From Mallory: I did it. I really did it this time…I’ve officially made my first big design mistake. A VERY preventable mistake at that. You guys will laugh, and that’s okay, because I’m admitting my mistake so no one moving forward will have to deal with the situation I’m dealing with currently. Here we go. I painted my bathroom in A FLAT paint finish. There I said it. And it’s not holding up well. At all. After making this horrid mistake, I quickly googled to see if we had written a post on what paint finish to use in each room and sure enough, there it was. This amazing post that had been buried for the last 3 years, so I felt it was time to resurface. Also the timing seemed great because Emily is browsing paint options for the Farmhouse (she’s using Sherwin-Williams and their colors are GREAT if you’re in the market). Now, friends, join me reading this post & never “winging” your paint finish again:
Hey everyone! Contributing writer Laurren here to talk some nuts and bolts design. You ready?
The journey to finding the perfect paint color can be a long one. You flip through sample after sample until the eyes blur and everything starts to look the same (wait…how many shades of white are there?!?). Finally, somehow, you land on your top 10 or so favorites. You test drive each one, staring at them in varying times of day in case your perfect-at-10am gray starts to lean a little purple by happy hour. AND THE FUN DOESN’T STOP THERE because once you’ve found your hue of choice, you have another important—and possibly more crippling—decision to make: what paint finish are you supposed to use.
And no pressure but you better get it right because not only does sheen impact how easy your walls are to clean but it may also alter the perception of the color (and the style of the room). That crisp white you sampled in a flat paint and loved? It may come off a little sterile in a glossier finish since more of the color is reflected. To complicate matters even further, sheens aren’t standardized from brand to brand, so you can’t assume all paints display the same amount of reflectivity just because they share the same naming convention. The takeaway? Test and test and test again—not only to find your choice color but also to get a true feel for any finish you’re considering.
To help simplify the process of finding the perfect finish for every space—and in case my dramatic commentary made you want to swear off painting forever—we tapped our friends Nathan and Heather Spaulding of Spaulding Company, a boutique general contracting and design company based in Northeast Los Angeles that are actually currently working their magic at Emily’s LA home, for their expert guidance on navigating the what and where of paint finishes. Take it away, guys!
Hi! We’re Los Angeles natives and former Seattleites, Nathan and Heather Spaulding! We started Spaulding Company in 2015 in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, with the mission to help homeowners and entrepreneurs create spaces that inspire and offer a respite from the mundane. You can find our work in homes and businesses in Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Echo Park, Highland Park, Studio City, Malibu and more. We’re excited to be here today to talk paint finishes, but before we do, let’s go over a few things that are good to remember no matter what paint you choose.
Take your time with surface preparation, taping, and masking.
We know it isn’t fun, but properly cleaning (tape won’t stick to dusty surfaces!) and masking off walls will make the painting process go much more quickly and smoothly since you won’t need to be as careful along edges (meaning fewer touch-ups in the end).
Prime your walls.
If you’re painting walls from light to dark or dark to light, it’s important to use a tinted primer. This will help you get the job done in fewer coats and ensures your wall color is true to your swatch. You might think you’re spending more “time” or “money,” but the truth is, you’ll end up spending more of both on the back end if you skip the front-end work of priming.
Take a photo.
Before you crack a paint can, email yourself a photo of the label including the color code and a picture of the branded can. List out the locations where that color/sheen was used. This helps for touch-ups down the line when you’ve forgotten all the choices you made once upon a time.
Don’t throw paint in the trash.
Many cities have a local drop off or guidelines on how to properly dispose of hazardous waste such as paint. (Note from Laurren: I list extra paint on Craigslist under the free section—someone is always happy to have it for small projects.)
Now, let’s break things down. In general, you want to use a maximum of three finishes in your home. One for high-moisture, high-traffic areas, one for living areas and bedrooms, and one for millwork. Never say never…but never use a flat or matte paint on millwork. You’ll be battling dirt, scuffs, and fingerprints for the rest of your life.It’s also important to note that some brands have additional sheens or alternative naming conventions. For example, Dunn-Edwards and Benjamin Moore have exclusive sheens, Velvet and Pearl, which we’ve included in this guide. Farrow & Ball has a finish called Modern Eggshell that is actually a bit closer to a standard semi-gloss than a traditional eggshell, and Estate Emulsion which is pretty matte but also somehow a bit satin (it’s lovely). More reason to always test a hue and finish before committing!
Okay, now, to get onto the subject we’re all here for today…how to pick a finish. Again, sometimes it’s a personal/stylistic choice (i.e. going high-gloss on the ceiling, walls and millwork of an entryway for a glam look), but you gotta know the rules before you try to break them.
QUICK GUIDE TO PAINT FINISHES
FLAT/MATTE
- BEST FOR: Low-traffic areas (i.e. formal dining room, den), non-moisture areas
- PRO: Hides imperfections of surfaces, forgiving application for the not-so-savvy painter
- CON: Difficult to clean, reacts poorly with moisture (Ever notice those drip lines down your bathroom wall from shower steam? They are super difficult to remove from flat paint.)
VELVET
- BEST FOR: Bedrooms, living rooms, hallways, non-moisture areas
- PRO: Slightly more washable than flat, similar surface concealing
- CON: Still not ideal for easy and regular cleaning
EGGSHELL
- BEST FOR: Bedrooms, living rooms, hallways, non-moisture areas
- PRO: Historically the most popular paint finish. Balances cleanability, sheen, ease of application. Sits nicely with your standard semi-gloss sheens on millwork or other rooms. A good choice if you are concerned with longevity and cleanability in living areas
- CON: Shows slightly more surface imperfections due to higher sheen
SATIN/LOW-SHEEN/PEARL
- BEST FOR: Kitchens, bathrooms, high-traffic areas, millwork
- PRO: More stain resistant and durable with a subtle luster
- CON: Shows surface imperfections, slightly more difficult to apply for the novice painter
SEMI-GLOSS
- BEST FOR: Kitchens, bathrooms, high-traffic areas, millwork
- PRO: Historically the most popular for wet zones, millwork—durable and easily cleaned
- CON: Shows surface imperfections, slightly more difficult to apply for the novice painter
GLOSS
- BEST FOR: Millwork
- PRO: The most durable and easily cleaned
- CON: Enhances surface imperfections, difficult to apply (so best left to the pros)
Navigating Paint Trends
We love how cocoon-like a room can feel when millwork, walls, and ceilings (and sometimes even floors!) are painted the same color. You could use the same finish throughout to achieve this look, but to make things easier on yourself, we’d highly suggest using one sheen for ceilings and walls and a more durable option for the millwork. (And don’t even think about going with anything less than a semi-gloss on floors.)
Across the board, paint finishes with less sheen are trending and while beautiful, the lowest sheen we’d suggest for high-traffic areas is Velvet (Dunn Edwards), which still requires continual maintenance. If you dare to do full-on matte, be sure to shell out for a high-quality paint, always use a primer, and don’t skimp on the number of coats you apply. Be prepared to use many a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and keep a jar of paint and blue tape handy for regular touch-ups (it chips away far easier and scratches with just the subtlest move of a picture frame). We hope this helps you pick up that paintbrush with confidence.
Thank you, Nathan and Heather, for offering your expert advice.
Do you have any painting regrets? Happy surprises? We want to know! And as always, let us know if you have any questions.
Opening Image Credit: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | Produced and Art Directed by Emily Henderson | Designed and Styled with Velinda Hellen and Erik Staalberg | From: The Color Trend We’re VERY Into (That You’ll Love, Too)
The post Painting Soon? Here’s a Crash Course on Paint Finishes So You Get It Right the First Time appeared first on Emily Henderson.
from Emily Henderson https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/how-to-pick-the-perfect-paint-finish
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