Choosing the Best Paint Finish for Each Room

Why paint finish matters as much as colour

Most people spend hours choosing a colour and about ten seconds choosing the finish. That's backwards. The sheen level controls how durable the paint is, how easy it is to clean, and how much it shows off (or hides) lumps and patches in the wall. Get the finish wrong and even the perfect colour will look cheap or wear out fast.

Finish runs on a scale from flat (no shine) through to full gloss (mirror-like). As you move up that scale, the paint gets tougher and easier to wipe, but it also reflects more light and highlights every imperfection in the surface underneath.

The finishes, from flat to glossy

• Matte / flat: No shine, hides wall defects best, but is the least washable.
• Low-sheen / eggshell: A slight softness, a good all-rounder for living areas.
• Satin: Noticeably smoother sheen, wipes clean well, popular in wet areas.
• Semi-gloss: Hard-wearing and moisture-resistant, ideal for trim and joinery.
• Gloss: Very durable and reflective, usually reserved for doors and feature trim.

Room by room

Bedrooms and formal lounges

These are low-traffic, low-moisture rooms where you want a calm, flat look. Matte or low-sheen works beautifully here and hides any minor wall imperfections. If it's a kid's room, step up to low-sheen or eggshell so you can wipe off the artwork.

Hallways, stairwells and living rooms

High traffic means walls get touched, scuffed and bumped. A low-sheen or eggshell finish gives you a soft look with enough durability to clean. In a busy Melbourne family home with a hallway that connects everything, this is the sweet spot.

Kitchens

Grease, steam and splashes are the enemy. Go with satin or semi-gloss on the walls so you can wipe surfaces down without dulling the paint. Trim and cabinetry should be semi-gloss for the same reason.

Bathrooms and laundries

Moisture and mould are the concern. Use a moisture-resistant satin or semi-gloss, ideally one with a mould inhibitor. Ventilation still matters — no paint fixes a bathroom with no exhaust fan — but the right finish buys you a lot of protection.

Trim, doors, skirting and architraves

Timber trim takes knocks and needs regular cleaning, so semi-gloss or gloss is standard. The slight contrast in sheen against low-sheen walls also gives a crisp, considered look.

Ceilings

Almost always a dedicated flat ceiling paint. It kills glare and hides the roller marks and plaster imperfections that side-lighting loves to expose.

A few Melbourne-specific notes

Older Melbourne homes — think weatherboards, Victorian terraces and post-war brick — often have plaster or lath walls that aren't perfectly flat. On those, lean toward lower sheens on walls to disguise waviness. Newer plasterboard takes higher sheens more happily. Our temperature swings between seasons also mean interiors go through humidity changes, so wet-area finishes earn their keep year-round.

Prep beats finish every time

Whatever sheen you choose, the result lives or dies on preparation. Filling, sanding, cleaning and priming matter more than the tin you pick. A high-quality low-sheen over well-prepped walls will always beat a premium satin slapped over dust and old flaking paint.

If you'd rather not spend a weekend cutting in around cornices and second-guessing sheen levels, MB Handymen & Carpentry can handle the prep and painting as one tidy job — and match the right finish to each room while we're at it.