You can pick the prettiest paint color on the planet, roll it on with your whole heart, and still end up with walls that look like they’re auditioning for a “before” photo.
Ask me how I know.
Paint sheen is the sneaky little detail nobody gets excited about until you realize your “freshly painted” wall is now highlighting every drywall seam, nail pop, and mysterious bump like it’s got a full time job exposing your house’s secrets.
Here’s the rule I want you to tattoo on your brain (or at least remember long enough to get through the paint aisle):
Paint sheen isn’t just “shine.” It’s basically truth serum.
More shine = more durability… and more “HELLO, IMPERFECTIONS.”
The only trade off that matters: Tough vs. Forgiving
Every sheen choice is a tug of war between:
- Durability (scrubbable, wipeable, survives real life)
- Hiding power (soft, flattering, makes your walls look like they have their life together)
Higher sheen paints reflect more light, which means they’ll spotlight texture and flaws. Lower sheen paints scatter light, which means they hide chaos but they can scuff if your household treats walls like they’re touchscreens.
When you’re deciding, ask yourself three unsexy but important questions:
- How much traffic is happening here? (Hallways, kids, dogs doing parkour… you know.)
- Is moisture involved? (Bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms aka the “steam and splatter zones.”)
- How honest are your walls? (Older walls, patchy drywall, heavy texture… these are not friends of shine.)
Once you answer those, the right sheen is usually pretty obvious.
Sheen 101: from “soft filter” to “every pore visible”
1) Flat/Matte: the wall’s best friend (and the cleaner’s enemy)
If your walls are a little… textured… and you want them to look calm and expensive, flat or matte is magic. It soaks up light and hides a multitude of sins.
Where I like it:
- Ceilings (always)
- Adult bedrooms
- Low traffic spaces where nobody’s smearing peanut butter on the wall
The catch: It’s not super scrubbable. If your hallway gets brushed by backpacks, dogs, and human hands 37 times a day, flat paint will start to look tired fast.
2) Eggshell: the “nice jeans” of paint
Eggshell is my default for most normal, lived in rooms. It has just enough sheen to be more washable than flat, but not so much that your walls start reporting every drywall patch to the authorities.
Where it shines (gently):
- Living rooms
- Dining rooms
- Hallways that aren’t total war zones
If you’re frozen in the paint aisle, eggshell is usually the safest “I just want it to look good” choice.
3) Satin: the “I have a life” finish
Satin is the hardworking, wipeable option that doesn’t panic when you cook spaghetti or your bathroom turns into a steam room.
Where I use it:
- Kitchens (especially around eating areas)
- Bathrooms
- Mudrooms
- Kids’ rooms if you expect fingerprints (you do)
It’s more reflective than eggshell, so it’s a little less forgiving on bumpy walls but it’s also easier to clean without leaving weird shiny scrub marks.
4) Semi gloss: trim’s protective armor
If you’re painting baseboards, doors, trim, or cabinets, semi gloss is the classic choice because it’s tough and cleans up well. It also makes the details pop (in a good way).
Where it belongs:
- Trim + baseboards
- Doors
- Cabinets
Small warning from someone who has learned the hard way: semi gloss on walls is… a vibe. And by “vibe” I mean “every patch will be visible from space.”
5) High gloss: gorgeous, dramatic, and wildly unforgiving
High gloss is shiny shiny. It looks amazing on the right thing and absolutely feral on the wrong thing.
Where it can work:
- Furniture
- A front door
- A special accent piece you want to look like candy
But: the prep has to be flawless. High gloss will highlight every dent, brush stroke, and speck of dust you didn’t know existed. If you don’t enjoy sanding, don’t choose the finish that demands sanding like it’s a lifestyle.
Quick note on paint type (because the can matters too)
Most of the time, for walls, you want water based acrylic/latex paint. It dries faster, doesn’t stink up your entire house for three days, and cleans up with soap and water. Modern formulas are really durable this is not 1997 paint.
Oil based (alkyd) is less common for walls now (fumes, yellowing, drama), but some people still like it for trim/cabinets because it levels out super smooth. If you want that “oil look” without the full oil experience, ask about waterborne alkyd it’s kind of the best of both worlds option.
Don’t buy paint like you’re guessing at a carnival game
A little planning saves you from:
- running out mid wall (rage),
- buying too much (storing a “someday” gallon forever),
- or needing three coats because you picked bargain paint that’s basically tinted water.
Here’s my simple checklist:
- Coverage: Most paints cover roughly 300-350 sq ft per gallon (and yes, assume two coats, because one coat is a lie).
- Quality: I’m not saying you need the fanciest paint in the store, but avoid the bottom shelf contractor grade for your own home. Better paint usually means better coverage, better durability, and fewer “why is this so streaky?” moments.
- Primer:
- New drywall or patched areas? Prime.
- Painting over glossy surfaces? Prime or degloss properly.
- Repainting a normal wall in a similar color? Many paints are self-priming enough.
Please. Test the color on the actual wall.
Paint samples are annoying, yes. But repainting an entire room because the deep navy paint shade turns green at night is more annoying.
Put a couple of sample swatches on your wall (or use a color matching app or paint poster board and move it around if you don’t want random rectangles forever). Look at it in:
- morning daylight
- afternoon light
- evening lamp light
Because paint changes more than your mood on a Monday.
My “if you remember nothing else” takeaway
Shinier = tougher + more flaws visible. Flatter = prettier + less washable.
Pick your battles, pick your sheen, and let your walls stop telling on you.