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What Is the Best Paint for Interior Walls?

best paint for interior walls What Is the Best Paint for Interior Walls?

We'll take a closer look at the sheen options for your interior paint project, but first, let's talk brands. You really do get what you pay for!

While ultra-premium, expensive paints might not be necessary for your specific goals, we do recommend that you invest in a quality paint manufacturer. You need a durable finish - something that will look fantastic but also stand up to the traffic, bumps, and scrapes of everyday life. Cheap paint is made with cheaper ingredients, and that translates to poor coverage, poor color retention, and a shorter lifespan.

In the long-run, working with better paint brands will actually save you money, making it well worth the investment.

High-Quality Paint for Walls and Ceilings

best paint for interior walls What Is the Best Paint for Interior Walls?

So, what do we use here at MB Jessee Painting?

When it comes to painting ceilings and walls, Kelly Moore AcryPlex is one of our go-to choices. For ceilings specifically, we use AcryPlex 550: it's a premium latex paint that leaves a flat, high-end finish, but applies easily and can be touched up as needed down the road.

In general, here are a few more reasons why we like AcryPlex interior paint so much:

  • 100% acrylic, low-VOC paint formula (this means little-to-no odor or fumes!)
  • Self-priming
  • Beautiful finish with excellent coverage
  • Durable enough for your home's busiest spaces
  • Available in a variety of finishes, including a satin finish, flat finish, eggshell finish, and semi-gloss finish too

How To Choose the Best Paint Finish

High-gloss paint, semi-gloss paint, satin paints, matte finishes... There are a lot of types of paint finishes, and the options can get confusing!

It used to be you could narrow the options by your performance requirements: flat paints were less durable, but higher-gloss paints were MORE durable. You could pick and choose accordingly, using flatter paint on your ceilings, and high-gloss paint on trim, doors, and maybe cabinets.

Thanks to ongoing paint formula improvements, the sheen doesn't matter as much as it once did. It really comes down to the style you prefer.

Bonus Tip:

What is the best paint to use on kitchen cabinets? What Is the Best Paint for Interior Walls?

Interested in finding the best paint to use on kitchen cabinets? We've dedicate a whole article to the topic right here, and shared a few specific examples of paint products we really like to use.

Popular Flat and Matte Paint Sheen for Walls

The classic Eggshell paint finish used to be the go-to choice, as a happy medium between flat paint and glossy finishes, but it's been edged out by a new contender.

Matte paint, with virtually no shine, is one of our most popular options here in Oakland and the Bay Area. Specifically, DuraPoxy Matte from Kelly-Moore.

The beauty of this product is that it offers all the benefits of a flat paint sheen, like hiding surface imperfections, but it's plenty durable for high-traffic areas. It really offers you the best of both worlds. And even if your surfaces are in perfect condition, you might just prefer the shine-free look over a semi-gloss sheen. The sleek, modern aesthetic is easy to love, that's for sure.

It's a great long-term choice too, with excellent hide capabilities and easy touch-ups. As you work through your options for sheen levels, this is definitely a great one to keep in mind.

Need Help Picking the Best Interior Paint?

Give us a call at MB Jessee Painting! We'd love to help you walk through your options, and provide paint samples to help you make the right choice for your home. We've been a San Francisco Bay Area painting company for over 25 years, and know what works!

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Customer Reviews

“I just wanted to send you an email to say that John did such a great job over here today. He is truly a hard worker. He has the perfect balance of friendliness, honesty, and professionalism. I trust him. He takes the time to do the job to the best of his ability and that is what sets him (and your company) apart from the competition. He didn't make me feel rushed. He really made me feel like our job was the most important thing in the world. Thanks again!”

— Jo
Oakland

“In all the years I've worked with MB Jessee, I'm always so impressed by your crews. They are so respectful of everything--you never even know they're there! Except that the paint looks amazing when they're gone. We've had one showing of our home and already have an offer. I'm sure it is because the paint looks so beautiful.”

— Erin T.
Pleasant Hill

“The people at M.B. Jessee are great – from the painters to the office staff to Matt. Talk about leadership from the top.”

— Kevin Ames, Mark Becker Homes

“In September, MBJessee finished painting two sides of our 3-story condominium building (six owners). We were impressed by the professionalism of the company and every one of its workers, Matt Jessee couldn't have been more helpful in planning the project. His painters were well-trained, easy to communicate with and eager to please. In addition to painting the stucco, they made extensive repairs on windows and frames, which will save us considerable money in the future. They finished earlier than anticipated, with as many as five men working on the job, and the scaffolding came down the next day. All of us were delighted with the results. Now my husband and I are looking forward to having MB Jessee paint our own apartment later this month. Matt and Gustavo (who will be our crew leader again) have explained how they will work to make the painting proceed smoothly while we're living here, and they have been endlessly patient with our protracted decision-making process. If you look at their website, you'll learn that MB Jessee is an exemplary company that takes good care of its workers as well as its customers, and contributes public service projects to the community. All in all, we can't recommend MB Jessee highly enough.”

— Jayne W.
San Francisco, CA

“I want to express my thanks for a job well done. The rooms look great and there is no problem with any marks on the all the trim, floor, carpet, etc. The paint job is lovely. I also want to express my thanks for the level of professionalism the foreman showed in running the job. He was very attentive to any changes I needed to make, was extremely careful in getting the faux paint color and effect correct. Thanks so much for a job well done.”

— Suzan D’Arcy

“Richard and crew have been great, for sure. As much as I look forward to having the job done and my house back in order, I really enjoyed having them around. You should feel really good about how they represent your company.”

— Jessica Dodson

“Just wanted to let you know that the crew was great to have around the house for the past two weeks. All three of them were professional, courteous, and attentive to my thoughts/concerns and were extremely knowledgeable. They paid great attention to the detail and it shows.”

— Mark & Roberta Gross

“Today I received a beautiful bouquet from your company. It was totally unexpected and very much appreciated--a lovely surprise. Also today, your crew finished my job. I am so pleased with all their fine work. Richard is absolutely amazing and a total delight to work with. He was also extremely helpful during the paint color process. The interior work in my home far exceeded my expectations. A big thank you to you and the crew for an outstanding job. Thank you, thank you for a terrific job!”

— Barbara
Piedmont

“MB Jessee just finished our exterior and we couldn't be happier with our experience. The foreman (Pedro) and lead painter (Ricardo) were incredible to work with: they communicated scheduling clearly, Ricardo was a joy to be around every day, the showed up early every day, were incredibly tidy and did great paint work. The final walkthrough experience was incredible. Pedro pointed out items I missed demonstrating a clear desire to complete another quality project. I highly recommend them. As others have noted they definitely aren't the cheapest but you quickly realize that you're getting what you pay for. The 3-year guarantee is also a nice touch since there are likely touch-up items that will show up after the job is done.”

— Joshua J.
Oakland, CA

“Our paint crew did a great job and the foreman, Gersson was exceptionally great to work with. He was always available to answer questions, good at problem-solving, very patient, kind, and highly professional with great customer service. We definitely recommend this company, and Gersson and his crew.”

— Andrea Y.
Berkeley, CA

“I highly recommend MB Jesse Painting to anyone looking for a professional team that does an impressive job. They are on time, efficient and clean up well each and every day they are on site. They pay attention to detail and listen to the needs of their clients. In addition, they give back to the community. A Five Star team all the way around.”

— Erin Troy

“Matt, Julie & Ricardo, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank the three of you for the wonderful job you did in hosting the SFBA NARI Chapter Meeting on Wednesday evening. Everything was perfect from beginning to end. Members and guests alike walked away with a truly positive experience. The "painter for a day" and the cookies in the paint cans were an absolute brilliant touch and received rave reviews. What a wonderful way to do such positive marketing. Thanks again for a truly memorable experience for our members and guests. You are valued as a NARI member.”

— Judy Tufo, SFBA NARI Executive Director