The best paint finish for living rooms

Painting your living room? You have to pick a paint color – and a paint finish! Let’s talk about the best paint finish for a living room!

Picking paint colors can be tough enough, but then you have to pick a paint finish too?!

I remember my first time buying paint, when the Lowe’s paint desk asked me what sheen I wanted I stared at them slack jawed. I truly had no clue.

I’ve learned a LOT since then about paint colors AND sheens.

Today I want to talk about living room paint sheens. Living rooms are a popular room to paint and the sheen is just as important as the color.

Be sure to check out my favorite living room paint colors!

Types of paint finishes

The types of paint finishes for walls are (from SHINIEST to least shiny):

1. glossy
2. semi-gloss
3. satin
4. eggshell
5. matte
6. flat

Glossy

High gloss paint is very glossy and almost reflective. It is not used for walls but more for cabinets or furniture where you want a super glossy enamel look.

Semi-gloss

Semi-gloss paint it what is traditionally used on trim and doors. It has a lot of resin in it and that makes it more durable for high touch areas.

Don’t use semi gloss paint on walls – it will show every ding or dent and the glossiness looks weird on walls!

Satin

Satin has a mid-amount of gloss to it. That gloss comes from extra resins mixed in, making it more scrub-able. The satin sheen has traditionally been used for high traffic areas for that reason.

Eggshell

Eggshell is the perfect all purpose interior wall paint finish. It has a slight sheen to it but is not at all glossy.

Eggshell paint provides a soft luster and an easy finish that is beautiful but is not the star of the show. Unlike a glossy paint, no one is going to come in and say WOW that paint sheen huh.

Eggshell lets the color be the true star!

Matte

Matte paint is offered by some paint brands. It is a flat finish that gets a slight protective film as it dries. This makes it more cleanable than flat paint.

Flat

Flat wall paint has zero shine to it. It feels chalky to the touch, which makes me cringe personally.

If you have a lot of dings, bumps, or texture to your wall, flat paint will help to disguise it.

Flat paint traditionally is not washable. It has no protective coat, so scrubbing it will take off the paint! If you want to go flat, look for a brand marked as washable or scrubable!

Check out my complete guide to paint sheens.

What determines the sheen of a paint?

Paint sheen is determined by the chemical make up of the paint. Glossier paints have more resins and less pigment in them.

For this reason, glossier paints need more coats of paint – each coat has less pigment. Pair this with the paint being more expensive to begin with, and glossy paint can get pricey quickly!

Paint finishes + cleanability

Historically, it has been said that the glossier the paint, the easier it is to clean. And sure, I get it, shiny lacquered surfaces are less absorbent than rough or matte ones.

And it is true, higher sheen paints have less pigment and more “binders” – which is basically a resin that makes the paint harder and shinier – and therefore super durable.

But here is the truth: modern paint in premium brands is all formulated to be durable and scrubbable and easy to clean.

Now, if you buy the very cheapest version of the cheapest brand of paint, this might not be the case.

But anything of quality will be cleanable and durable.

Personally, we prefer to use the Behr Scuff Defense line of paint. I have 2 toddlers and 2 pets and I have 0 scuffing or scratches on my eggshell walls. I wipe them with a magic eraser without issue.

Most paint brands have an equivalent paint – or their traditional formulas are built with scrubbing technology.

So, the sheen of paint no longer has too much to do with clean-ability and is more about appearances and looks.

Factors to consider when choosing paint for your living room

Durability

Living rooms are often high traffic areas, especially if you have kids or pets. You want a durable, wipeable paint finish.

Wall finish

If you have flat or textured walls, that can effect the best paint sheen for your living room.

Reflectiveness

If you have a lot of windows or overhead lighting, you might not want a paint that will let off a glare. This can be weird to photograph and just kind of unusual looking in general.

The best paint finish for a living room

The best paint finish for a living room, is the same finish I suggest for all interior walls: eggshell.

Best sheen for living room walls

A lot or people will say that the best sheen for living room paint is satin. I disagree with this opinion.

While historical eggshell paint might have not had enough resin in it to be wipeable or cleanable, that is just no longer the case. A high quality paint will stand up to moisture and traffic.

Best sheen for living room ceiling

I am shocked at the number of experts who recommend satin paint for a living room ceiling. Just… no. Do not do it. You want a flat, matte, or eggshell finish on the ceiling. I personally prefer flat paint on the ceiling for no sheen.

If you want to paint the ceiling the same color as your walls (popular for white walls or for a dramatic look with jewel toned walls) then go with eggshell on both the walls and ceiling. The sheen is subtle but it will help the color look consistent!

Is eggshell or satin better for living rooms?

Eggshell is a better choice for living room walls. Satin paint shows so many imperfections in the wall – every ding, dent, or patched hole. Plus, satin paint has a glare that just doesn’t look great.

Still not sure what paint color to choose?

My Paint Color Formula ebook walks you through the painless process of expertly testing paint swatches to ensure you have the perfect color for your home.

Learn more about the Paint Color Formula here!

Thanks for reading!

Morgan

Morgan is passionate about home decor and paint colors. She has been sharing DIY home decor tips since 2012 at CharlestonCrafted.com. From there, she learned to love paint colors, and the Paint Color Project was born in 2022!

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