There's more to painting than picking the perfect colour. Give your space the finishing touch it deserves with our tasteful paint finishes. From durable, zero-shine matt to crisp, understated eggshell, to durable exterior finishes for painting outdoors.

Keep things smooth with tasteful matt paint, offering a paper-like, zero-shine finish to add some class to your chosen space

Eggshell-like finish falls between high-sheen gloss and paper-like matt, making it a safe bet for crisp, covetable walls. 

Choosing the right type of paint for your interior decor project can involve a fair few choices along the way. This includes the type of paint finish you choose and how well it can work across multiple surfaces.\n\nAt Lick, we’re huge fans of how well matt paint works for different surfaces. It’s highly versatile and offers a flawless finish on everything from fireplace surrounds to front doors.\n\nNot quite sure whether matt paint is the right choice for you? Learn why you should buy Lick’s durable matt paint and the many, many surfaces you can use it on.\nWhat is matt paint? \n \n\nFirst, you may be wondering what matt paint even is and the difference between the two most popular types of paint finishes: matt and eggshell. Here’s the lowdown: \n\nMatt: \nKnown for its durability and smooth texture, matt paint dries to a paper-like finish without any hint of gloss or shine. This means that it doesn’t reflect any light, making it the perfect choice to cover up imperfections. \n\nEggshell: \nEggshell paint\n offers a finish that is, quite literally, similar to the surface of an eggshell. Not as shiny as satin or gloss, and not as matt as matt paint, eggshell is somewhere in the middle. If you’re after a finish with a soft sheen that you can emphasise or tone down with lighting, eggshell offers the lowest lustre option before matt paint. Read more about our \neggshell paint range here\n.\nWhen should you use Lick matt paint?\n\nThanks to its durability and coverage, matt paint has been one of the most popular paint finishes for decades and you’ll often find that it’s the paint of choice in homes with traditional or classic decor.\n\nAs matt paints absorb light and offer a smooth finish, they’re the ideal choice for walls and surfaces with any imperfections. The light-absorbing qualities of matt paint help to reduce how visible the imperfections are.\nLick matt paint for kitchens\n\nWhen sprucing up the look of your kitchen, painting your cupboards is a great place to start. Get started with our step-by-step guide on \nhow to paint kitchen cupboards\n. \n\nOn a budget? Check out how \nKelly and Ben transformed their kitchen with just £40 using paint\n.

Lick matt paint for bathrooms\n\nWant to revive a tired-looking downstairs bathroom with freshly painted walls or cabinets? Learn \nhow to upcycle bathroom cabinets using leftover paint\n. Fancy bathroom \nwall panelling\n? Lick matt paint will do the job!

Lick matt paint for wooden cabinets and furniture \n\nWood is yet another surface that matt paint works beautifully on, and it’s a great way to \nupcycle furniture\n that could do with a bit of fresh life. Learn \nhow to upcycle your chest drawers using Lick paint\n and use matt paint to carry out the \nultimate IKEA Billy bookcase hack\n.

Lick matt paint for laminate cabinets\n\nWhen it comes to \npainting kitchen cupboards\n and bathroom cabinets, matt paint works equally as well on laminate surfaces as it does on wood. Find out more about \nupcycling bathroom cabinets with leftover paint\n.

Lick matt paint for fireplace surrounds\n\nPaint your fireplace surrounds to turn your fireplace into a focal design feature, even when it's not all lit up. Our matt paint will do the trick across wooden, brick and marble fireplaces. Learn more about \nthe steps to paint fireplace surrounds\n.

Lick matt paint for stairs\nCould your staircase do with a bit of a makeover? A tin of matt paint may be just what it needs. Get inspired by what \nHelen and Ben did with their staircase using Lick paint and a £60 budget\n.

Lick matt paint for radiators and metal surfaces\n\nA surface that tends to show imperfections over time, radiators and other metal surfaces are the perfect candidates for Lick matt paint. Follow our steps to \nprep and paint your radiator like a pro\n.

Lick matt paint for skirting boards and window frames\n\nMatt paint works a treat on oft-neglected nooks and crannies around your windows and floors. Here’s more on \nhow to paint skirting boards\n and \nhow to paint window frames\n.

Lick matt paint for MDF panelling\n\nAn affordable and easy way to make your walls look more interesting, wall panels can give any room a bit more depth, revive the decor, and help cover up uneven surfaces or walls that may require filling. Follow our easy step-by-step guide on \nhow to do DIY wall panelling\n.\n\nShop \nMDF suitable paint\n.

Lick matt paint for internal doors\n\nAlthough internal doors may not be the first place you think to start when decorating your home, painting them can add an instant pop of colour and fresh energy to any space. Learn how from our guide on \nhow to paint internal surfaces\n.

You’ve seen what matt paint can do and now it’s time for the fun part: choosing the colours. Explore our range of trendy \nmatt colours\n and prepare to kick off your next paint project.\n\n\nShop our designer paint colours\n

Although paint seems like a simple enough substance, choosing the right paint for your home decor project may turn out to be more of a complex decision than you thought. There are quite a few different types of paint to choose from, from different textures and bases to different finishes. And then, there’s primer. \nLet us simplify matters for you. Navigate the world of paint using our mini-guide to the most popular types of paint below. \n\nGloss \n
Gloss paint is, quite literally, glossy and reflective paint. It’s known for being durable and is usually oil-based. Choose from two levels of shine based on your particular gloss preferences: semi-gloss and high-gloss. Gloss paint suits woodwork and looks especially impressive in paler colours. It also contrasts nicely with more matt surfaces, so don’t be afraid to mix and match. \n(Tip: Make sure you’ve sanded down and smoothed away any bumps or before applying gloss paint to a surface - it tends to highlight imperfections.)\nCheck out our how to page for more information on \nhow to paint wood and other surfaces.\n\n\nDurable matt \n
Durable matt paint has a smooth texture and offers a paper-like finish that couldn’t be more different to glossy paint if it tried. The zero-shine finish doesn’t reflect an ounce of light, making it a good choice to cover up any imperfections. Like a classic style of decor? Opt for durable matt for your common living areas. \n\nEggshell paint finish\n
The clue is in the name with this one. An eggshell paint finish is similar to the surface of, well, an eggshell. It’s not as high sheen as satin or gloss, and not nearly as matt as durable matt. If you want crisp looking walls and a safe bet, grab yourself a few tins of eggshell \nwipeable paint\n. Eggshell makes for excellent kitchen, bathroom or \nskirting board paint\n. \nCheck out \nhow to paint skirting boards here\n.\n\nPrimer \n
\nWhat is primer paint\n? Primer is applied as the very first coat on a bare wall. Its primary purpose is to help the coloured paint coats stick to the surface, but it also helps hide any unsightly stains and results in an overall more professional finish. \n(Tip: We’ve carefully developed a self-priming range of paint to save you the hassle of the additional priming step. With Lick paint, you’ll only need a coat of primer on highly bare wood, metal or porous surfaces.)\nSheen\n
Sheen paint finish refers to the gloss level of the paint. Opt for higher sheen paints if you’d like your surfaces shiny. Different types of sheens include matt, eggshell and gloss. \n\nSatin \n
Satin is a paint finish with a medium sheen. It reflects a bit of light and is often used for wooden surfaces such as window frames and skirting boards. It’s quite effective at covering up imperfections if you’re dealing with a less-than-perfect surface. \n(Read our tips on \nhow to paint skirting boards\n)\n\nSilk\n
Another ‘mid-sheen’ finish, silk paint is also usually wipeable - making it a practical choice for busy households. It’s most often used on interior walls. Make sure you smooth away any bumpy bits before painting with a silk finish - it tends to highlight imperfections. \n\nMasonry paint \n
\nMasonry paint\n is most often used on the exterior surfaces of a property. It’s an acrylic-based paint that’s formulated for toughness and weather-resistance. Expect it to stick firmly on to even the roughest and most difficult surfaces. Explore our range of \nexterior and masonry paint colours\n.\nNow that you know the different types of paint, learn \nhow to paint a wall\n. Want to paint over some old wallpaper? Read our guide on \nhow to paint over wallpaper\n, or check out our advice on whether \nto paint or wallpaper,\n if you are unsure.

Pairing your wood colour with your walls may seem like a daunting task, but once you've decided what sort of look you're going for, it's pretty easy to figure out how your wood's natural tones coordinate with your overall interior design scheme.\nSo, whether you're \nstyling your room around a statement coffee table\n or wanting to maintain a \nneutral colour palette\n, your wall colour and wood choices should be paired carefully. That's why we thought we'd give you a helping hand and sit down with our Colour Specialist, Vanessa, to talk us through all things wood and paint pairings.\nJust like paint colours, woods have undertones. For example, lighter woods like oak, pine, and birch all have gentle yellow undertones that create a subtle warming effect, whilst ash has grey undertones and a cooling effect. You can balance a wood with warm undertones by using a cool paint colour or match your colour choices to the undertones for a cohesive look.\nThe best paint colours to pair with light woods\n\nJapandi-style\nIf you want to bring a sense of serenity into your home, then Japandi style is a great place to start. Inspired by nature, the \nJapandi interior style is\n all about embracing those natural embellishments. Unsure how to style the Japandi paint colours in your home?\nStained oak and wicker furnishings pair well with a soothing \nGreen 01\n or \nGreen 09\n and neutral \nBeige 02\n or \nBeige 03\n. If you're working with walnut, let the wood's natural grain shine through and pair with barely-there \nWhite 01\n or \nBeige 01\n. Or what about creating contrast in the kitchen by pairing light oak floors with \nBlack 02\n cabinets? 

Scandi-style\n \nIf you're wondering \nhow to bring some of that laidback Scandi-living into your home\n, start by pairing light woods like beech, ash, and even maple with neutral paint colours, like \nWhite 01\n or \nGrey 03\n. The key to succeeding at Scandi decor is to keep your woods untreated. Take a look at some of our recommendations on \nhow to create a Scandi-inspired living room\n or \nscandi kitchen\n design scheme.

Neutral colour palette \nIf you're going floor to ceiling neutral, woods like oak, pine, rattan and birch are all great choices. One of our favourite pairings, oak looks gorgeous with \nGreen 02\n and wonderful with \nWhite 03\n or \nBeige 02\n. The warmness of pine is balanced by cooler hues like \nBlue 02\n and \nGrey 03\n. Warm-up cooler woods like ash by pairing them with \nwhite paints\n with a hint of yellow, like \nWhite 05.\n 

Pink colour palette \nWe like to think of pink as a hug in a paint tin. Nurturing and warming, today it is shedding its girlish connotations. For softer \npink paints\n, like light \ngrey Pink 01\n, \ndusty Pink 02\n or \nPink 03\n, Vanessa recommends pairing with woods like birch or rattan and wicker. \n\nShop pink paint\n

Green colour palette \nYou won't find a more natural pairing than greens with wood. You can create a warming feel by using oak or rattan with \nGreen 02\n or dare to go dark and create some contrast by pairing deep, foliage-inspired hues like \nGreen 05\n and \nGreen 06\n with birch or wicker.\n\nShop green paint\n

Blue colour palette \nBlues work really well with mango wood for a tropically inspired choice. A stimulating colour, it's a great combination to think about in a living room, home office, or even kitchen. Pair it with \nBlue 04\n for a warm, vintage feel or \ndeep slate Blue 06\n or \nBlue 07\n to create some contrast. If you want to make a statement, \nBlue 111\n is a rich cobalt that stands out from the crowd. Plus, all proceeds go to NHS charities.\n\nShop blue paint\n

The best paint colours to pair with medium woods\nTeak and cherry wood are great examples of medium coloured woods as they both have warm, reddish undertones. Whilst teak is often used in boho or \nretro colour decor schemes\n, cherry wood was commonly used for \nmid-century modern interior furniture\n. Embrace those warm undertones; Vanessa recommends using combinations like \nRed 03\n, \nPink 02\n, and \nWhite 06\n or for an earthier palette, \nGreen 05\n and \nTaupe 01\n.

The best paint colours to pair with dark woods\nWhen it comes to dark woods, you can either decide to stay dark or create a contrast by pairing them with lighter colours. Mahogany, walnut, and chestnut all have black, rich undertones and are commonly found in home furnishings, antiques in particular.\nFor a dark and cocooning feel, Vanessa recommends rich hues like \nTeal 03\n and \nBlue 07\n, or if you want to go for a warmer, cosier vibe, \nRed 03\n. If, however, you're all about contrasting, try light and airy \nWhite 02\n, \nGreige 02\n or \nBeige 01\n. 

The best paint colours for all types of wood \nFor a go-to, goes-with-everything colour combination you could do a lot worse than our Timeless Neutrals collection. Designed in collaboration with Kelly Hoppen CBE, they are \na great anchor palette\n. Working with a neutral backdrop, they include warm and cool, light and dark neutrals, meaning there's a paint match in there for just about any type of wood. Warm \nBeige 04\n can work to balance cool ash wood or create contrast with dark mahogany. Whilst dark and moody \nGrey 10\n works well with warming oak.

We hope this helped you see the wood from the trees when it comes to the best paint colours to pair with types of wood. If you’re still a little lost, why not \nbook a virtual colour consultation\n with one of our colour specialists.

You asked, we listened. From today, you’ll be able to deck your walls (and anything else) in all your favourite Lick colours with an eggshell finish as well as matt. Yep, we got all your DM requests asking us when we’re expanding our range to include other \neggshell and other types of paint\n. And we’ve picked the \neggshell paint finish\n from the bunch to start, for all the reasons below.\n\nMore on our eggshell paint launch later. But first...\nWhat is eggshell paint? \n\nWhat is eggshell paint\n? Let’s start here. The main difference between matt paint and eggshell paint is the finish. An eggshell paint finish is noticeably glossy and, well, \nnot\nmatte. It has a slight sheen to it and is a bit more lustrous than matt paint. It’s reflective, but still super pigmented so you still get that pop of colour you’re after.\n\nLet’s be clear though, eggshell paint is not shiny, it’s sheen-y. The finish looks similar to (you guessed it) an egg surface. Head to your fridge to see what we mean.\nWhen should you use eggshell paint? \nLike our Matt paint, our Eggshell paint is super durable, so you can use it in rooms with lots of ‘traffic’ without worrying about any fading, staining, etc. This easy clean nature makes it a popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms. \n\nBut it’s not all about function - let’s talk looks. Eggshell paint has a soft sheen and you’re going to want to show that off, so it works well for main living areas. It’s also a nice finish to wake up to, if you want to add a touch of easy glam to your bedroom without much effort.\n\nEggshell paint for bathrooms\nEggshell is \nthe best paint for bathrooms\n if you want to keep your bathroom looking ‘fresh’ (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?). The main benefit of the finish for bathrooms is that the reflective sheen maintains its lustre, even after it’s been exposed to moisture or washed down multiple times. It's also perfect when you're painting areas that would come in direct contact with splashing water from e.g. the shower or sink splashback.

Eggshell paint for kitchens\nEggshell paint is very easy to clean, which makes it a popular choice for kitchens. Wipe off any grubby fingerprints or splodgy stains with the easy swipe of a wet sponge or cloth. The reflective nature is \njust\n reflective enough so light bounces off it, but it doesn’t enhance any imperfections. This also makes it perfect for smaller kitchens, as it can create the illusion of a little more space. Which means a bigger, brighter kitchen with just a few licks. 

Introducing Lick’s eggshell paint range\nOn that note: we’re very excited to tell you some more about Lick’s very own range of eggshell paints. From today, you can get a range of our most popular colours in an eggshell finish. Just pick your colour and select between matt and eggshell when you’re adding to cart. \nearn more about \nwhat eggshell finish is\n and what other types of finishes you can explore.\nOr...\nBrowse through our \npaint colours\n and order your eggshell paint(s) today.

Paint finishes

Shop paint

UPVC paint

Wood paint

Concrete paint

Metal paint

Laminate paint

Matt paint

Eggshell finish

You might also like

MDF paint

Paint samples

Dining room paint

Kitchen paint

Bathroom paint

Hallway paint

Kids bedroom & nursery paint

Bedroom paint

Home office & study paint

Living room paint