There are a few things to consider when picking paint for interior walls. Naturally you want your paint to be high quality and durable, so it looks better for longer. You also want it to be the perfect colour; you’ll be looking at it for years, after all!
But a factor that is often overlooked is the sheen. If you buy paint without knowing how much or how little light it reflects, this could make or break your project and potentially send you back to square one if you really aren’t a fan of the final result.
To avoid any costly mistakes, today we’re going to talk about the different sheens for interior walls and how you can choose which is best for you.
What is Sheen?
The sheen level is how shiny your painted surface looks when the paint has dried. This is determined by the amount of light it reflects. Paints with a high sheen level will reflect natural and artificial light, appearing as clear circles of light on the walls. Low sheen paints don’t do this and will only reflect light when a beam is aimed directly at them, if at all.
These are the two extreme ends of the paint sheen spectrum, there are many finishes in between to consider.
Types of Finish for Interior Walls
There are four main finishes for interior walls: gloss, satin, eggshell, and matte (sometimes spelled ‘matt’).
Let’s talk about each in order of highest to lowest sheen level.
Gloss Paint
This is a high-sheen paint, which creates a very reflective surface. In some cases the effect is almost like a blurry mirror – you can see clear-ish reflections of light fittings and windows if they’re close by.
This is most obvious with oil-based gloss paints, as the compound used is naturally shinier, like oil. Gloss isn’t as common for interior walls, but for a darker colour it can look amazing. Where gloss finishes really shine is on doors, window frames, and skirting boards. They have extra durability for high-wear areas and enhance less shiny surfaces, making them a great complement to your walls.
As is the case with all these finishes, there are levels to gloss, but all have a high sheen.
Satin Paint
If gloss is a little too extreme but you still want a mid to high-sheen finish, satin paint is a superb choice. It has a shiny finish, but it’s much more subtle, only reflecting light sources that are close by or at a specific angle during the day.
Keep in mind that you’ll see different light levels throughout each day, and this will change as the year progresses, so investing in a paint that looks good in all four seasons is crucial.
Eggshell Paint
Eggshell Paint is one of the most popular sheen levels for interior walls as it’s the best of both worlds. It creates a mid-sheen finish, straight down the middle so you get the benefits of both some sheen, but without the potential drawbacks of matt, which we’ll discuss in a moment.
If you’re new to interior painting and want a finish that will always look good, look no further than eggshell. It works with any colour, in any room, and if you choose emulsion paint in this sheen, you’ll have no issues applying multiple layers.
Matte Paint
Last but certainly not least is matt paint. This is the lowest possible sheen, with a finish that doesn’t reflect any light at all. Darker shades even appear to absorb light, making a room feel warmer and cosier, perfect for cold winter evenings.
If you’re choosing a neutral shade for your walls in order to complement other elements of the room such as furnishings or anything on the walls themselves, matte paints look great without drawing the eye. Walls can absolutely be a centerpiece, but they can also be a complementary background too.
The only downside to matte paint is that it can look a little flat on larger walls. This can be easily remedied with some wall covers, furniture, or an accent wall.
How to Balance Sheen with Colour
Colour and sheen go hand in hand when it comes to interior painting. Walls have both large open areas and corners where shadows form, meaning multiple shades of the same colour at all times. As we mentioned, natural and artificial light affect how your painted surfaces will look.
Glossier finishes make colours look brighter, whereas a matte finish makes them muted. So if you’re going for something bold with your colour scheme, you can really push the boat out and maximise the impact with a high-sheen finish. You could also choose a bold colour such as orange or pink but take the edge off it by using a matt finish.
With every colour under the rainbow available thanks to our Colour System, we can make your walls exactly how you imagine them in your head. But the sheen will make a difference, so choose carefully or you might be disappointed.
We always recommend testing your paint on a couple of areas of your walls first. This way you can get a better idea of how it will look at certain times of the day. In the past we’ve seen people test their paint during the day, then place an order not knowing how it looks in the evenings. It’s rarely a dealbreaker, but it’s best to be sure.
The Best Paint for Interior Walls
At Paintmaster, we understand that, although we’re trusted by a lot of professional painters and tradespeople, domestic painters rely on us for paint, painting accessories, and our painting guides. That’s why we do our best to keep things simple for those that don’t know the ins and outs of paint.
We’ve discussed a lot of different sheen options today, which can make a newbie’s head spin. So to help you out here’s some important advice: all you need is our emulsion paint.
This is one of the easiest paints to use on interior walls and it comes in all sheen levels. Like the majority of our paints it’s also part of our Colour System, simply enter a British Standard or RAL colour code at checkout and the perfect shade will be on its way.
While you wait for your order, please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions, or take a look at our blog for more guides and inspiration!