3. Sheen affects color, durability, and reflectivity
“Let’s start with color. Depending upon what sheen you choose, your color will look slightly different to the naked eye. For this reason, always be sure to ask your local painting contractor for color samples to be made of the actual sheen you are considering using—if possible.
In choosing a sheen, durability is probably the biggest determining factor to most homeowners ready to paint their house. High-sheen paints—like semi-gloss, gloss, or high-gloss paint—are much more durable and easier to clean than low-sheen paints, like flat, eggshell, and satin paint. Aside from durability and ease of maintenance, and depending on the design concept, higher sheen finishes can account for a more luxurious look as well. One downside to higher sheen paints is that they are a lot less forgiving if you have to touch up or fix dents and chips.
The last aspect to consider is the levels of light reflectivity each sheen will provide. As a rule of thumb, the higher the paint sheen the more light that will be reflected and the more you will see surface imperfections.”
