MATTE VS GLOSSY

When painting a room, choosing a finish is just as essential as choosing a colour

Paint colour is important, but so, too, is the “sheen” — the shine or lustre on a particular surface.

The most common finish, eggshell or satin, offers just a slight reflective quality to the paint once it is dry. But using a matte paint — or its direct opposite, a high-gloss paint — has a major influence on the overall esthetic of a painted space.

“The sheen of paint can have quite a dramatic effect on how a colour appears,” said Martin Tustin-Fuchs, brand manager at Dulux Paints. A green paint in either a matte or glossy finish will have differently-toned greens and yellows in its appearance. The amount of sheen will also have an impact on the look of a room.

Matte paints have little to no sheen to them, and they have a very flat appearance.

While this may sound somewhat lacklustre, mattes can have many uses. “Matte finishes hide imperfections and create a beautiful, dimensional effect,” said Sue Wadden, director of colour marketing at Sherwin-Williams.

Tustin-Fuchs agreed. “To give a room a rich, supple, luxurious feel, choose a matte finish,” he said. “A matte sheen absorbs more light than a higher-gloss sheen, creating a sophisticated, subdued mood that is lovely for dining rooms, living rooms or principal bedrooms. Today’s matte paint has the added benefit of being both durable and washable.”

On the other end of the spectrum, semi- and high-gloss paint choices will need to be applied to surfaces that are pristine and have no flaws. Yet, they can withstand much more activity than their more subdued counterparts.

“For surfaces that are subjected to a lot of wear and tear, choose a glossy sheen,” Tustin-Fuchs said. “The highly light-reflecting quality makes glossy paint extremely hard-wearing. And doors or trim painted in a gloss finish, whether in white or a complementing colour, visually balances and enriches a lower-sheen wall colour.”

Rather than choose a paint palette with entirely matte or glossy finishes, the experts agree that it’s best to use a little bit of both.

“Mixing different finishes together in the same space can be an interesting way to create texture and dimension, without adding more colours,” Wadden said. Otherwise, a design could become overwhelming and busy, rather than streamlined and cohesive.

Here are a few things to consider when choosing matte versus glossy paint:

Surface area. How big (or small) is the surface area that you’re covering?

Accents/details? What smaller features are you painting, like trim, moulding, doors, etc.?

What are the other finishes in the room? Do you have a lot of varnished, high-gloss furniture?

Lighting. Where does the natural sunlight come from, and how does the light from fixtures create reflections in the space?

Wall decor. What is going up on the walls you’re painting? Mirrors, artwork, and other accent pieces could clash/complement a matte or glossy wall.

Paint colour is an important consideration when redecorating. So, too, is the sheen. When both elements are taken into consideration, the end result is not only a beautiful colour but a stunning finish as well.

For surfaces that are subjected to a lot of wear and tear, choose a glossy sheen. ... Doors or trim painted in a gloss finish ... visually balances and enriches a lower-sheen wall colour. MARTIN TUSTIN-FUCHS

PHOTOS (3): COURTESY OF SHERWIN-WILLIAMS Mixing different paint finishes in the same space can be an interesting way to create dimension without adding more colours, as evidenced by the way the glossy green door looks next to the matte green walls in this foyer.

A dark glossy paint gives the ceiling in this dining room a highly reflective, dramatic appearance.

The matte sheen on these pale purple walls contributes to the evocative ambience of this tableau.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DULUX PAINTS A flat, matte sheen creates a subdued mood that is perfect for the master bedroom.