Choosing a Paint Sheen For Your Project
01/05/2009 12:37 PM by Gretchen Schauffler

So for starters, know that Devine paint will stick to the wall, stay on the wall, and protect the wall. That is a given. All of our paint finishes are washable, some are more scrubbable than others, and all have great touch-up ability! To help you understand the purpose of paint sheens, and help you decide on which Devine Color paint sheen is the best for your paint project, let me indulge you first with a little background.

Paint products are made with male “determination”— define the problem and fix the problem. I call this the “practical” aspect of making paint and for a long time it was as easy as Flat, Satin, and Semi-Gloss. Paint companies produce paint products with durability in mind. They create products for the way we live—high moisture areas, high traffic areas, low traffic areas and so on. What makes paint durable is the coating. The harder the coating, the more durable the paint. Their job is to make paint to stick to a wall, stay on a wall, and protect the wall. To me that was only half of the equation.

There was another problem to solve. Paint comes in colors. Not just a few, but several hundred colors. When we buy paint, we buy a color—whether we want it or not. Compounded with the fact that we all have strong opinions about color, I call this the “impractical” aspect of making paint. While problems on the practical side of making paint were being solved, the profound beautiful color quality found in nature, fine fabrics, and art was missing from wall color. I asked myself why not make wall color more beautiful through good-looking paint? “Female determination” got involved when Devine Color came along in 2001. When choosing one of our paint finishes for your paint project, line up your style, fabrics, and prized possessions with one of our good-looking sheens—as you would fabrics. No one wants to be wearing a cotton dress to a formal event or a satin pant-suit to the grocery store.

Because I believe that painted walls are the largest DECOR SURFACE in your home and therefore wall color has the largest impact on the overall feel and look of your home, our Paint Finishes are developed to have a “Design Purpose” and a “Practical Use”. So for starters, know that Devine paint will stick to the wall, stay on the wall, and protect the wall. That is a given. All of our paint finishes are washable, some are more scrubbable than others, and all have great touch-up ability!


Devine Powder Wall Finish™: Our version of MATTE

Design Purpose:
The Powder Wall Sheen makes color look ‘powdery’ and soft like Suede. Goes great with vintage, old-world, and traditional styles. It expands on soft, rustic, pastoral, rural, and nostalgic textures. It’s matte suede-like feel to the touch makes it irresistible and it makes the color look so dense, you wont know where the wall surface begins and ends. Perfect for conversation areas, sleeping quarters, and small powder rooms (no pun intended).

Practical Use:
It absorbs light and therefore hides wall imperfections. Color looks deeper as a result of light absorption. Washes easily with warm water and dish soap.VOC: less than 50gm per liter. Sheen: From 0 (dead flat) to 100 (full Shine) standing straight in front of the wall color, Devine Powder’s reflective quality will be a 2, to a 6 at a 60 º angle…


Devine Delicate Wall Finish™: Our #1 version of EGGSHELL

Design Purpose:
Delicate Wall sheen goes with every design style, from sharp leather to well-worn velvets. The translucent finish gives paint color the light ethereal feel of Chiffon. Delicate gently plays with light across painted walls—giving them an inner glow that impersonates luxury silk. Appealing to all dreamy bedrooms, charming great rooms, as well as the hustle and bustle of galley or state of the art kitchens, this finish can even take on the vigorous activity of mud rooms, hallways, and full bathrooms. This sheen is smooth and easy on the eyes.

Practical Use:
It disperses light evenly across walls making color feel lighter. Enhances light in any room. Great as an undercoat for glazing and faux-finishes. Washability: Warm water and dish soap. VOCs: Less than 50gm per liter.
Sheen: From 0 (dead flat) to 100 (full Shine) standing straight in front of the wall color, Devine Powder’s reflective quality will be a 5, to an 18 at a 60 º angle…


devinegreen: Breathable Wall Finish™: Our #2 version
of EGGSHELL

Design Purpose:
Breathable Wall sheen duplicates the flexibility and possibilities of Delicate Wall in a “99.9% VOC FREE finish to meet the needs of ‘Green-Sustainable’ design. The number generally accepted for a low-VOC paint is less than 50 grams per liter; a zero-VOC paint has fewer than 5 grams per liter. (All Devine Color products are less than 50 and devinegreen is only 1.4. grams per liter) Breathable mirrors the great design qualities of Delicate. It is a smidge more matte than Delicate, and therefore less lustrous.

Practical Use:
We consider Breathable the “non-fat yogurt” in our line. It also disperses light evenly across walls making color feel lighter and enhances light in any room. Great as an undercoat for glazing and faux-finishes. Washability: Warm water and dish soap. VOCs: Less than 1.4 gm per liter.
Sheen: From 0 (dead flat) to 100 (full Shine) standing straight in front of the wall color, Devine Powder’s reflective quality will be a 5, to an 12 at a 60 º angle…


Devine Luscious Wall Finish™: Our version of SATIN

Design Purpose:
Luscious Wall sheen makes color look ‘slick’ and shiny like a satin stripe. Perfect for Art Deco, glamorous contemporary, and crystalline spaces. High shine makes for high drama.

Practical Use:
It highly reflects light. Great for working spaces such as craft rooms, and laundry rooms. Good moisture barrier for bathrooms with high moisture.Wonderful undercoat for metallic paint glazes. Washability: warm water and dish soap
VOCs: less than 50gm per liter. Sheen: From 0 (dead flat) to 100 (full Shine) standing straight in front of the wall color, Devine Powder’s reflective quality will be a 30, to a 35 at a 60 º angle…

The wonderful thing about our paint is that it can make the largest impact in your home with little financial investment. Read what customers have to say about our products Customer Reviews…. These personal endorsements speak loud and clear about Devine Color and the kind of paint quality it delivers for every occasion.

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