A Guide to Choosing the Right Paint Sheen
Expert Advice on what Sheen to use in Each Area of your Home
By: MacFarland Painting June 7th, 2022
There are countless factors that go into choosing the right paint sheen, but at the end of the day, it truly comes down to your personal preference. Start by asking yourself these questions: How much “shine” do you like to see? Do you have imperfections that need to be hidden? Does your space require regular cleaning? The general rule of thumb is – The higher the gloss, the shiner the appearance – so the order of least glossy to most glossy is as follows: Flat, Matte, Eggshell, Satin, Semi-Gloss, High Gloss. When referencing paint sheens, note that they vary for each manufacturer (i.e. Benjamin Moore satin might look different than Sherwin-Williams satin).
You can use the same sheen throughout your home, or you can use a different one on each surface; However, some rooms hold up better when using a specific sheen. If you are wondering what paint sheen you should use, this guide will help you decide. Us professionals at MacFarland Painting are great resources for determining which type is most suitable for your living space. Follow along!
TYPES OF SHEEN

CEILING
TRIM
walls
Foyer/Living Room/Dining Room/Bedroom – For general living spaces, we recommend using a matte or eggshell sheen. The moderate shine of this sheen hides imperfections easily and handles occasional wipe-downs nicely. If you prefer little to no shine, we resort to matte, but if you like to see a little bit of a shine, satin/eggshell work just as well.
Kitchen- Kitchens are spaces that are considered “high traffic.” This meaning that the walls need regular cleaning. A go-to sheen for a space like this would be satin. Satin sheen is easy to clean and holds up well to grease/food splatters, mildew, dirt, and stains.
Bathroom – In a high moisture room, like your bathroom, satin will come highly recommended. The more sheen on your surface, the less amount of moisture will absorb into the substrate.
Bedrooms/Kid’s Rooms – Matte is often used in bedrooms as they are “low-traffic” spaces that are less likely to be scuffed and dirtied. On the other hand, you are going to want to use a more durable sheen in a kid’s room, such as satin.
These are our professional recommendations, but like we mentioned before, it all comes down to personal preference!