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If I had to pick the most widely asked question that I get asked on a regular basis, it would be: What sheen do you think is best? Unfortunately, there is no right answer for every scenario, but by understanding the pros and cons of each; it might make you decision a little easier. Flat finish: This is the lowest sheen available and would be considered a dull finish in comparison to a semi-gloss. Some advantages to flat finishes are that they can help hide wall defects. Flat finishes also touch up very well without flashing (flashing is observed when everything looks good from a straight forward perspective, but appear blotchy from an angle). Flats are also easy to apply for homeowners and novice painters because of their tendency not to flash. You don't have to pay special attention to cutting-in and rolling at the same time or be too concerned with one drying before the other is applied. The disadvantage for a flat finish is durability. They finish does not dry as hard as higher sheen paint, and because of this, they tend to scuff easy. They are also more difficult to clean. For the reasons above, flat paints make an excellent choice for ceilings, walls in moderate to low traffic areas and on exterior walls. They should be avoided in areas like bathroom walls, behind kitchen stoves, on trim and doors, mud rooms, and areas prone to lots of scuffing. Of course, this can all change if you prefer this type of finish and are willing to touch up every now and again. High quality flats also offer much more durability and are easier to clean than cheaper paints. Matte finishes, low sheen and velvet flat offer greater ease of use without adding much more shine, and are all between flats and satins in terms of the sheen observed. Eggshell and Satin's: These are technically different sheen's with eggshell being slightly less shiny than satin's, but some manufactures don't distinguish from them greatly and sometimes only offer one or the other depending on the brand of paint. They offer greater durability and clean-ability compared to flat paints and fall right between and flat and semi-gloss on a scale of shiny-ness. On the downside, they don't touch up very well. This holds especially true in rooms with lots of natural lighting or with darker colors in general. They can also expose more surface defects than a flat paint. A general rule is that the shinier and darker the paint, the more defects will be visible. Eggshell's and satin's make great choices for kitchen and bathroom walls, cabinets, some trim work and exterior walls and trim. Semi-gloss, gloss and high gloss: As the names suggest, these will be the shiniest of all the coatings. They dry hard and are much easier to keep clean than flat paints. They are often considered too shiny for use on most walls inside and outside, but to each their own. They are the go-to finish for doors and trim, and can be used in bathrooms and on cabinets as well.