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.
Estimates round up to the nearest quart and are based on Kompozit's published coverage. Buy slightly more for touch-ups and color changes.
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.