What Paint Sheen To Choose For Your Kitchen
Paint does not only come in different colours and textures but also in several levels of shininess, called paint sheen. A gloss finish has been trendy for quite some years now, so it might soon be yesterday’s talk. Either way, fashion and trends are not always the best advisor when it comes to home design. Let us help you to figure out, what paint sheen to choose for your kitchen.
Trends come and go, but the house will still stand. It is best to make sure that your home or investment property does also stand the test of time. Equally More important not every finish suits every design and layout, so to make sure that you choose the best sheen level for your house, kitchen and location, read on to learn about pros and cons of different paint finishes.
Matte Paint Finish
Paint finishes range from matte on the “unshiny” end of the scale to “high gloss” on the shiny side of paint. Let’s start with matte paint finish. Matte has been under the radar for some years due to the increased popularity of glossy finishes, however it has some strong advantages speaking for itself: It does reflect least off all finishes; it can cover up uneven spots in the substrates e.g. walls and ceilings and it offers a really great depth of colour. On the downside, it can sometimes be hard to clean.
Egg shell and Satin Finish
Eggshell and satin paint are often mentioned for one another, however they are not the same. A satin finish is actually glossier than its eggshell counterpart, so really it is one step up in direction of semi-gloss. Egg shell and satin do however share some of their main advantages over a matte finish. While they don’t act like a mirror, they do offer some reflectiveness, which opens the room and makes it feel spacier. The real pro however is the durability of the egg shell and satin finish, which makes them an ideal candidate for kitchens, laundries and bathrooms. These high traffic areas require frequent and effective cleaning and therefor benefit from the more forgiving finish.
Semi-Gloss
Semi-gloss paint is an excellent choice for kitchens, bathrooms and laundries. They are hard wearing and easy to clean. Semi-gloss kitchens are semi-shiny or a bit reflective. This gives your kitchen a fresh look and still somewhat forgiving in regards to imperfections on the substrate.
Gloss
Glossy finishes are the most common choice currently for kitchens, bathrooms and laundries. It is the most reflective choice of finishes and – just as the semi-gloss finish – it is highly durable and withstands the heavy use in work areas. If you want to make a statement, gloss is your finish. On the downside, gloss not only highlights imperfections, but is the least forgiving finish. If used on cupboards exposed to direct sunlight you will almost definitely see the ripple effect. The ripple effect makes your kitchen doors look as if there is a slight unevenness to the substrate, almost like tiny waves. There is no way to avoid it. There is no way around it.
The sunlight on the gloss finish simply accentuates the natural unevenness of any material – that is invisible to the human eye. So our recommendation is, if you want to make a statement in your entertainment kitchen – use one stripe of glossy paint, use a different colour. But don’t use gloss on a whole kitchen front exposed to lots of daylight. “Inside” apartment kitchens however literally shine with a gloss finish and give brightness and space to the room. Want to know more about sheen levels, click here.
Last but not least: Whatever finish you choose, it will look only as good as the tools you applied it with and the technique you used. We are big fans of DIY jobs and saving money. Your kitchen however, is the most important room in your house. Leave it to the experts and get the professional finish you want. Just give us a call on 93032176 or click here to request a quote appointment.
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