Choosing Right Sheen For Your Paint

• Paints with flat or matte finish have no shine and thus hide little imperfections in the wall. However, they are not so stain-resistant though today paints with matte finish and high stain resistance also available in the markets.
• Eggshell paints or velvet-finish paints have very slight sheen or gloss level, are soft and impart a warm look to the room and are easier to clean too. They are preferable for most bedroom and living room décor themes.
• Paints with satin or semi-gloss finish can be used to highlight architectural details and focal points of the home and also in kitchens and baths as they are easy to clean.
• Very high gloss or sheen paint are quite reflective and should be normally reserved for doors and trims and to create special effects.

• Higher gloss or sheen level generally means easy cleaning of the room or area.
• These paints are suitable for amateurs as they distract the viewer from any painting imperfections.
• Rooms and areas that need to be washed and cleaned often such as bathrooms and kitchens and where people visit most can use high gloss paints.
• High gloss paints also have most stain resistant finish and are toughest when it comes to wear and tear.
• You can use high sheen paints to highlight the focal point or a bold color scheme of the room such as kids' room or fantasy room décor.
• For kids, one can use bright high sheen primary colors to make different patterns that look interesting such as polka dots.
• Flat paints or paints with low sheen or gloss level are for professionals as they make the surface appear smoother and more uniform and are non-reflective in nature.
• Flat paints are generally used in newly constructed homes or in areas that are not so frequently used in the homes.
• For a vintage home décor, flat paints can be used to paint a wall near the fireplace to highlight it while warm earthly hues look quite beautiful on pillars or columns in old homes.
• For an interesting dramatic effect, one can also use combination of different paint sheens.
• One can consider a monochromatic room décor in two different sheens for an interesting customized effect such as in stripes, blocks or other geometrical patterns.