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The Best Paint Finish for Walls, Ceilings, Trims, Doors & More…

Posted on June 6, 2022 by KylieMawdsley

PAINT FINISHES 101

Not sure which paint finish is best for your surface? Once you determine your needs, it can be easier to figure out which sheen is best (excluding Charlie; he’s a hot mess).

For example…

  • you sometimes get minor scuffs on your walls = you need wipeability
  • you have four kids, three dogs, two gorillas, and a donkey in your home, and you need a Hazmat suit to wipe down your walls = you need washability
  • you have textured or damaged walls = you should consider sheen
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Open concept kitchen and living room, Stonington Gray, stone fireplace K2. Kylie M INteriors Edesign. Vaulted ceiling

In this photo, there are four different paintable surfaces with different needs

First, I’ll give you a quick n’ dirty summary. HOWEVER, please take the time to read the rest of this blog post, as it has IMPORTANT information and considerations!

BEST PAINT FINISH FOR CEILINGS: flat

BEST PAINT FINISH FOR TRIMS, DOORS & MOULDINGS: satin

BEST PAINT FINISH FOR WALLS: matte or eggshell

BEST PAINT FINISH FOR CABINETS: satin

BEST PAINT FINISH FOR PAINTED BRICK: eggshell

Now, let’s learn a little about what you can expect in SHEEN or GLOSS from the above finishes!

BTW – there is variation in percentages between finishes, brands, and paint lines – these are approximate numbers. 

 

FLAT FINISH PAINT

0-5% gloss

Flat paint has little to no sheen. Because of this, it’s usually not washable or even very wipeable. Some higher-end brands have some luck with basic washability (Benjamin Moore Aura and Sherwin Williams Emerald), but I’m skeptical over the long term for high-use areas. I’ve found the only TRULY WASHABLE paint is Benjamin Moore ScuffX.

Primary Bedroom, white, black, gray colour scheme, white board and batten paint color, vaulted ceiling, cellular blinds Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint color advice blog

 

MATTE FINISH

5-10% gloss

Matte paint can have a 5-10% gloss finish, making it slightly more washable but still not as durable as a shinier finish.

Sherwin Williams best beige paint colour, Accessible Beige, White Dove trim, dark wood flooring, stairs, hand railing, metal spindles, white risers. Kylie M blog

 

EGGSHELL FINISH

10-25% VISIBLE SHEEN

An eggshell finish is similar to an actual eggshell, not flat, not shiny – kind of in-between.

Repose Gray hallway with Pure White trim, Sherwin Williams, bright white light bulbs. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, diy blogger. Client photo

 

SATIN OR PEARL FINISH

25-35% VISIBLE GLOSS

Satin or pearl is the next step up from eggshell. Satin/pearl has a reasonable amount of sheen to it without being as glossy as a semi-gloss.

Interior doors painted Benjamin Moore White Dove, white oak look flooring, black hardware. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, diy update ideas

Satin finish (and glossier finishes) can slightly brighten and enhance color compared to flat and eggshell finishes (due to light reflectance).

 

SEMI-GLOSS FINISH

70-85% VISIBLE SHEEN

This one has some kick to it with a sheen level that will reflect light back into your room.

Solid wood custom front door, Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray paint color on walls, oak floor, High Reflective White (Sherwin) trim and board and batten in foyer entryway. Kylie M Interiors Edesign

The white barn door is shinier than it needs to be

HIGH GLOSS

85%+ VISIBLE SHEEN

This is the full meal deal in the sheen world. A high gloss finish adds drama and impact and has supreme washability. I usually find it to be way more than is necessary, and prefer satin or semi-gloss.

Benjamin Moore Lenon Tan, beige warm neutral paint color on walls, wood floor warm white trim.

The sheen on this door is so strong; it’s distracting

However, the sheen is irrelevant if you buy crappy paint. The better quality your paint is, the more durable your finish should be  a la moi

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s look at what you could use in your own home.

 

THE BEST PAINT FINISH FOR TRIMS, DOORS & MOLDINGS

SATIN/PEARL

Hands down, satin is the most popular finish for any trims, doors, and mouldings. Why is it so popular? It’s washable without being overly glossy.

Sherwin Williams Dovetail gray paint colour. Online Color Consultant Kylie M Interiors. E decor

  • old homes look fabulous with a semi-gloss trim but can easily handle a satin finish
  • newer or modern homes tend to suit a satin finish
  • shiny finishes can expose flaws, so make sure your trim is in tip-top shape – the same goes for your painting skills
  • the photo above shows a satin finish

The 3 Colors I Would NEVER Paint My Trim or Cabinets

The 10 Questions You Need to Ask BEFORE You Hire a Painter! 

 

THE BEST PAINT FINISH FOR THE CEILING: FLAT

In 99% of cases, a flat finish is best for a ceiling. Why? There are a few reasons…

Living room with flat finish ceiling paint, no sheen. Benjamin Moore Gray Owl walls and rustic reclaimed beam, chandelier

8 Ideas: How to Make a Low Ceiling Look Higher

  • you don’t want your ceiling reflecting light at you, and shinier finishes are reflective
  • ceilings are often textured, and a textured finish will be enhanced with shiny paint, as will any flaws and imperfections
  • if you have white trim, a matching white ceiling makes a good visual connection
  • if you have wood trim, there’s more of a chance your ceiling could handle a non-white (50/50)

Not sure what color to paint your ceiling? I’ve got you covered…

PART 1: Should My Ceiling Match My Trim or Walls?

PART 2: The Best Paint Colors for Ceilings: White, Medium, & Dark

PART 3: How to Deal With An Angled Ceiling

PART 4: What Color To Paint a Tray Ceiling

PART 5: What Color Should You Paint a HIGH Ceiling

 

THE BEST PAINT FINISH FOR WALLS: MATTE OR EGGSHELL

When it comes to walls, there are many considerations…

Sherwin Williams Moody Blue eggshell finish in small bathroom with white vanity and tile floor. Kylie M Interiors Edesign

 

The best paint finish for walls that are in great shape – matte or eggshell

  • If your walls are smooth and in good condition, and you don’t have kids or dogs, you can definitely consider a quality matte finish.
  • If your walls are smooth and in good condition, and you DO have kids, dogs, or a spouse with Dorito fingers, you may want an eggshell finish. A great alternative is ScuffX in matte finish, as it’s far more washable than the average paint (it’s the only paint I’ll use in my home in the future).

The best paint finish for walls that are damaged or uneven – matte or eggshell

  • As mentioned earlier, I highly recommend ScuffX. And no, I don’t get paid anything to say that (I pay myself in Starbucks, white wine, and personal high-fives) – I just love its washability and overall finish.
  • Any sheen will expose flaws on your walls. While ScuffX matte has a particular sheen at a certain ANGLE, its overall look is very muted.
  • However, if you have kids/dogs/spouse/gorilla, you may need to sacrifice that low sheen for some wipeability with eggshell (IF you aren’t using ScuffX).

The best paint finish for heavily textured walls – matte 

  • The great thing about textured walls is that the texture will help disguise any fingerprints, smudges, etc…
  • If you’re worried about washability, you can use eggshell, but it will slightly enhance the look of your textured areas. Again, check out ScuffX (yes, I am passive-aggressive).

If you’re painting your walls a dark color – matte

  • If you’re painting a medium or dark-toned color (feature wall or whole room), it can look tacky with too much sheen (there are few exceptions). Ideally, you would use a washable matte finish (this doesn’t apply to cabinets – only walls).

BTW, the only eggshell finish that is REALLY different is Behr’s, which is more like a satin finish (I would use it for furniture or trim, not walls, personally).

 

THE BEST PAINT FINISH FOR KITCHEN CABINETS & VANITIES: SATIN

I’ve yet to meet a semi-gloss or high-gloss cabinet that I love UNLESS it’s on a flat panel cabinet in a more modern setting. Satin is almost ALWAYS the best finish for cabinets (some brands refer to it as ‘Pearl’.

Gray quartz island countertops, Benjamin Cloud White and rustic, reclaimed wood island legs or supports

In the above photo, look to the left of the island to see the sheen level of Benjamin Moore Advance – satin finish. Check out more of these painted maple cabinets.

  • A satin finish is great for washability, without reflecting my purdy lil face back at me. I have done some furniture pieces in semi-gloss, and they looked sharp but were too reflective. Again, the shinier the paint is, the more you will see flaws, so if you’re painting your own cabinets, satin will have a bit more forgiveness than semi-gloss for a less-than-perfect job.

Should you really paint your cabinets white? And if so, which white is best?

Painting Kitchen Cabinets: How to Pick the Best Color

 

SAMPLING PAINT COLORS WITH PEEL & STICK

SAMPLIZE peel-and-stick paint color samples are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER and arrive on your door in 1 DAY!

Paint colour review of tool Samplize, peel and stick samples. Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, Farrow and Ball, Home Depot. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint color consulting

Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE

 

THE BEST PAINT FINISH FOR YOUR FRONT DOOR: SATIN

When it comes to the front door, satin is usually a safe bet. Why?

exterior of home with chelsea gray painted shakes, black painted double front door and white trim with dark charcoal ledgestone

  • Direct natural light can expose flaws such as dents, scuffs, brush and roller marks. Add a glossy finish to this, and it’ll be a hot mess.
  • Flat or eggshell finishes can look chalky on the front door and aren’t washable enough for the wear and tear that doors get.
  • Satin finish on the front door is my fave. Wipeable, classy – not glassy.

What are the Best Paint Colors for My Front Door?

 

THE BEST PAINT FINISH FOR A BRICK OR STONE FIREPLACE: EGGSHELL

Brick can look abrasive when shiny yet dull when flat. For this reason, I like eggshell for a brick fireplace (more than satin).

the best sheen to update and paint an old brick fireplace

  • If you paint your brick a dark color, eggshell finish looks best.
  • If you’re painting your brick a light/white color, eggshell or MAYBE satin.

5 Easy Fireplace Update Ideas

 

A FEW MORE TIPS

  • The more coats of paint you put on, the more sheen you will get. What looked eggshell at TWO coats can look shinier at FIVE!
  • The quality of your brush and roller matters DESPERATELY! Invest well.

At the end of the day, it’s up to YOU as to which finish makes the most sense. Talk to your local paint store as they can be a wealth of knowledge and may know a few tips particular to your region.

Well, that about covers it! If you’re considering hiring a painter, I highly recommend you read this: The 10 Questions You Need to Ask BEFORE Hiring a Painter!

Get 3 Paint Colors Custom-Picked for You and Your Home

Kylie M Interiors Online Color Consulting

The best white paint colors for your room. Benjamin or Sherwin. Edesign, online paint colour services. Diy home decorating ideas blogger.market

Chat soon!

Kylie M Interiors Edecor and Edesign

READ MORE

The Dreaded Popcorn or Textured Ceiling: Info You Need Before You Scrape

8 Ideas: How to Make a Low Ceiling Look Taller

Don’t Hire a Painter Before Asking These 10 Questions

The 12 Best WHOLE Home Paint Colors

Originally written May 2017, updated 2022



Comments

  1. Hi Kylie, thanks for your easy to understand explanation of finishes! You said, “The only eggshell finish that is different is Behr which is more like a satin finish.” Do you think this is across the board with Behr’s paints? I’m looking at the Behr Premium Plus Ultra. I’m considering satin because it’s a darker basement, but maybe eggshell is just the thing.

    1. Post
      Author

      Hi Kristi! I have found that pretty consistent with most of the Behr finishes, especially compared to the finish you’d get with Sherwin or Benjamin. If it were me, I’d go for eggshell in Behr for sure!

  2. Hi Kylie! Your posts are so inspirational.

    Quick question. I have a small west facing front office in my house with tall vaulted ceilings. I just painted the walls with SW eggshell color matched to F&B Hauge Blue.

    Now I’m staring at a tall white ceiling, and want to go full in and paint the ceiling to match, paired with a Carrera top desk and warm leather chair.

    My question is do I just use the same eggshell paint for the ceiling, or do I get the Hauge Blue in flat/typical ceiling paint? Also, thinking about lightning the ceiling paint by 25%?

    Thoughts and thanks!

    1. Post
      Author

      Hi DJ. I lean towards doing it eggshell. The thing is, finish affects how a paint colour looks and vaulted ceilings ‘tend’ to reflect a bit more light than straight vertical walls. I wouldn’t lighten it though as the natural change in lighting/ceiling slope will do wild and wonderous things for you!
      ~Kylie

  3. I love love love your blog/website! As for ceilings in bathrooms, do you still use flat paint? One of my bathrooms doesn’t get much ventilation. There is a fan but no windows.
    I was planning on using eggshell on the walls but worried about flat on the ceilings. Would you use matte Or continue with eggshell on the ceilings as well?

    Thank you so much for all your awesome information!

    1. Post
      Author

      Thanks Madison! Ooo yes, if you don’t have great ventilation, eggshell woudl be a minimum. Heck I might even do satin on both…I know satin can look iffy if it’s a textured ceiling, but I’d hate for that moisture to penetrate!

  4. Same finish as the walls or as the trim? I have a ton of wainscoting in my historic looking home. The ceilings will be flat, the walls will be in eggshell and based on this article I will be doing the baseboards in semi gloss (was open to satin too but I have an older looking house plus kids). 2 Questions: I am assuming all trim (window/door casings and the inside doors themselves should also be in semi gloss as well?). What do you recommend for the crown molding and wainscoting? I really don’t like an overly shiny look but also want durability and the wainscot is a large chunk of the wall. Please help!! Thanks!

    1. Post
      Author

      And if it were ME, even though it’s an older home, with having wainscoting, I would stick with satin, which will give you wipeability without the increased sheen of semi-gloss ;).

  5. This is helpful thanks! If I do wainscot in satin does that mean I should do my doors/trim/baseboards in the same finish or do they need to not match? Our smooth walls will be eggshell b/c of the kids. I am so confused! 🙂

    1. Post
      Author

      Hi Michele, I would DEFINITELY keep the wainscoting and trims/doors/etc… in the same finish and have only the walls be a different finish (and flat on the ceiling) :).

  6. We are remodeling and adding shiplap to our 10′ beam, pitched ceiling. We want to paint it all white and have chosen BM Super White to use with possibly BM Collingwood for the walls. Are these 2 colors good together?

    What sheen should we use for each? Thanks so much, I enjoy your posts.

  7. Thanks for this great information! Would you do the same sheen for an accent wall as the other walls. We have satin on the other walls. Thanks!

  8. Kylie, this was awesome!! We’re about to paint our downstairs bathroom and I was just second-guessing my decision to go with eggshell. Then I read this! No more second-guessing! Thank you so much!
    I have one question. You said to make sure to use quality brushes and rollers. Is there a particular brand or type you like?

    Thank you!

  9. I am looking to paint a chair rail and the drywall under the chair rail the same white color. Should I do the chair rail semi-gloss and the wall under the chair rail eggshell. Or do both the chair rail and wall semi-gloss?

    1. Post
      Author

      Hi Bill, if you have mouldings under the chair rail, I would do them/the drywall/the chair rail all the same finish (usually satin, but semi can work). If it’s ONLY drywall underneath, I would definitely to it ‘wall finish’, so that would be matte or eggshell. Without mouldings, it would look odd to have the lower walls the same finish as the chair rail :). I hope that helps!

  10. Hi,

    I enjoyed your post and I’m loving the dining room. Can you tell me what color is on the walls in the dining room picture?

  11. Hi Kylie!
    Would you do a matte/flat finish for SW Greenblack as an accent wall in a low-traffic office? I want to paint the crown and baseboard trim Greenblack also – Satin for that? Thanks!!

    1. Post
      Author

      Oh you know, I would! Dark colours can just look abrasive in a higher sheen (if you ask me) where as they pick up a more classic look in a matte/flat. I would look at Emerald for that :).

  12. Hi, I have a quick question. We are having tongue and groove (MDF) put up on our cathedral ceiling in our family room (16×23). Our contractor will re-prime it and then paint it. My husband wants it painted white with a semi-gloss finish, and I would want a satin finish. Any suggestions?

    1. Post
      Author

      Ooooo, on a ceiling, I wouldn’t do anything MORE than satin – it can be a tough area to have more sheen on with the reflection from windows.

  13. Hello! When painting a wall and adding board and batten (where the wall shows between the boards) do you paint it all one sheen? And what do you choose?? I’m having a lot of difficulty with this. Our foyer gets some light, but overall darker than the rest of our main level spaces. It’ll all be white. Curious what you do for this. All eggshell? All satin? A combo? PLEASE HELP!

    1. Post
      Author

      Hey Sabrina! If it were me, I would lean into a satin finish for ALL of it – the boards and the wall space for consistency. The goal is for it to look like one application vs ‘this part is wood and this part is wall’. I hope this helps!

  14. Hi Kylie, love all the helpful info on this post and plan to follow your advice. I’m going to paint my upper kitchen cabinets Satin with BM Advance, crown moulding and trim in satin, walls in eggshell, ceiling flat – all in White Dove. There was soffit all around the perimeter of my kitchen but I removed that from everywhere *except* over the cabinets. I plan to trim it out to look ‘built-in.’ The cabinets and the crown molding a foot above them will both be satin – should the section of wall (soffit) be also painted in Satin finish to blend with that or eggshell to match the rest of the walls?

  15. Pingback: HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR PERFECT PAINT COLOUR: 5 BLOG POSTS - Kylie M Interiors

  16. Thank you for the advice on paint finishes. Wondering if satin finish would be the best choice for a dark gray accent wall with wainscoting / applied trim? The other surrounding walls in the room will be white in a matte finish.

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