Tips for Selecting the Right Paint Finish Part 1: Aesthetics
Posted on April 17, 2020
Have you been spending weeks deciding between multiple paint swatches pinned for your walls? Choosing the right color for your interior walls can feel daunting when you’re faced with the task of picking from a seemingly limitless selection of colors. Even if you’ve narrowed it down to just one color, who had any idea there were just so many shades of that color to pull from?
When the color selection process is finalized, you may feel like you’re finally able to wash your hands of having to make any more decisions. Before you power down, there’s one more decision to make: paint finishes.
Don’t worry, there are a lot fewer options of paint finishes than there are paint colors. While the finish you choose will partly be a decorative choice that will change how shiny your painting pro appears, there are also practical factors for choosing the right paint sheen for your space.
The professionals at CertaPro Painters® of Waukesha County can help you with deciding on the perfect finish for your interior painting project––and can certainly help with everything that comes before and after that decision too.
In the meantime, here are the basics you should be thinking about when it comes to painting finishes:
Think About Your Desired Aesthetic
There are typically only a handful of paint finishes to choose from. Depending on what brand of paint you select, they may have slightly different names.
Let’s start with the basics: sheen refers to the amount of gloss or shine a paint film contains or how much light it reflects.
- Flat or matte paint finishes have very little sheen and create a non-reflective appearance. These finishes will create a smooth and subtle look.
- Eggshell paint and satin finishes provide a soft sheen, which appropriately mirrors the appearance of their namesakes.
- Semi-gloss and high-gloss finishes––sometimes called pearl––are the most reflective and provide a bright sheen to create a glamorous aesthetic.
In part 2 we’ll take a look at traffic and imperfections and the role they play in finish selection.
Let’s Get Painting
Our team at CertaPro Painters® is trained to help walk you through the process, from color to finish. Schedule your estimate online, or by calling us at 262-574-15551 to speak with a painting professional about the perfect sheen that fits the goals of your space and your budget.
