Question: I want to paint my kitchen and am ready to "pull the trigger" on a purchase of 8 gallons of expensive Sherwin-Williams premium paint. I know what color I want, but am unsure on the finish or sheen? What's the best finish for a kitchen?

Answer: Because kitchens are places of intense activity, you want your paint finish to be able to stand up to that. Granted, backsplashes do a good job of catching splatters, but sometimes that spaghetti sauce lands higher than the backsplash.

Then what?

Even if you are scrupulously clean, over time grease can mist and carry well beyond the cooking areas.

The best paint finishes for kitchen are satin and semi-gloss.

Think of paint finishes as running along a "glossiness" spectrum, ranging from flat to glossy. The full list:

1. Matte or Flat:  This finish has no sheen at all.  While attractive, it is impossible to clean the kinds of stains found in kitchens.  Avoid at all costs.  If you insist, though, paint areas away from the stove and food prep areas in flat/matte.
2. Eggshell:  As the name implies, flat but with a tiny bit of sheen, just like an uncracked egg).
3. Satin:  Barely a sheen, but more than eggshell.  Excellent sheen for kitchens.
4. Semi-Gloss:  A pronounced sheen and dangerously close to garish.
5. Glossy:  Almost like a mirror finish.  While this is the absolute best in terms of cleanability--stains easily swipe right off--most homeowners consider this sheen too flashy.  Worse, glossy paint can feel industrial, like a school cafeteria.  Also, imperfections on the wall are quite pronounced with glossy paint. 

Want more? See About Interior Decorating's video, What Are Different Paint Finishes?