What sheen of paint should you use in a bedroom?

Author: Xander Auer  |  Last update: Tuesday, December 5, 2023

With a little more sheen than flat paint, eggshell finish is a great choice for bedrooms due to its softness and low reflectivity.

What sheen do you use for bedroom walls?

Bedroom. Unless you're doing some really messy work in your bedroom on a regular basis, pick a flat or matte finish. The two finishes aren't as easy to clean as the others, but you likely won't have much of a mess to clean off your bedroom walls anyway.

Should bedroom paint be flat or eggshell?

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.

Is satin or eggshell better for bedroom?

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. Just be aware that it may not have the longevity of satin.

Should bedroom paint be flat or satin?

Typically, we recommend using matte on walls in lower-traffic areas like master bedrooms, dining rooms, or living rooms that won't get dirty or scuffed up as often. Moreover, flat and matte paints are easier to touch up and apply, which makes them ideal for novice painters or DIY projects.

Paint Sheen Differences Explained In 5 Minutes

What is the most common paint finish for bedroom walls?

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.

Why do builders use flat paint?

In many such situations, the builder, seller, or low-cost painter used a low-grade flat paint for three reasons: the first is that it is inexpensive; the second is that it is easy to touch up; the third is that it hides imperfections in the drywall walls.

What rooms should you use satin paint?

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.

What rooms is satin paint good for?

Satin paint has some sheen to it, and is an excellent choice for hardworking rooms, like kitchens and bathrooms. It stands up exceptionally well to scrubbing and regular cleaning. However, its glossiness highlights wall imperfections like cracks, divots or poorly patched areas.

Should bedrooms be satin or semi-gloss?

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.

Is it OK to use flat paint in a bedroom?

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.

What rooms to use flat paint?

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.

Should bedrooms be painted darker or lighter?

It all comes down to personal preference. There are pros and cons to both dark and light colors for your bedroom. It's up to you to decide what best suits your style. If natural light and a room that feels larger are important to you then a lighter color is a great choice.

How many gallons of paint do I need for a bedroom?

How much paint do you need for a bedroom? The size of bedrooms varies but averages around 800 square feet, which means you will need two to three gallons of paint for every coat.

What sheen is best for white bedroom?

Eggshell or satin finishes are a good choice for stain resistance, durability, long wear, coverage, and ease of cleaning. Glossy finishes are low-maintenance because they are washable, stain-resistant, and easy to clean, but they can be problematic on white walls.

What color hides imperfections best?

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.

What is the downside of satin paint?

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.

Is there a big difference between eggshell and satin?

A satin paint finish is slightly higher-gloss than eggshell while being less reflective than semi-gloss paint or high-gloss paint. A satin finish delivers higher durability than an eggshell finish.

Will satin paint leave roller marks?

Satin paint is less likely to show brush strokes on walls than other finishes. Satin also doesn't show roller marks if the wall is painted at once. And since it's less shiny, it's better at hiding imperfections than gloss and semi-gloss paint.

Is satin paint OK for bedroom?

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.

Does satin paint make a room look bigger?

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.

Is eggshell the same as satin?

Satin has a higher sheen than eggshell so it's glossier and more shiny – although not as shiny as gloss paint. Eggshell on the other hand is more akin to a matte paint, which is a popular paint idea for redecorating interior walls. It all comes down to personal choice as to which is the best option for your project.

What are the negatives of flat paint?

If your wall has imperfections like uneven texture, patches or joints, flat paint will absorb light and make them less noticeable. However, flat finishes are not very durable and need to be carefully cleaned. Scrubbing flat paint could wear down the finish and cause sheen to appear in patchy spots.

Should ceilings be painted flat or eggshell?

On the contrary, flat paint offers a chalky, matte finish that doesn't reflect light. Therefore, flat paint is a good choice when it comes to applying on ceilings. Flat paint actually lowers down the light glare, making it an appropriate choice for ceilings.

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