Colour gets all the attention, but the sheen, how matte or glossy the paint is, has just as much effect on how a room feels and how well it wears. Here is a plain guide to the main finishes and where each one belongs.
Flat and matte
The least reflective finish. It hides surface imperfections well and gives a soft, modern look, which is why it is the standard choice for ceilings and a popular one for adult bedrooms and formal living areas. The trade-off is that it is harder to clean, so it is not ideal for high-traffic or grubby-hands areas.
Low-sheen
A small step up in sheen and the workhorse of most Melbourne homes. It still hides imperfections reasonably well but wipes down far more easily than flat, which makes it the sensible default for living areas, hallways and bedrooms.
Eggshell and satin
A gentle, pearl-like sheen that is more washable again. It suits busier spaces, kids rooms and areas that get touched a lot, and it gives walls a slightly richer look than low-sheen without going glossy.
Semi-gloss
Durable and easy to clean, which is why it is the traditional choice for trims, doors, architraves and skirtings, and for kitchens and bathrooms where moisture and scrubbing are a factor. The higher sheen also crisps up the lines of woodwork against a flatter wall.
Gloss
The most reflective and hard-wearing, used for feature joinery, front doors and surfaces you want to stand out. It shows every imperfection underneath, so it demands excellent preparation, which brings us to the real point.
The golden rule
The higher the sheen, the more it highlights the surface beneath it. Glossy finishes are unforgiving of poor preparation, while flatter finishes are kinder. Whichever sheen you choose, the preparation under it decides whether it looks right, which is why we treat preparation as most of the job.
Not sure?
This is exactly the kind of thing we talk through on site, room by room, so the finish suits how you actually use the space. See our painting page, or request a consultation and we will advise on both colour and finish.