My good friends at Dunn Edwards Paint Company have put together a very good guide for homeowners to assist them in selecting the correct sheen or gloss level for their home. Here is an example from that guide: The gloss level specified for a paint project can have a significant impact on both appearance and serviceablity. For example, increasing gloss improves resistance properties of paints (scrub resistance, stain resistance, moisture resistance,etc.). However, higher gloss levels tend to highlight defects and imperfections on a surface. The gloss level also affects color perception. The same color with a different gloss will appear as a different color. A color in a higher gloss level will appear brighter and richer than the same color in a lower gloss level. This difference becomes even more pronounced when the comparison is made between a high gloss paint and a flat paint. If you need further assistance, please contact a painting expert at ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING.