wouldn't it just be different directions?

A mirror would reflect light directionally, but white paint would seem to be diffuse.

Or said in another way, seeing a laser in a mirror might cause retinal damage, but on a white wall you would just see a dot. (although probably a speckly coherent dot)

The felt sensation of temperature depends not only on the temperature but also on thermal conductivity. With a low conductivity you feel less of a temperature difference to your body temperature. Most stuff in your apartment should have the same temperature, go and touch some metal objects and ceramic tiles or so.

Indeed, a friend of mine who designs playgrounds told me that one of her constraints is for slides not to be oriented such that they heat up too much from the sun.