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House Beautiful’s report describes designers’ advice on using high-gloss paint on kitchen cabinets, islands, ceilings and smaller areas such as a butler’s pantry. Designers say the finish can reflect light and add visual richness, but it can also expose surface flaws, show chips and clash with other shiny or rustic elements.
House Beautiful has published designers’ advice on using high-gloss paint in kitchens, with professionals describing how the finish can add reflected light and a furniture-like appearance to cabinets and other surfaces. Their recommendations also stress that careful surface preparation and a balanced mix of finishes matter: gloss can reveal imperfections, and chips may be more noticeable.
Designers interviewed by House Beautiful suggest considering gloss after choosing a kitchen’s colors, since the finish can change how those colors look. Malorie Goldberg, a principal designer at Noa Blake Design, said high gloss brings a richness that is especially apparent in deeper shades. She said it can make cabinets feel more like furniture, giving the room a more elevated appearance.
The report says the finish is not limited to large kitchens or full cabinet runs. Danielle Davis, founder and principal designer of 56th Street Design Studio, suggested a butler’s pantry as a place to experiment in a smaller home. In larger kitchens, she said, gloss can be applied to selected millwork. The examples accompanying the report include a high-gloss-painted island in a New York City kitchen and a red-painted cabinet interior used as a visual accent in a Chicago kitchen.
Color and placement shape the effect. House Beautiful reports that gloss may make darker colors such as chocolate brown, emerald green and deep plum appear brighter as light reflects off them. Ariel Fischer, a Noa Blake Design principal, said that reflection can make a space feel more expansive, including when the palette is moody. Interior designer Jen Levy said she prefers a high-gloss ceiling to punctuate a lighter, brighter kitchen.
Where Gloss Can Change a Kitchen
For homeowners considering a visual update, the report presents paint finish as a design choice that can alter the room’s feel without changing its layout. A reflective finish may draw attention to cabinet fronts, an island or a smaller bar area, and can make darker colors read differently as daylight changes. These are designers’ assessments of visual effect, not measured outcomes or a guarantee that a kitchen will look larger or more expensive.
The advice also points to trade-offs that affect both cost and daily use. Davis said gloss cabinets can be wiped clean of fingerprints, spills and food with a microfiber cloth, but warned that chips will stand out. Levy said the preparation required makes professional application worth considering. The choice therefore involves more than color: homeowners need to weigh the desired sheen against the condition of the surfaces, likely wear and the cost of preparation and labor.
Designers also caution against treating gloss as a finish that will suit every kitchen. Davis said it may clash with a rustic room or one dominated by natural wood, while too many reflective surfaces in a modern kitchen can make the space feel visually excessive. The report’s practical message is to make gloss a deliberate focal point and use other materials to temper it.
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Finish, Placement and Pairings
The report focuses on advice from interior designers rather than a new product launch, building project or survey. Its central distinction is between the paint color and the finish: after selecting a palette, a homeowner still has to decide how reflective the painted surfaces should be. The designers recommend thinking about how gloss will interact with existing light, cabinetry and the rest of the room.
For pairing materials, Davis recommends matte countertops and flooring alongside lighting and hardware with a slight sheen. The aim, she said, is to ground the room rather than surround the painted surface with competing reflections. House Beautiful also notes that gloss may work on both modern flat cabinet fronts and more ornate fronts, according to Goldberg. The report provides examples of specific applications, but it does not give product brands, prices, project budgets or quantified performance data.
“There is a richness to high-gloss paint that really can’t be achieved with any other finish or product, especially in deeper colors.”
— Malorie Goldberg, principal designer at Noa Blake Design
Costs and Durability Remain Unspecified
The report does not identify a paint brand, formula, price range, expected lifespan or maintenance schedule. It also does not provide controlled comparisons of gloss against matte or eggshell finishes, so claims about brightness, spaciousness and visual richness remain the designers’ professional judgments rather than measured results.
How well the finish holds up will depend on the surface, application and household use; the source does not quantify those factors. Davis says cabinet surfaces can be wiped clean, while also warning that chips are noticeable. The report does not specify how often repairs may be needed or whether particular cabinet materials require specialized primers or coatings. Homeowners would need project-specific advice before deciding how much to paint and what preparation is appropriate.
Plan the Finish Before Painting
The report describes no announced follow-up, scheduled project or broader industry development. For readers considering the approach, the next steps are practical: decide whether gloss belongs on all cabinetry or a smaller feature, assess the condition and smoothness of the surface, and compare samples in the kitchen’s actual lighting. A designer or painting professional can advise on preparation, application and suitable products for the specific material.
Before committing to a full room, homeowners can also check how the proposed sheen works with countertop, flooring, wood and hardware finishes. That planning addresses the main cautions in the designers’ advice: gloss can emphasize both the chosen color and any flaws, while too many reflective elements may compete. The source does not specify a single best placement, so the choice remains dependent on the kitchen and the desired effect.
Key Questions
Where do designers suggest using high-gloss paint in a kitchen?
The House Beautiful report describes gloss on cabinets, islands, selected millwork, cabinet interiors and ceilings. Davis suggests a butler’s pantry as a possible smaller-scale place to try it.
Does high-gloss paint make a kitchen look larger?
Designer Ariel Fischer said reflected light can make a room feel more expansive, even with darker colors. That is a design judgment, not a guaranteed or measured result.
What is the main drawback of a high-gloss finish?
Designers quoted in the report say gloss can show surface imperfections if preparation is inadequate, and chips may be noticeable. They also caution that gloss can clash with rustic materials or too many other shiny surfaces.
Can high-gloss kitchen paint be a DIY project?
Jen Levy advises hiring a professional because the finish requires substantial preparation. The report does not rule out DIY work, but says smooth, carefully prepared surfaces are important to the result.
Source: housebeautiful.com
