Painting your home can be a fun, creative and enjoyable process — especially if you’re really into interior design.
And when deciding on what direction you want a certain room to go, choosing your paint color can be one of the most important decisions you’ll make. With so many shades (and multitudes of shades within the same color family) it can be a head-spinning task. Add in choosing a paint finish, and you’ve got your work cut out for you.
However, one new paint finish on the market may help take the guesswork out of that last step. The “dead flat” paint finish recently introduced by the paint and wallpaper company Farrow & Ball is a no-brainer for those who like their paint richly hued, dramatic and bold.
The formula, which has been five years in the making, provides what’s called an extra-matte finish. Paints typically come in finishes ranging from high-gloss to semi-gloss all the way down to flat or matte. Glossy finishes are shinier and enhance color, while mattes are considered more subtle and understated.
However, this finish from Farrow & Ball takes matte to a new level, providing users with a highly-saturated color payoff.
“Dead Flat is a unique combination of truly fantastic features: it’s matte, durable, and multi-surface. The super matte quality has the incredible effect of making our colors look even richer, especially the darker shades,” said Farrow & Ball’s Creative Director Charlotte Cosby in a press release, as reported by Sunset.
Not only is the color bold but the paint is also designed to be durable, resistant to scuffing and easily washable, making it great for families with children.
The reason the color payoff is so high with matte finishes is because of a 2% sheen. This means there is less light bouncing off the paint, and the eyes are able to take in more color. This effect also minimizes imperfections.
Pat McDonnell Paints in Ireland recommends using Farrow & Ball’s dead flat finish for “color drenching,” in which you paint an entire space in one color to create a design statement. The company’s blog says the low reflection level makes the paint good for covering uneven surfaces.
Farrow & Ball isn’t the only brand that offers super flat finishes. Other brands, including Benjamin Moore, have finishes that are Ultra Flat and designed for a “virtually flawless” finish.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
