Kitchen paint calculator
Kitchens have less wall area than you'd think — cabinets, range hoods, and tile backsplashes cover most of the lower half. A 14 × 12 ft kitchen with full upper and lower cabinets often only has ~250 sq ft of paintable wall, but every square inch needs to wipe clean. Satin is the rule.
Recommended finish: satin
Subtract the cabinets and backsplash
A typical run of upper + lower cabinets covers ~30% of one wall. After subtracting cabinets, range hood, and a 4-ft tile backsplash, paintable wall area is roughly 60% of the gross — about 250 sq ft for a 14 × 12 ft kitchen with normal cabinetry.
Why satin for kitchens
Grease, splatter, fingerprints, and steam all want a finish that wipes clean. Satin is the standard. Semi-gloss is a step up in cleanability but reads shinier than most kitchens want.
FAQ
Yes — monochromatic kitchens (walls and cabinets in the same off-white or gray) feel calm and make a small kitchen look bigger. Just use eggshell on the walls and satin or semi on the cabinets so they read slightly differently.
Most kitchens need ~1 quart of cabinet paint per 10 linear feet of cabinetry, two coats. A typical kitchen with 25 ft of cabinets needs 2.5 quarts (round up to a gallon). Use Kompozit PRO Semi-Gloss for cabinets.