You have found the perfect paint colour. Now comes the next decision: matte, eggshell or silk?
It is easy to concentrate on colour when decorating, but the finish you choose can make just as much difference to how a room looks and feels. The same shade can appear wonderfully soft in matte, subtly reflective in eggshell or noticeably brighter in silk.
There are practical differences too, particularly when it comes to cleaning, everyday wear and the condition of your walls.
If you are wondering which paint finish is best for your bedroom, living room, hallway or children's room, here is what you need to know.
What Is the Difference Between Matte, Eggshell and Silk Paint?
The main difference is the amount of light each finish reflects, usually described as its sheen.
Little Knights offers three finishes for its interior wall and ceiling paint:
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Matte - 10% sheen: A soft, low-reflection finish that helps disguise minor surface imperfections.
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Eggshell - 20% sheen: A subtle lustre that offers a balance between appearance and practicality.
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Silk - 40% sheen: A more reflective, durable finish that is particularly easy to clean.
All three are available within the Little Knights interior wall and ceiling range at Mash + Mint, so you can choose your colour first and then decide how you would like it to look on the wall.
The important thing to remember is that one finish is not necessarily better than another. The right choice depends on the room and what you need from the paint.
Matte Paint: For Soft, Understated Walls
Matte paint is a popular choice for living rooms and bedrooms, particularly when you want the colour itself to take centre stage.
Because it reflects less light, matte creates a softer appearance with very little visible shine. It works beautifully with natural materials, textured fabrics and more traditional interiors.
It is also a forgiving option for older properties, where plasterwork may have small imperfections. The flatter appearance helps make uneven surfaces less noticeable.
Little Knights Matte has a 10% sheen and is relatively straightforward to touch up when required.
Where does matte paint work best?
Matte is particularly well suited to bedrooms, living rooms, ceilings and spaces where you want a calm, understated finish.
For a softer bedroom scheme, consider Lullaby, a gentle lilac, or Cotton Flower, a warm off-white that works with both contemporary and traditional interiors.
For something moodier, deeper colours such as Woodgrain can create a more enveloping effect in matte.
Eggshell Paint: The Middle Ground
If you like the softness of matte but would prefer a little more lustre, eggshell is worth considering.
Little Knights Eggshell has a 20% sheen, producing a low-sheen finish rather than a noticeably shiny surface.
It offers greater stain resistance than matte and is easier to maintain, making it an appealing option for rooms that see more everyday activity.
Eggshell also introduces a gentle reflection of light, which can give painted walls a slightly different character without the stronger sheen of silk.
Where does eggshell paint work best?
Consider eggshell for family living spaces, hallways, children's bedrooms and rooms where you want a balance of colour, durability and easy maintenance.
It can be especially appealing when you want your walls to have a subtle lustre without looking glossy.
Warm neutrals such as Greige or earthy greens such as Oregano work particularly well in spaces where natural light changes throughout the day.
Silk Paint: A More Reflective, Easy-to-Clean Finish
Silk paint is the most reflective of Little Knights' three interior wall finishes, with a 40% sheen.
This creates a more noticeable shine and allows light to reflect from the painted surface.
One of silk's main advantages is its durability and ease of cleaning. It can be a practical option for spaces that experience regular use, where marks and scuffs are more likely.
However, the additional reflection has another effect: imperfections in the surface can become more visible.
Uneven plasterwork, previous repairs and small bumps may stand out more in silk than they would in matte.
It is therefore worth paying particular attention to surface preparation before painting.
Where does silk paint work best?
Silk can be a good option for busy family areas, hallways and other interior walls where an easy-to-clean finish is important.
It may also appeal if you prefer a brighter, more reflective appearance.
Just remember that increasing the sheen will not correct uneven walls. The condition of the surface matters.
Matte vs Eggshell Paint: Which Is Better for Walls?
This is one of the most common questions when choosing interior paint.
If your priority is a soft appearance with minimal light reflection, matte is likely to be your preferred finish.
If you want something with a little more lustre and greater resistance to everyday marks, eggshell may be the better choice.
For example, a bedroom used primarily for sleeping and relaxing might suit matte beautifully.
A family living room where people gather, children play and furniture is regularly moved may benefit from the easier maintenance of eggshell.
There is no need to choose the same finish throughout the house.
Eggshell vs Silk Paint: What Is the Difference?
Both finishes offer more sheen than matte, but the difference between them is quite noticeable.
Eggshell provides a gentle lustre, while silk produces a much more reflective surface.
Silk is generally easier to clean, but its greater sheen can make surface imperfections and touched-up areas more apparent.
If you are decorating an older house with less-than-perfect plasterwork, eggshell may be a more forgiving choice.
For newer, well-prepared walls in busy areas, silk may provide the practical finish you are looking for.
Which Paint Finish Should You Use in Each Room?
Bedrooms
Matte is an excellent starting point for bedrooms. Its subdued finish helps create a softer atmosphere, particularly with gentle neutrals, greens, blues and muted pinks.
Eggshell is also worth considering for a child's bedroom where easy maintenance may be more important.
Living rooms
Matte and eggshell are both strong choices.
Matte works particularly well for darker or more atmospheric schemes, while eggshell offers subtle light reflection and easier maintenance in a busy family living room.
Hallways and stairs
These are often among the hardest-working spaces in a home.
Eggshell or silk may be a practical option where walls experience frequent contact, particularly around doorways and narrow staircases.
Ceilings
Matte is generally the preferred choice if you want an understated ceiling that does not draw attention to small imperfections.
Taking the same matte colour across the walls and ceiling can also create a lovely continuous effect.
Kitchens and bathrooms
These rooms require an additional consideration: moisture.
Rather than selecting a standard wall finish based on sheen alone, look for a formulation specifically designed for the conditions.
Little Knights offers a separate Kitchen and Bathroom paint formulated to resist moisture and provide a durable, easy-to-clean finish.
When ordering, make sure you select the correct paint type for the surface and environment.
Does Paint Finish Affect How a Colour Looks?
Yes, and this is something worth considering before making your final choice.
A matte finish absorbs and scatters more of the light that falls on it, giving colour a softer, less reflective appearance.
Eggshell introduces a gentle lustre, while silk reflects more light and may make a colour appear brighter or more pronounced in certain conditions.
Natural daylight, artificial lighting and the direction a room faces will also influence how the finished colour looks.
A deep green in a north-facing room, for example, may appear quite different from the same green in a bright south-facing space.
This is why it helps to consider colour and finish together rather than as completely separate decisions.
What About Paint for Doors, Skirting Boards and Furniture?
Not every surface needs the same type of paint.
Little Knights has separate formulations for doors, skirting boards and trims, as well as cots and furniture.
Depending on the intended application, these offer finishes such as satin and gloss.
The key is to select the paint intended for your particular surface rather than assuming a wall paint will be suitable for everything.
Why Choose Little Knights Paint?
Little Knights is a British-made paint range with a thoughtful approach to both colour and formulation.
Its paint is water-based, 100% VOC-free, non-toxic and fume-free, offering an alternative to conventional paints for homeowners who want to consider what goes into their interiors as well as how they look.
There is also plenty of choice when it comes to colour, from soft whites and warm neutrals to atmospheric blues, earthy greens and richer reds.
Whether you prefer the understated appearance of matte, the subtle lustre of eggshell or the more reflective finish of silk, the range offers options for different rooms and decorating styles.
Explore the Little Knights paint collection at Mash + Mint.
Ready to Choose Your Paint?
Start with the room you are decorating.
Think about the condition of the walls, how much everyday wear they experience and whether you prefer a flat or more reflective appearance.
Then consider the colour.
If you are still deciding on a shade, our guide to choosing paint colours for every room is a useful place to begin.
And once you know what you want, our How Much Paint Do I Need? guide can help you work out how many litres to order.
Getting the finish right is a relatively small decision in the decorating process, but it can make a significant difference to how happy you are with the finished room.
