Which Paint Finish for Each Room?

The two paint makers checked for this guide both list flat for ceilings and semi-gloss or gloss for trim. Both also name eggshell for bedrooms and living rooms. Their pages do not line up everywhere, so the table further down shows what each one lists for each room instead of one answer.

What changes as the sheen goes up

Sherwin-Williams defines sheen as the level of gloss or shine in a paint finish. Benjamin Moore calls it a measure of how much light reflects off a painted surface.

Benjamin Moore lays its finishes out on one line, from flat to high gloss, and labels the line “from more forgiving of imperfections to more durable.” That is the trade in one phrase: the low-sheen end hides flaws in the wall, and the high-sheen end stands up to wear.

Flat and matte

Both makers send flat paint to the ceiling. Benjamin Moore’s chart lists flat for ceilings and walls in low-traffic spaces. Sherwin-Williams lists it for adult bedrooms, formal living rooms, ceilings, and uneven or textured walls.

Both also warn about cleaning it. Sherwin-Williams says flat paint is prone to scuffs and stains. Benjamin Moore says stains are harder to remove from low-sheen paint, and that constant rubbing or cleaning can result in burnishing.

Matte is the next step up. Benjamin Moore describes it as nearly as shine-free as flat, with slightly more durability, and its chart lists matte for walls, living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms. Sherwin-Williams lists matte for living rooms and dining rooms.

Eggshell and satin

These are the finishes both makers point to for walls that get touched. Sherwin-Williams groups satin and its Eg-Shel finish together, calls them easily washable, and lists hallways, woodwork, children’s bedrooms, and family rooms. Benjamin Moore’s chart lists eggshell for high-traffic walls, living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms.

Satin sits above eggshell. Benjamin Moore says satin delivers a higher gloss than eggshell while offering better stain resistance and durability than lower sheens. Its chart puts pearl and satin together, for high-traffic walls, trim, doors, and cabinets.

Semi-gloss and gloss

Sherwin-Williams calls semi-gloss easy to clean and lists it for kitchens, bathrooms, utility areas, closet doors, and trim. Benjamin Moore’s chart lists semi-gloss for trim, doors, cabinets, and wainscoting, and names no room for it.

Gloss is for the parts of a room you want to stand out. Sherwin-Williams lists gloss for wood trim, cabinets, doors, and furniture. Benjamin Moore adds a caution: a gloss finish reflects light and can accentuate blemishes, so it says to avoid using it on areas that are not completely smooth.

Room by room

Each cell gathers the finishes that maker’s page names for the room: in its lists of uses for each sheen, in its text, and, for Sherwin-Williams, in its short room-by-room summary. Sherwin-Williams also has a dot chart of sheens by room, which is not used here.

Room or surface	Sherwin-Williams	Benjamin Moore
Ceilings	Flat; velvet	Flat; its text also mentions high gloss on a ceiling as an experiment
Bedrooms	Eggshell or satin in its room summary; its sheen lists name flat for adult bedrooms, satin or Eg-Shel for children’s bedrooms, and velvet for bedrooms	Matte or eggshell
Living rooms	Satin or eggshell in its room summary; its sheen lists name matte for living rooms and flat for formal living rooms	Matte or eggshell
Hallways	Satin or Eg-Shel, pearl, low-lustre, or velvet	Matte, eggshell, or low lustre
Kitchens	Semi-gloss; its sheen lists also name pearl and low-lustre	No finish for kitchens in its chart; its text names high gloss for a high-traffic kitchen and semi-gloss for kitchen cabinets
Bathrooms	Satin or semi-gloss; its sheen lists also name pearl and low-lustre	Matte, in its Aura Bath & Spa paint
Trim	Semi-gloss, gloss, high gloss, or medium lustre	Low lustre, pearl or satin, semi-gloss or soft gloss, or gloss or high gloss

Read across, the columns overlap more often than not. Eggshell is on both pages for bedrooms and living rooms, and flat is on both for ceilings.

Bathrooms are where the two pages read differently. Sherwin-Williams says a satin or semi-gloss sheen is ideal for bathrooms because it can withstand moisture. Benjamin Moore says bathrooms can be painted in a matte finish using one particular product, Aura Bath & Spa, which it says was designed for high-humidity environments.

Why the names differ between brands

The two makers do not use the same list of names. Benjamin Moore lists seven key interior finishes: flat, matte, eggshell, pearl, satin, semi-gloss, and high gloss. Sherwin-Williams heads one of its sheens “Satin / Eg-Shel,” and lists pearl separately, as a finish that falls between eggshell and semi-gloss.

The same name can also point to different uses. Sherwin-Williams lists low-lustre for offices, kitchens, bathrooms, and hallways. Benjamin Moore’s chart lists low lustre for interior doors and trim.

Even inside one brand the steps are not exact. Benjamin Moore calls low lustre a comparable, but not exact, sibling of eggshell, and says soft gloss is not an exact match for satin. If you are matching an existing wall, compare a sample, not the name.

When you work out how much to buy, this site’s Paint Calculator starts from 350 sq ft per gallon and lets you change it. Use the coverage figure on the can of the product and finish you chose.