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.
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 offers luster, rather than shine, making it a stellar option for your living room. To achieve a clean finish, eggshell and satin finishes are the standout choices. With just enough luster or shine, your paint colors will look crisp and fresh.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It depends on the surface you are painting. For interior walls in high-traffic spaces like a mudroom, satin or eggshell finishes work best. Flat or matte finishes work best for most ceilings and semi-gloss is recommended for interior trim and doors.
The most common and best sheen for interior trim is a satin or semi-gloss finish. Satin paint finishes have a medium sheen and are durable and easy to clean. Semi-gloss paint finishes have a higher sheen and stand out in a room. They are easy to clean and stand up to dirt, stains, mold, and mildew.
Eggshell is a good option for those who like flatter finishes but still want to wipe down the walls from time to time. While satin is undoubtedly a more durable option, eggshell is a good all-around sheen for any room. If you like the eggshell look in your kitchen or bathroom, don't be afraid to use it.
Although a flat finish is most popular, more ceiling paint finishes are available: Eggshell finish: After flat, eggshell finish is the next most popular ceiling paint finish. Eggshell paints offer a low sheen while still absorbing most light and hiding ceiling imperfections.
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.
Ideally, eggshell paint is best suited for ceilings, bedrooms, dining rooms and living areas where there is not a lot of dirt build-up or traffic. In addition, its medium-level durability provides added protection that a flat finish does not. For areas such as walls, eggshell works best and is easier to clean.
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.
The eggshell finish gets its name from its similarity to the slightly matte appearance of eggshells. With a little more sheen than flat paint, eggshell finish is a great choice for bedrooms due to its softness and low reflectivity. Eggshell paint has grown in popularity due to its versatility in a variety of rooms.
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. It is reminiscent of the shell of an egg — hence its name. Satin has a glossier finish than eggshell and reflects more light, so is more likely to show up any imperfections.
As a general rule, use satin for interior walls and furniture and semi-gloss for small areas that need highlighting such as cabinets, mantels, stair rails, door and window frames.
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.
Eggshell, as its name suggests, is a no-shine finish with very little luster to it. While this paint isn't as durable as the higher gloss products, it covers wall imperfections very well and works on walls that don't get a lot of bumps or scuffs.
Eggshell finishes are more durable and easier to clean than flat finishes, but the subtle texture can show inconsistencies like roller marks.
Unlike satin, semi-gloss is rarely ever used on walls. Because of its higher light reflectivity, it shows every imperfection, highlights brushstrokes, and can appear slightly darker than the same color in a different finish.
For kitchens, we recommend semi-gloss or satin paints. Satin is a great choice as long as you have a backsplash surrounding surfaces that may be splattered by water or grease. If you don't have a backsplash in these areas, we recommend a semi-gloss for better durability and easier cleaning.
Using a semi- or high-gloss can help enhance your space. Higher sheens are more reflective, giving the illusion of more light.
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.