What is a paint finish?

Q: Living Room

For most walls and ceilings, start with a matt finish.

Q: Hallway

Look for a durable, washable matt designed for areas that see more everyday wear.

Choosing your colour is only half the job. You also need to choose your finish.

Put simply, a paint finish is how the paint looks and performs once it has dried. Some finishes are very matt with almost no shine, while others have a noticeable sheen. Different finishes are also designed for different surfaces and levels of everyday wear.

A matt or soft sheen finish might be just right for your living room walls, while your skirting boards, kitchen cupboards or front door may need something tougher.

An easy way to think about it:

Matt = little to no shine
Soft sheen = a gentle shine, more noticeable than matt
Eggshell = subtle sheen
Satin = a little more shine
Gloss = high shine

The important bit? Don't choose by shine alone. Think about what you're painting, where it is and how much wear it needs to withstand.

Cove & Co. carries different finish options across Colourtrend, Curator, Little Greene and Farrow & Ball, so the name on the tin won't always be the same. The job it needs to do is the best place to start.

Matt, eggshell, satin or gloss: what's the difference?

Finish - What does it look like?
Matt - Flat, very little shine
Eggshell - Soft, low sheen
Satin - Noticeably smoother sheen
Gloss - High Shine

Which finish for my room?

Living Room

For most walls and ceilings, start with a matt finish.

Bedroom

Again, matt is usually a good starting point if you want a soft, low-sheen appearance.

Hallway

Look for a durable, washable matt designed for areas that see more everyday wear.

Kitchen

For walls, choose a finish designed to cope with washing and the demands of a kitchen environment. Woodwork and kitchen cabinetry require an appropriate trim/wood finish rather than automatically using the wall paint.

Bathroom

Look for a finish that the manufacturer recommends for bathroom walls and areas exposed to moisture and regular cleaning.

Skirting boards and doors

This is where eggshell, satin or gloss finishes generally enter the conversation. Choose according to the level of sheen and the manufacturer's recommendations for that surface.

Our paint finishes explained

Colourtrend

Platinum
A matt, multi-surface interior paint designed to work across a range of surfaces, with self-priming properties that can reduce the need for separate products.
Ceramic Matt
Flat matt, stain-resistant and washable. Designed for interior walls and ceilings and particularly useful for busy spaces where a matt appearance is wanted.

Interior Matt
Smooth matt for interior walls and ceilings. Durable and wipeable.

Soft Sheen
A washable interior wall finish with a gentle sheen, suitable for kitchens, bathrooms or anywhere you want more sheen.

Eggshell / Satin / Gloss
Wood and metal finishes moving from a discreet low sheen through to high gloss.

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Curator

Enhanced matt
Smooth, soft-touch wall finish that is hard-wearing and wipeable.
Subtle Sheen
A tougher interior wall finish with a gentle sheen and stain resistance.
Eggshell
A low-sheen finish for interior and exterior wood and metal.
Satin
A mid-sheen finish for interior and exterior wood and metal.
Gloss
A high-sheen finish for interior and exterior wood and metal.

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Little Greene

Absolute Matt
Walls and ceilings in lower-traffic spaces
Intelligent Matt
Washable matt for busier walls and ceilings
Intelligent Eggshell
Washable low-sheen finish for kitchen and bathroom walls, woodwork and metalwork
Intelligent Satin
Satin finish for interior woodwork, cabinetry and furniture
Intelligent Gloss
High-gloss finish for woodwork, cabinetry, furniture and metal

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Farrow & Ball

Dead Flat - An ultra-matt, durable finish for interior walls, ceilings, woodwork and metal, with just 2% sheen.

Modern Emulsion - A durable matt finish designed for hardworking interior walls, particularly useful in busy areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and hallways.

Estate Emulsion - A traditional matt finish with a soft, chalky appearance, ideal for interior walls and ceilings.

Modern Eggshell - A hard-wearing mid-sheen finish for interior wood, metal, furniture, kitchen cabinetry and floors.

Flat Eggshell - A low-sheen, durable finish for interior wood, metal and concrete, including floors.

Full Gloss - A high-shine, durable finish for wood and metal, ideal when you want a more striking, polished look.

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What does “sheen” actually mean?

What is paint sheen?

Sheen simply describes how much light a painted surface reflects. The lower the sheen, the flatter and more matt the surface looks. As the sheen increases, you'll see more light reflected from it.

Low sheen
Matt, soft appearance

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Eggshell
A subtle glow

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Satin
More noticeable sheen

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Gloss
Highly reflective

Don't get too caught up in percentages. They are useful for comparing finishes within a range, but your first questions should always be: What am I painting? Where is it? And how hard does the surface need to work?

As a general guide: matt has little to no shine, eggshell has a subtle sheen, satin has a more noticeable sheen, and gloss is highly reflective. Exact sheen levels vary by brand.