I am no expert but.... I am getting ready to do some faux painting (ragging) this week. The info that I was given at a workshop was to use eggshell for the base and then use satin for the color to be ragged off. Now, according to the info on the Behr brochure, it says " That you should use 3 colors for Colorwashing. The base color should be a white or neutral tone, followed by a mid-range top color and then accented with a deep toned top color. Mix each top color with Fauz glaze to create your glaze colors which will be applied over base color using either a brush or cloth rag." In the front of the brochure (which covers colorwashing, ragging, and sponging) it says "Depending on your preference Eggshell, Satin, or Semi-gloss Eneamels are all good sheens to use for both your base color and glaze colr. We recommend the versatillity of Satin Enamel for most faux glazing projects." It defines colorwashing as a "Technique to create a soft blend of color for the subtle illusion of texture." IMO, semigloss may make it not so subtle. However, this is my first attempt at any faux painting so I can't really give experienced advice. The glaze will make it shiny to some extent so I guess it depends on how shiny you want it. Couldn't you use Satin on the doors? The chart on the back of the Behr brochure list that as a choice for doors and windows, even though I know that most use the semigloss, especially on kids rooms doors. Good luck with your painting. What colors are you using?

Gah. So I emailed this question to our cabinetmaker earlier today to see how he thought the satin finish would weather. Turns out the sample doors he gave us *are* in Aura satin! So...yah. Satin it is, since I don't want to go down to eggshell, and I *definitely* don't want anything glossier than that! We'll see! Thanks for the feedback. :)

Jenny - I like the Kohler Artifacts faucet, because of it’s appearance, the heft, and its 3 spray modes. But it does not come in the brushed nickel finish you want. I am not a fan of brushed nickel, so I have not looked into, or know of, faucets in that finish. Your OP has the word “commercial“ in it. That word says to me that you are talking about a “pre-rinse” style faucet. They are usually tall, so cannot have cabinets above them, just open air. Examples are the Kraus KPF-1602 or Kraus KPF-1612, both a lot of bang for the buck.

Remember that shinier paints highlights surface imperfections and tend to feel institutional. These days there is a large selection of high quality paints that have a low sheen and can still be scrubbed clean. Like the previous comment I would suggest an eggshell finish which has a soft glow and can be wiped clean. Ask at your local paint store which paint lines in your chosen brand will be most scuff resistant but look for a premium self priming paint for best results.