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Selecting the right surface finish for your cabinets, wardrobes or wall panel has an impact on the overall aesthetic of your home as well as the functional properties of the room you live in. It is also important to choose the right finish based on the amount of natural and artificial light in the room, how you will use the items with the finishes you select, how much effort and time you are willing to spend maintaining them, and what style preferences you have in designing your space.
Glossy Laminate
Glossy laminate has a highly reflective finish, which reflects both natural and man-made lights to give the space it occupies a bright, modern look. The polished surface of glossy laminate will also give an illusion of a larger and more open space since the light will be reflected into the room.
Glossy laminate is very popular in modern kitchens, modular storage solutions and small apartments due to the need to create an illusion of more visual space. The smooth surface of glossy laminate is easy to clean, as you can simply wipe off food and drink stains (from the surface) with a damp cloth.
In very high-traffic areas where surfaces are touched frequently by people, you may notice that glossy laminate will show fingerprints and/or smudges, as your surface will get wear and minor scratches.
Best For:
- Small kitchen and/or small spaces
- High-gloss and modern-looking spaces
- Limited amount of natural light
Matt Laminate
Matt laminate gives a very soft, textured look that adds an understated and sophisticated touch to your décor. Instead of reflecting light, the matt surface of a matt laminate surface will absorb light giving the area an overall calm and understated feel.
Matt laminate has one distinct advantage in that it will hide any surface marks made from touching or accidentally dropping something on it. This is the reason why it is best for family homes and very busy places because of the amount of traffic on it. The use of Matt finishes can be found in wardrobe cabinets, bedroom cabinets, office cabinets, and kitchen cabinetry that focus on a look that exhibits sophistication and elegance rather than a highly reflective or glossy finish.
Some of the most advantageous characteristics of Matt are:
- A large, airy, or well-lit area will benefit from using a Matt finish.
- Modern and Minimalist interior styling will benefit from using a Matt finish.
- When creating a cabinet, wardrobe or piece of furniture that is intended to be used often, a Matt laminate finish would be the best option.
Materials
The main difference between a Gloss and a Matt laminate is the appearance. Matt laminate has a low sheen finish; therefore, you’ll find the less reflective surface may have a more subtle appearance compared with their counterpart, as a low sheen will yield a more muted appearance than their counterpart.
The main benefit of cleaning is that while Gloss finishes will be much easier to clean after being wiped with a duster or cleaner (as the sheen reflects everything, making any surface visible), Matt finishes will be easier to maintain, meaning you would have to clean them much less frequently due to smudging.
When looking at durability, it’s generally accepted that both finishes offer durability in terms of their design and how they are produced. However, because of the appearance of a low sheen (less reflecting) vs. glossy low sheen finishes, Matt will appear to withstand the everyday wear and tear much better than their glossy counterpart.
Impact on Overall Design
When considering the overall design conclusion impact between using a Gloss or a Matte finish, you have the following differences:
- Gloss will create brightness in an area and create excitement for the space.
- Matt creates a more elegant and warm look.
How to Make the Final Decision
When making the final decision of whether to use a Gloss or matte finish, there are many things to think about:
- Size and lighting of the area, and how it will fit in the final design.
- How will the area be used?
- The overall look you would like to achieve by selecting either a Gloss or Matt finish.
- Your personal preference for cleaning.
- The overall style of furniture you will be using in the area.
As an illustration, if you have a small kitchen with limited natural light, using a Gloss finish will help bring the light into that small area and provide brightness to it. In contrast, if you have a large master bedroom, using Matt would help to achieve a more refined appearance with that large area.
There are even some modern designs that have used both Gloss and Matt finishes by using Gloss for upper cabinets and Matt for lower cabinets as a way of creating visually appealing balance or creating visual depth.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both finishes have their advantages. The main similarity of using either Gloss or Matt as a finish lies in its functionality and aesthetics.
If you are looking for high-quality finishing material options for your next project, get inspired by checking out Royale Touche’s cutting-edge laminate collections and find the finish that best matches your style, durability, and performance.
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