're trying to accomplish with your paint. As a general rule, the higher the sheen, the more durable and easy to clean it will be. However, high sheens also show more imperfections.
Satin and low-lustre paints have a slightly higher sheen than eggshell finishes. Paints in this category are warmer and provide a greater appearance of depth than flat paints. They also resist stains better than flat paints.
'Satin and eggshell finishes are the most popular for woodwork because they balance durability without being too shiny,' says Helen. 'A satin or eggshell has a light sheen that makes a surface feel solid without looking too shiny.
Paints with a glossy sheen—like satin or semi-gloss—are best for humid rooms. Instead of absorbing moisture like a matte or eggshell paint would, they deflect it. Glossy paints can resist moisture because they have a harder finish. An additional benefit of using glossy paint is that it is easy to clean.
The flat sheen is good at hiding surface imperfections, such as dents, nail holes, patches and other surface flaws in new construction. It is also a good choice for ceiling painting. Flat finishes often require fewer coats than semi-gloss and gloss paints.
Flat / Matte Paint
The good news is that flat paint is easy to touch up. Matte paint is not recommended for bathrooms and kitchens, but it is ideal for living room walls, ceilings, bedrooms, and walls which have many imperfections.
Eggshell Finish
Tammy Price of Fragments Identity says eggshell is her preferred finish for all walls. "It is the easiest paint to wipe clean and is great for all areas of the home, including bathrooms and kitchens," she says. "I only use a gloss or semi-gloss paint on base, case, trim, and cabinetry."
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.
A satin finish delivers higher durability than an eggshell finish. It's scuff-resistant, making it a great choice for painting molding and walls in high-traffic areas such as living rooms, family rooms, dining rooms, kids' rooms, and entryways.
Flat and matte
Flat paint works best in low-traffic areas, such as the master bedroom, a study, or a formal living room. “Be careful if you are someone like me who is constantly moving furniture around or has children with particularly grubby fingers—flat doesn't clean up quite as easily,” Henderson says.
You should be using flat paint on walls and areas that have a lot of bumps, scratches, or holes. Since it can conceal these blemishes easily, it'll be the one paint finish you'll want to be using. It's best for low-traffic rooms that have a ton of light like offices and more formal rooms, like dining rooms.
That means that Satin, semi-gloss, and High Gloss will be the easiest to wipe away blemishes without harming the surfaces. That being said, not many homeowners want their interior walls to shine at that level. Usually, Satin, Semi-Gloss, and High Gloss are left to cabinets, trim, and doors.
Using Dark Color Paint:
Just like the same way, flat finishes reduce dent visibility; darker paints also reflect less light than lighter paints. This makes them a better choice for hiding drywall imperfections. The only drawback of using dark color paint often makes the room look smaller.
Eggshell Finish
The Cons: It is very hard to touch up. Because it has the slight sheen to it, it's almost impossible to only add a new layer in small areas without it being visible. Usually a “touch-up” of eggshell means re-doing a full wall. Best For: Walls in any room where you want a little more sheen.