How To
Find your finish
Colour sets the mood; the finish decides the texture, the light and the resilience. Here's how to choose the right one, surface by surface.
Find my finishStart here
What is a finish?
The finish is the texture of colour. The very same shade can be chalky and soft, gently satin, or lacquered like a piano: what changes is its sheen level - the share of light the surface reflects.
And the choice is far from cosmetic. Sheen also governs a paint's resilience - to washing, moisture and everyday knocks - and whether it hides or highlights the flaws of the surface beneath. Choosing well means matching the look you love to the life the surface will lead.
The sheen scale
From dead matt to mirror gloss
Our finishes run from the deepest matt to a high shine. Remember the rule: as sheen rises, so do durability and washability - and so does the standard of preparation the surface demands.
Marble Matt Emulsion
Very matt
Multi-Surface Dead Matt
≈ 5% sheen
Multi-Surface Eggshell
≈ 15% sheen
Multi-Surface Satin
Mid-sheen
Multi-Surface Gloss
High shine
Masonry Paint sits at the matt end of the scale, Decorative Floor Satin at the satin end. Percentages are light-reflection guide values, as given on the product sheets.
Your turn
Which finish for your project?
Tell us what you're painting and the look you're after: we'll point you to the finish - or finishes - made for it.
You're painting…
You're dreaming of a…
Pick a surface to get your recommendation.
That look isn't available for this surface - here's what we recommend instead.
The range
Our seven finishes, one by one
The range falls into two families: emulsions, made for walls, and multi-surface paints that move from woodwork to metal without changing tin - plus two specialists, for floors and facades. Each has its own character.
01 · Walls & ceilings
Marble Matt Emulsion
Pigment-rich depth with a velvet-matt soul
Our signature wall finish. Formulated with crushed Carrara marble, Marble Matt Emulsion dresses walls and ceilings in a mineral matt, soft as limestone, that drinks in the light and gives Mylands shades their full depth. It is the finish for living rooms, bedrooms and hallways - the one you choose when the colour has to live.
Its breathable surface scrubs clean without burnishing - Class 1 wet-scrub resistance, the highest rating - and its coverage of 15 m² per litre is among the best on the market. Older walls love it: matt softens the small imperfections a satin would pick out.
Ideal for
Interior walls and ceilings, from the living room to the bathroom
Its strengths
- A deep matt that flatters the pigments and forgives the wall's flaws
- Class 1 washable: everyday marks wipe away with a sponge
- Up to 15 m² per litre, breathable, happy on plaster and lime
Worth knowing
- For interior walls and ceilings only - not woodwork or metal
- On constantly handled areas (skirtings, doors), choose a multi-surface finish
- Sheen
- Very matt
- Surfaces
- Interior walls & ceilings
- Rooms
- Every room, ventilated bathrooms included
- Care
- Washable (Class 1)
- Coverage
- Up to 15 m²/L
02 · Colour drenching
Multi-Surface Dead Matt
An ultra-flat, sophisticated heritage finish
Absolute matt, everywhere. At barely 5% sheen, Multi-Surface Dead Matt switches off reflections and unifies everything it touches: walls, ceilings, woodwork, radiators, furniture. It is the colour-drenching finish - a whole room wrapped in a single shade, with no break between wall and door.
Multi-surface and happy indoors or out, it offers the charm of an old-fashioned paint with the toughness of a modern, washable formula. A rare character: few ranges dare a matt this deep on woodwork.
Ideal for
Colour drenching: walls, woodwork, radiators and furniture in one shade
Its strengths
- One tin for walls, woodwork and metal: seamless colour drenching
- A deep matt (≈ 5%) that hides the flaws of the surface beneath
- Interior and exterior, and washable despite the matt
Worth knowing
- Not moisture-resistant: in a hard-working bathroom, choose Eggshell instead
- Not for floors - that's what Decorative Floor Satin is for
- Sheen
- ≈ 5%
- Surfaces
- Walls, wood, metal - int. & ext.
- Rooms
- Living spaces, studies, bedrooms
- Care
- Washable
- Coverage
- ≈ 12 m²/L
03 · Wet rooms & woodwork
Multi-Surface Eggshell
Luminous low sheen, effortless elegance
The decorators' favourite all-rounder. At 15% sheen, Eggshell catches just enough light: enough to bring woodwork and walls alive, never enough to tip into gloss. It is the exact balance between the softness of matt and the resilience of satin.
Moisture-resistant, it is at home in kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms, on walls as much as joinery, indoors and out. If you're hesitating over woodwork, it is almost always the answer.
Ideal for
Kitchens, bathrooms, interior and exterior woodwork
Its strengths
- Moisture-resistant: ideal for kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms
- A discreet low sheen that stays elegant, even across large surfaces
- Multi-surface, interior and exterior, thoroughly washable day to day
Worth knowing
- Its gentle play of light shows the preparation a little more than matt does
- For a true matt on woodwork, look at Dead Matt instead
- Sheen
- ≈ 15%
- Surfaces
- Walls, wood, metal - int. & ext.
- Rooms
- Kitchen, bathroom, utility room
- Care
- Very washable · moisture-proof
- Coverage
- ≈ 12 m²/L
04 · Joinery & details
Multi-Surface Satin
A lustrous, silk-spun finish for refined details
The satin that underlines. A true mid-sheen, Multi-Surface Satin draws a silky light across everything it dresses: doors, skirtings, windows, banisters, metalwork. On an architectural detail it works like a pencil line - it draws.
It is also the hardest-working interior finish short of gloss: repeated washing, everyday knocks, the steam of kitchens and bathrooms - it takes it all without dulling.
Ideal for
Woodwork, doors, skirtings, metal - and demanding wet rooms
Its strengths
- Very hard-wearing: perfect for busy joinery
- Moisture-resistant - kitchens and bathrooms
- Its silky light flatters mouldings and details
Worth knowing
- Mid-sheen demands careful preparation: it reveals flaws
- On large walls it can reflect more than you'd like - think of it for the details
- Sheen
- Mid-sheen
- Surfaces
- Wood & metal, walls - int./ext.
- Rooms
- Kitchen, bathroom, hallways
- Care
- Very washable · moisture-proof
- Coverage
- ≈ 12 m²/L
05 · The statement
Multi-Surface Gloss
High-glamour brilliance with enduring strength
The statement finish. Deep as a mirror, Multi-Surface Gloss turns a front door, a radiator or a gate into a centrepiece. The higher the shine, the more the colour reads as lacquered - almost liquid.
It is also our most durable finish - against the weather, knocks and washing. An English classic, the lacquered front door, that demands flawless preparation in return: gloss forgives nothing.
Ideal for
Front doors, radiators, metalwork, exterior woodwork
Its strengths
- Our most durable finish, indoors and out
- A mirror shine that gives colour a lacquered depth
- Wipes clean in one pass, untroubled by splashes
Worth knowing
- Reveals every flaw: immaculate sanding and priming are non-negotiable
- Demanding to apply - work fast, in thin coats, to avoid lap marks
- Sheen
- High shine
- Surfaces
- Wood & metal - int. & ext.
- Rooms
- Doors, radiators, exteriors
- Care
- The most durable
- Coverage
- ≈ 12 m²/L
06 · Floors & stairs
Decorative Floor Satin
Master-crafted durability for floors that live
Made to be walked on. Floorboards, parquet, staircases: Decorative Floor Satin lays down an elegant satin backed by industrial-grade resilience. Constant footfall, dragged chairs, dogs' paws - it is formulated for exactly that.
It turns a tired floor into a decorative surface in its own right: a chequerboard hallway, a two-tone staircase, a Scandinavian bedroom. Note that it is not suitable for concrete floors.
Ideal for
Interior wooden floors and staircases
Its strengths
- Industrial-grade resistance to foot traffic
- Just the right satin: decorative, easy to live with, easy to wash
- Ideal for reinventing old floorboards and staircases
Worth knowing
- Not suitable for concrete floors
- Preparation and primer are essential; respect drying times before moving furniture back
- Sheen
- Mid-sheen
- Surfaces
- Interior wooden floors & stairs
- Rooms
- Hallways, corridors, bedrooms, stairs
- Care
- Heavy traffic
- Coverage
- ≈ 12 m²/L
07 · Facades
Masonry Paint
Elemental protection with a timeless aesthetic
The house's breathable armour. Rain, frost, UV: Masonry Paint protects render, brick and concrete with a breathable formula that lets the masonry release its moisture, reinforced with anti-mould protection.
Its premium mineral matt dresses a facade like a country house - and never glares in the sun. It cannot be applied over limewash or lime-based renders.
Ideal for
Exterior walls: render, brick, concrete
Its strengths
- Breathable: the masonry keeps releasing its moisture
- Stands up to weather, cracking and mould
- A mineral matt that keeps its dignity in full sun
Worth knowing
- Exterior use only
- Not suitable over lime (limewash and lime-based renders)
- Sheen
- Very matt
- Surfaces
- Render, brick, concrete
- Rooms
- Facades & exterior walls
- Care
- All-weather & anti-mould
- Coverage
- Varies with the substrate
At a glance
The seven finishes, side by side
Sheen, surfaces, rooms: the essentials of the range, one line per finish.
| Finish | Sheen | Surfaces | Ideal for | Moisture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marble Matt Emulsion | Very matt | Interior walls & ceilings | Every room, ventilated bathrooms included | No * |
| Multi-Surface Dead Matt | ≈ 5% | Walls, wood, metal - int. & ext. | Living spaces, studies, bedrooms | No |
| Multi-Surface Eggshell | ≈ 15% | Walls, wood, metal - int. & ext. | Kitchen, bathroom, utility room | Yes |
| Multi-Surface Satin | Mid-sheen | Wood & metal, walls - int./ext. | Kitchen, bathroom, hallways | Yes |
| Multi-Surface Gloss | High shine | Wood & metal - int. & ext. | Doors, radiators, exteriors | Yes |
| Decorative Floor Satin | Mid-sheen | Interior wooden floors & stairs | Hallways, corridors, bedrooms, stairs | Yes |
| Masonry Paint | Very matt | Render, brick, concrete | Facades & exterior walls | Yes |
* Marble Matt Emulsion is happy in well-ventilated bathrooms; for direct splash zones, choose Eggshell or Satin.
Before the colour
Primer: the foundation of every finish
No finish can rescue a poorly prepared surface. On new, porous, dark or repaired substrates, primer seals the background, evens out absorption and gives the colour its grip - and it often saves an entire finishing coat.
Allow roughly 0.5 L of primer for every 1 L of paint: Wall Primer under the emulsions, Multi-Surface Primer under the wood, metal and floor finishes.
Our advice
Before you choose
Matt forgives, gloss reveals
As sheen rises, light skims across the surface and picks out every flaw. Older or uneven walls: stay at the matt end of the scale, or prepare the surface like a cabinetmaker would.
Test the finish, not just the colour
The same shade reads deeper in matt, lighter and livelier in gloss. Paint your sample in the finish you intend to use and watch it morning and evening, in the room's own light.
Think use before looks
A children's hallway, a kitchen, a stairwell: choose the resilience first - washability, moisture - then the look. A well-chosen finish ages better than the loveliest colour badly placed.
Dare to colour-drench
Walls, skirtings, door and radiator in one matt shade: Multi-Surface Dead Matt is made for these envelopes of colour that calm a room and make it feel larger.
Frequently asked questions
Which finish for a bathroom or kitchen?
On walls exposed to splashes and steam, choose a moisture-resistant finish: Eggshell or Satin. Marble Matt Emulsion is fine in well-ventilated bathrooms, away from direct splash zones. For kitchen cabinets and woodwork, Eggshell or Satin again.
Does the same colour change with the finish?
Yes, noticeably. Matt absorbs light: the shade reads deeper and softer. Gloss reflects it: the same colour looks lighter, livelier, almost lacquered. Which is why it pays to test your sample in the finish you'll actually use before ordering your litres.
Can I paint radiators and metal directly?
Yes: all our multi-surface finishes - Dead Matt, Eggshell, Satin, Gloss - go onto metal and radiators, with Multi-Surface Primer as the first coat. Paint the radiator cold, and switch the heating back on only once fully dry.
Is matt fragile in everyday life?
Not any more. Our matt wall finishes achieve Class 1 wet-scrub resistance (EN 13300), the highest rating: fingerprints and splashes sponge away without burnishing the surface. Matt is no longer reserved for quiet rooms.
Do I really need a primer?
On a new, porous, dark or repaired surface, yes: it guarantees adhesion, evens out the background and often saves a whole finishing coat. Allow 0.5 L of primer per 1 L of paint. On a sound surface already painted in a similar shade, it can be optional.
“Choose the colour with your heart and the finish with your head: it is their agreement that makes a beautiful room.”
