Now days do painters still use

[Beachboy]

semi gloss paint when painting kitchens & bathrooms? Seems like I've come across plenty of new home here on the Big Island that have their bathrooms and kitchens what appears to be a "flat latex" paint? Is this more the norm than the exception?

[Hotzcatz]

It's your house, paint it as you like.

Personally, I prefer high gloss paint (easier to clean) in the kitchen, bath and as trim around doorways.

[Les C]

I think that paint finish choices are somewhat subject to trends nowadays, so what you see in new homes may be more about what's in fashion than what's functional.

Functionally, I believe that the glossier the finish, the harder it is. So, higher gloss finishs can endure moisture and cleanup a lot better than duller finishes. Also, dirt can't cling to a gloss finish as well as to a rougher, duller finish.

Like Hotzcatz says, it's your house....

[.E.]

Hi beachboy:
As a painter I can say that what others have posted is correct to a tee. Flats to me look warmer and more inviting on MOST walls, wet rooms are the exception however. Although Hawaiian homes are styled with an open living room and kitchen, bathrooms are smaller and hold all that moisture from the shower, not good at all on flat paint that may need a good bleach bath now and then. Stains will soak into a flat paint and will not wash off. If high-gloss is a look you don’t care for, drop down to an eggshell sheen. It will still be washable, will hold back the moisture, but have less sheen and IMO, look softer.
I’ve noticed too that most houses that I’ve seen in Hawaii have used semi-gloss on ALL walls and ceilings, and my guess is for the maintenance aspect. I personally don’t care for that much sheen , but I know I’d do the same if I lived with that much humidity.
Good luck and happy painting.
Erik

[SPJim]

In Vegas we always went with semi-gloss in K's & B's and flat everywhere else...semi-gloss was more resistant to absorption in the 'wet' rooms.

Really comes down to personal choice though.

[Punamom]

Sounds like contractors trying to save money.
Flat paint is cheap.
Personally I'm going with egg shell for the walls and high gloss enamel for the trims, flat is only for the ceiling imho especially in HI and even thats ?
You absolutely have to put the mold inhibitor in the paint or get one that has it in already.Its amazing the places mold will grow out here.

[Carey]

Almost 20 years ago we repainted our last home with Ben. Moore "Aqua Pearl". It is a pricey finish, but you get a pearl type flat finish that holds up. When we put the last house on the market, the buyers thought that the house had just been painted (the finish was 17 years old at that point). We cleaned high use area many times & had the finish in all rooms, including bathrooms. We are painting our house here with the same paint.

[HADave]

If you prefer a flat finish ask for flat enamel specifically, there is a difference between flat latex and flat enamel latex like the sheens it is harder/easier to clean. ; )