A freshly painted room should still look freshly painted after a busy week, a moved piece of furniture, or a child’s backpack brushes against the hallway wall. That is the practical appeal of Benjamin Moore Regal Select: it is designed for projects where colour matters, but everyday durability matters just as much.
For homeowners, designers, and professional painters, Regal Select is often a strong choice when a standard wall paint feels like a compromise. It offers a refined finish, dependable coverage, and a finish that is intended to stand up well to normal household cleaning. The right product still depends on the room, surface condition, colour change, and desired sheen, but Regal Select earns its place in many interior and exterior painting plans.
What Benjamin Moore Regal Select Is Made For
Regal Select is a premium Benjamin Moore paint line available for interior and exterior applications. Interior Regal Select is commonly chosen for living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, kitchens, bathrooms, and other spaces that need a durable, attractive finish without moving into a specialty coating.
Its appeal is not just one feature. Painters appreciate its application characteristics and coverage, while homeowners often value the smooth look and washable finish once the project is complete. The paint-and-primer formulation can simplify many repaint projects, especially when the existing surface is sound and the colour change is not extreme.
That does not mean primer is never required. Bare drywall, stained areas, repaired patches, glossy surfaces, water marks, smoke damage, or a significant shift from dark to light may still call for a separate primer. A quality finish begins with an honest assessment of the wall underneath it.
Where it tends to be a particularly good fit
Regal Select is well suited to rooms that receive regular use. In a main-floor hallway, for example, scuffs and fingerprints are more likely than in a guest room. In a family room, the paint needs to support a polished colour choice while accommodating the realities of daily life. In bedrooms, its smooth appearance can help both soft neutrals and deeper feature-wall colours look considered rather than flat.
It can also be a practical option for rental properties and professionally managed spaces, where a durable, consistent coating makes future maintenance easier. The best choice will depend on the maintenance expectations of the property and the condition of the surfaces, but starting with a premium paint can reduce frustration during touch-ups and routine cleaning.
Choosing the Right Regal Select Sheen
Sheen changes how a colour reads, how much light reflects around the room, and how easily the painted surface can be maintained. It also changes what the wall reveals. The more reflective the finish, the more visible surface flaws can become under side lighting.
For most walls, matte and eggshell are popular starting points. Matte gives a low-reflective, contemporary look that can be especially forgiving on walls with minor imperfections. It works well in bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and ceilings where a quiet, soft finish is the goal.
Eggshell offers a subtle sheen with a little more light reflection. It is often selected for hallways, family rooms, and general wall surfaces where homeowners want a balance between a low-sheen appearance and practical cleanability. If you like the look of matte but expect heavier use, compare the two finishes in the actual room before deciding.
Pearl is a useful step up for active areas and trim-adjacent surfaces. It has more visible sheen than eggshell, making it a common consideration for kitchens, bathrooms, corridors, and walls that need more frequent wiping. Semi-gloss is generally better reserved for trim, doors, cabinets, and other detailed surfaces where a more reflective, durable-looking finish suits the design.
A paint chip alone cannot settle this decision. Look at sample colour and finish on the wall at different times of day. Natural light, LED bulbs, window direction, and nearby flooring all influence the final result.
Preparation Determines the Finish
Even a premium coating cannot hide poor prep. Before painting, clean walls to remove dust, oils, and residue. Kitchens may need additional degreasing around cooking areas, while bathrooms should be free of soap film and loose or failing paint. Let every cleaned surface dry fully before moving forward.
Fill dents and nail holes, then sand repairs smooth. Spot-prime repaired areas so they do not absorb paint differently from the rest of the wall. If the existing coating is glossy, lightly sanding to dull the surface can improve adhesion. Remove sanding dust with a clean cloth before painting.
Cutting corners during preparation often creates the problems people blame on paint: flashing around patches, uneven sheen, poor adhesion, or texture that becomes obvious once daylight hits the wall. Professional-grade tools also make a noticeable difference. A quality roller cover matched to the surface texture helps distribute paint evenly, while a dependable angled brush improves control at ceilings, baseboards, and window trim.
Application Tips for a Cleaner Result
Stir Regal Select thoroughly before and occasionally during use. Work in manageable sections and maintain a wet edge, particularly on broad walls with plenty of natural light. This helps avoid lap marks, where one section starts drying before the next is applied.
Use the recommended roller nap for the wall texture. A smoother wall generally benefits from a shorter nap, while a lightly textured surface may need a slightly thicker roller cover to reach the low points. Loading the roller evenly is preferable to pressing hard for more coverage. Too much pressure can leave thin spots and roller lines.
Most projects require two coats for a full, even result, particularly with strong colours or major colour changes. Drying and recoating conditions are affected by temperature, humidity, airflow, and the substrate, so follow the product label for the specific Regal Select product and finish you are using. Allow the paint to cure before scrubbing the new surface or placing furniture tightly against the wall.
Do not rely on paint-and-primer for every problem
Paint-and-primer products are convenient, but they are not stain blockers, repair compounds, or substitutes for surface preparation. Use a dedicated primer when dealing with tannin bleed, persistent stains, uncertain adhesion, porous new surfaces, or dramatic colour changes. This extra step can prevent discolouration or uneven absorption from spoiling an otherwise excellent finish.
The same principle applies outdoors. Regal Select Exterior can be a dependable option for suitable exterior surfaces, but exterior preparation is even less forgiving. Scrape loose paint, sand failing edges, clean mildew or dirt, address moisture issues, and prime bare areas before coating. Confirm that the surface, weather conditions, and application window are appropriate before beginning.
Colour Choices That Work With Regal Select
Regal Select is available in Benjamin Moore colours, which gives you room to choose anything from a warm off-white to a confident navy or earthy green. A durable finish is especially valuable with deeper colours in high-contact rooms, where marks can be more noticeable than they are on pale neutrals.
When selecting colour, consider the fixed elements first: flooring, countertops, tile, upholstery, and wood tones. Then test large samples on more than one wall. A grey that looks crisp beside a north-facing window can read blue in the evening, while a warm white can shift noticeably next to cool tile.
For a coordinated home, use one main neutral through connecting spaces and introduce stronger colours in rooms with a clear purpose. A quiet bedroom, a welcoming entry, and a hardworking kitchen do not need identical colours, but they should feel visually related when doors are open.
When Another Product May Be Better
Regal Select is versatile, but no single paint is the best answer for every surface. Cabinets, for instance, need a coating system made for the repeated contact and harder wear they experience. Ceilings may benefit from a dedicated ceiling paint formulated for low spatter and a uniform flat appearance. Masonry, decks, floors, metal, and heavily stained surfaces each need products chosen for their specific demands.
For a simple, low-traffic repaint, another Benjamin Moore interior paint may suit the budget and project requirements. For a demanding commercial setting or a surface exposed to unusually hard wear, a more specialized system may be the better investment. Matching the coating to the job is more valuable than simply choosing the highest category of paint.
If you are comparing finishes, planning a major colour change, or deciding whether to prime, bring the project details to Colour Company. As a local Benjamin Moore retailer and paint store in London Ontario, the team can help you select Regal Select, the appropriate sheen, preparation products, and tools for a finish that holds up as well as it looks.