Paint & Colour · 4 min read
Choosing the right paint sheen for each room
Sheen affects durability and how much your walls reveal. Getting it right per room matters as much as picking the colour.
What sheen actually does
Sheen describes how much light a cured paint film reflects. Higher sheen generally means a harder, easier-to-clean film that also highlights every imperfection in the surface beneath it. Lower sheen hides surface flaws but is typically less scrubbable.
A room-by-room starting point
These are common defaults, not rules — traffic and wall condition can shift the choice.
- Ceilings: flat or matte, to hide unevenness under direct light
- Bedrooms and living rooms: matte or eggshell for a soft, modern look
- Hallways, stairwells, kids' rooms: eggshell or satin for cleanability
- Kitchens and bathrooms: satin, for moisture and frequent wiping
- Trim, doors, and railings: satin or semi-gloss enamel for hardness
Sheen and wall condition go together
If a wall has patched drywall, old texture, or repairs, a higher sheen will draw attention to it. Either commit to more surface preparation or choose a lower sheen — a decision worth making during the estimate rather than after the first coat.