Matte (hide imperfections) or Satin (washability) on Stairwell Walls?

last year

We have undertaken the massive job of drywalling over the old plaster walls in our enclosed stairway as they were in bad shape and with old lead paint underneath wallpaper we didn’t want to tear them out completely. Due to the age of the house, the imperfect underlying walls, and the tight difficult area to work it, the walls are just not perfect. There are places where there is bowing, where sanding was difficult, etc. I’m picking up paint today at Sherwin-Williams and am torn between doing a satin for washability, as this is a stairway wall and everyone loves to drag their hands down the wall when coming down (yes, there is a handrail) or a matte to the imperfections better.

Personally, I prefer a matte finish. It’s what I’ve used in all our bedrooms and I love how it looks, but the walls by my kids bed are dirty and I really can’t wash the dirt off. Full disclosure, I wasn’t doing it weekly, and maybe doing it regularly would make the difference. Also, I checked and these paints were the Cashmere line, so maybe Emerald or Duration would have been better.

I’ve chosen the SW Rainwashed color, which looks pretty dark in the stairway as there is almost no natural light coming in, but what does hits from the side. Which means I really am seeing the imperfections from the sheen in the test areas I painted. Perhaps dirt would also be less noticable than it is on the brighter colors in the kids' rooms.

Any thoughts or other considerations? What would you lean towards in this situation? Hiding (lots of) imperfections or washability? I’m trying to think if I’ve even painted with a satin before. I probably painted my kitchen walls in satin, SW First Star, and they came out nice, not sure they seem a ton more washable, I recently had to do a paint touch-up on the section next to the door as it noticeably dirtier and washing didn’t seem to so much. It’s a very light color though.

A picture of the bottom of the stairwell with a sample of the rainwashed.

Featured Answer

happy2b…gw

last year

Instead of satin, try eggshell. No shine but more washable than flat.

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Comments (11)

Forever Now
Original Author
last year
Ah, SW Durant have eggshell. Just matte.
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cat_ky
last year
SW does make eggshell. I dont know if they have it in all their lines, but, Showcase line has eggshell finish. I would never put matte in a stairwell, if I have kids, and since satin will show everything, eggshell finish is a much better option for you.
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Kendrah
last year
Farrow and Ball Dead Flat. Yes, it will be more expensive but how many gallons do you need for one hallway? It is totally worth the price.

A the name says, it is flat as a pancake to hide your imperfections, and man is it washable. More so than my Ben Moore eggshell.

I used it in a guest suite that has a long hallway and will be banged up by suitcases, dirty hands, and well, my husband just has a way with making his mark on a wall. It wipes up so easily. I love it. I live in a prewar apartment with old, out of line walls, with lots of cracks and imperfections and it is now my go to paint.
Forever Now
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Thanks all. Unfortunately, I live in a small town and Farrow and Ball paint is not an option. My Sherwin-Williams didn't have Showcase as an option either. Their matte is a step up from flat though.

I hemmed and hawed for a bit, but finally decided on Matte. I double-checked and my kitchen wall finish is satin, but it never has the reflection I saw on just the spots I'd painted test samples on, so I figure it must be the overhead lighting. So, as well as seeing the wall imperfections I was worried about flashing. It will be a challenging space to paint. Tight confines, thin high sections of wall, don't fall down the stairs... It was hard to primer and I wasn't worried about how the primer looked. I asked the salesman there which would touch up better and he said matte, so I let that be the deciding factor.

I guess I'll look up some tips for keeping matte walls clean!
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elcieg
last year
last modified: last year
Love what I see. Rainwashed works beautifully with the wallpaper. Is the house Craftsman?

I would paint the walls matte to hide imperfections. To address the "no natural light", look into something like this:

https://www.wikihow.com/Light-a-Stairway-Without-an-Electrical-Outlet

For extra tips:

https://www.stair-rodsdirect.co.uk/blog/narrow-staircase-decorating-ideas/

Doing a job for a client and started with bedrooms. I found, at Home Goods, William Morris bedding. Euro pillows have contrast welting, looks custom made, and, there is a coordinate quilt. Score!

You can wash matte:

Premium flat finishes like Duration Home® Interior Acrylic Latex Paint or Emerald® Interior Acrylic Latex Paint are very washable.
Forever Now thanked elcieg
chispa
last year
Never had a problem cleaning BM Aura matte in my staircase with kids and dogs. If you have leftover paint from the same paint job, it also can be touched up really well.
Forever Now thanked chispa
debrak6
last year
I agree with chispa...Benjamin Moore Aura matte hides imperfections and is extremely washable and touches up without showing. By washable, I mean *really* washing areas of the hallway and corners after retrievers have rubbed against the walls for a while. :-) It cleans up great and doesn't show marks.
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Forever Now thanked debrak6
Forever Now
Original Author
last year
@elcieg The house isn't officially a craftsman but has a lot of craftsman elements, like the wood trim, and we've leaned into it with our updates and decorating. Thanks for the lighting tips! I'd love a motion sensor light in there, that would be perfect. I'll check out the decorating tips. I have considered that if I put some art on the wall opposite the handrail, people might be less likely to run their hands down the side as they come down.

chispa and @debrak6 I appreciate the assurance that I'll be able to wash it. I think I'll just try to make a habit of checking and cleaning it regularly so the dirt doesn't set in. I could see not noticing for a long time otherwise because it is dark in there, and it's not like you spend a lot of time looking at the walls when you're running up and down.
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debrak6
last year
Just to be clear, I have no idea about how Sherwin Williams paints wash and touchup; many consider BM to be better paint and the Aura line is its own different formula.
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Forever Now thanked debrak6
Forever Now
Original Author
last year
Got it! i can get BM around here. I’ve used it on trim and and doors in my kitchen, but I have to purchase through the local Ace and have just had too many bad experiences and unknowledgable people. i finally just decided to stick with SW. I’ve generally had good luck and a consistent experience with their service and paint.
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