Flat paint has a velvety, matte look and is the best choice to hide any wall imperfections. However, it's the least durable choice and doesn't usually stand up well to scrubbing.
Eggshell is commonly used in living rooms and dining rooms, as it is durable and does not pick up dirt easily. If your walls have bumps or imperfections, an extra coat of eggshell can disguise them more easily than satin or high-gloss finishes.
Flat paint is the most forgiving finish with the best color payout.
Satin may absorb more light and hide imperfections in the wall's surface. Semi-gloss reflects more light, which may create the illusion of space. Semi-gloss paint can also be more durable.
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.
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 is always an interior designer's preferred paint finish, which is why our founder, Nicole, an interior designer, chose this as our ultimate finish for walls. The name eggshell stems from the fact the finish appears mostly flat with just a touch of luster... similar to a chicken egg!
Matte Paint
Regal® Select Interior Matte (N548) is a professional painter favorite for its ease of application and smooth feel after drying. Matte finish paint also withstands frequent washing, even when applied in busier areas like hallways and family rooms.
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).
Use a paint that contains texture.
Texture paint is one of the simplest ways to hide wall flaws. Texture paint, though, is a lot like drywall mud and may take extra time to apply. However, it should be able to hide a lot of minor flaws like dents, chips, nail holes, and more.
What's the Difference Between Eggshell vs Satin? Eggshell and satin differ through the sheen of the finish that they offer. 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 is more durable—an advantage in high-traffic spaces.
This is why satin paint is more resistant to dents, divots, scuffs, scratches, and stains, and more durable on the whole. Eggshell paint is more likely to become damaged by these impacts and abrasions because it has fewer binders and more pigment.
Flat or matte finishes tend to touch up better: The flatter the finish, the easier to touch up; the glossier the finish, the more challenging. The better quality your paint is, the easier your touch-up is going to be.
A paint that has high coverage and a thick texture, such as our Claypaint or Lifestyle emulsions, will even out any hairline cracks and slightly bumpy surfaces. Both products can go over a multitude of wall substrates. However, on lime plaster we'd only recommend using Claypaint due to its high level of breathability.
A difference in paint sheens always has a root cause, usually poor application processes, that include: Over-thinning the paint. Overspreading the paint across the surface. Overly porous substrates that result in the over-penetration of the top coat of paint.
Contractors are often requested to use low- or zero-VOC paints, and this is something they can get from Sherwin-Williams in a variety of their paint lines. Sherwin-Williams paint is thick because it uses more solids, which makes it easier to work with and will cover more surface area.
In the living room and dining room, opt for an eggshell or satin finish.
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.
Hands down, satin is the most popular finish for any type of trims, doors and mouldings. Why is it so popular? It's washable without being overly glossy.
Eggshell paint's low sheen is best for hiding some imperfections and offers fair durability. However, semi-gloss paint offers a more durable and long-lasting paint, though it will tend to highlight imperfections.
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.
The more reflective or glossy the paint sheen, the more noticeable those imperfections will be. Conversely, flat or matte finishes absorb light, helping to hide bumps and bruises. So, paint with a flat finish is the most effective paint for hiding wall imperfections.
Flat and matte
“Because it doesn't reflect light directly, imperfections in walls and ceilings are much less noticeable,” Moran says.