Walk into any paint aisle and the wall of tins all shout different words: matte, eggshell, satin, silk, gloss. They are not marketing — each finish reflects light differently and survives life differently. Here is how we choose on real jobs.
Start with the room, not the tin
Bedrooms and ceilings get washable matte: flat, forgiving, hides uneven plaster. Halls, stairs and kids' rooms get eggshell or satin — a soft sheen that wipes clean without looking shiny. Kitchens and bathrooms need dedicated moisture-resistant satins. Woodwork almost always wants satin or gloss for hardness.
The sheen rule we never break
Higher sheen shows more wall flaws. If your walls are wavy, going glossier will spotlight every bump. That is why we fill, sand and prime before recommending anything above matte — prep decides the finish, not the other way round.
Our shortlist for most homes
- Living & bedrooms — washable matte
- Halls & family rooms — durable eggshell
- Kitchens & baths — moisture-resistant satin
- Skirting, doors & trim — satinwood
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