Interior Paints: Your Guide to Different Finishes

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Do you know your eggshell whites from your matte whites? Your satins from your gloss? Or are you completely clueless about paint finishes and how they differ in durability?

Don’t worry! Avant is here with our handy guide on the best types of paint finish!

There is a lot to consider before just buying the nearest tin of paint. From the room you’re decorating to the desired effect you’re aiming for, choosing the right interior paint finish can make or break how long your décor will last and how stylish it will look.

Make sure you find the right interior paint finishes for your home by following our guide on the differences you’ll get in each tin.

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SATIN

Durability: high
Best used for Family-orientated spaces, kids bedrooms, hallways

If you’ve got a busy household, satin will be the finish for you. Easy to clean, highly durable, and offering a velvety finish. Opting for this in spaces which see a lot of action from all the family is a smart move.

The only downside with satin is the act of painting with it. Satin paint can leave unwanted brush and roller markers on your walls if not applied well. It’s also not the finish to be doing any little touch-ups with as the brushstrokes may be noticeable.

MATTE

Durability: Medium-low
Best used for Adult bedrooms

Looking for a cost effective and time efficient finish for your decorating? Matte is the best interior paint finish for you. This common choice has a deeper pigment and offers the most coverage when painting. This finish is also great at helping to hide bumps and scrapes. The Matte finish will soak up light rather than reflecting it like other a gloss finish.

It’s worth noting that matte paint isn’t the easiest to wipe clean. If you’re expecting any spills, or dirty and sticky hand marks a.k.a. a kids bedroom, it’s best to avoid a matte paint finish.

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EGGSHELL

Durability: Medium
Best used for Living, dining, and relaxing spaces

With a flat, no-shine finish, eggshell is a very versatile interior paint finish. It’s a finish which can be used throughout your whole home, thanks to being easy to clean and perfect for hiding any imperfections.

However, eggshell paint is notoriously difficult to touch up. Adding a new layer to small areas is very visible and a ‘cover up’ often means repainting the entire wall. So, if you’ve got any spaces that are prone to getting scuffed opting for eggshell might not be your best bet.

HIGH GLOSS

Durability: High
Best used for Kitchen tiles, doors, cabinets

High gloss is the toughest of all the interior paint finishes! Perfect for using on all the items that are touched often and by dirty hands and sticky fingers. This is the easiest paint finish to clean and offers great durability, making it ideal for your interior doors and high traffic areas of the home.

However, as the name gives away, this will give you a high gloss finish meaning using it on walls is a no-go for most people! It’s also renowned for showing any imperfections the surface you’re painting may have, so be sure to use it wisely.

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SEMI-GLOSS

Durability: High
Best used for bathrooms and kitchen walls

Offering a shinier finish than satin, semi-gloss offers a sleek, radiant look which can be used as an accent when paired with other finishes.

With high durability, semi-gloss is one of the best interior paint finishes to use in rooms which are exposed to moisture and lots of handling and cleaning.

Just like high gloss though, this finish’s sheen can leave any imperfections on show. So, if you’re going with semi-gloss, make sure you give the surface a good once over before painting to clean up any bumps or scrapes beforehand.

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