If you ever want to divide the home renovation community then this is the question to ask. Is Farrow and Ball paint worth the money? And if not, does colour matching actually work?
I’ve been using the real deal Farrow and Ball paints for over twelve years. I’ve also been using colour-matched paints for years and years, from numerous paint suppliers. From my anecdotal evidence, I’ve seen good results with both. I’ve also seen terrible results with both.
But what I have never done is taken the time to conduct a more exacting experiment to see how close-a-match colour-matching achieves. So I purchased five genuine F&B testers along with the five same colours colour-matched by Johnstones.
Here is what my little experiment, time, and experience, have taught me.
Oval Room Blue by Farrow and Ball. Room design by Paper Room Interiors.
IS FARROW AND BALL PAINT WORTH THE MONEY?
1. YES – IF YOU WANT THE EXACT COLOUR
FARROW AND BALL COLOURS CAN NOT BE REPLICATED
Okay, you can get pretty close but don’t tell me you can’t detect the difference between these colours. Most of the replica colours are darker and some appear completely different. Slipper Satin has a much more yellow tone. Setting Plaster is more peach and much less pink. And the ‘Churlish Green’ imposter is truly disgusting.
I nearly fell over when my, normally totally disinterested, husband pointed to a card and said “I bet that’s the real Farrow and Ball”. “WHAT?! WHY?” I demanded to know immediately. “Because it has more depth to it” (jaw hits the floor). If an interiors Buffoon like him can work it out, then Johnstones aren’t fooling anyone.
The reason Farrow and Ball charge the Earth is because they make their colours from the Earth. They don’t just whack in synthetic colours and bulk it out with low-grade fillers. Their pigments are created from natural substances that can’t be replicated synthetically.
So if you have really fallen for the F&B colour then I’d recommend going with the real deal.
2. YES – IF YOU LOVE THE CHALKY FINISH.
It’s what they’re famous for! All those natural, organic pigments not only create rich and beautiful colours, they also create a sublime finish. So if you love that matt, chalky, velvety finish that responds to the natural light then again, I’d go with the real deal. Particularly if it’s for a decadent space like a bedroom or grown-up living room. But if you have high-traffic areas that need to stand up to being bashed, scraped and snotted on then you might want to look for a tougher brand.
3. NO – IF YOU WANT TO STAY FRIENDS WITH YOUR DECORATOR.
Utter the words “Farrow and Ball” and most decorators will tut, sigh, groan, roll their eyes, and if they’re really impolite, begin a verbal torrent of abuse. They just don’t like it. Fact. They say it’s too thin, difficult to apply and not worth the money. So if you want an easy life with your decorator you are better off colour-matching.
4. NO – UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED TO APPLY THREE COATS.
If you use Farrow and Ball you will need to apply three coats. It’s the honest truth. So if you love it and want to use it, then you need to prepare for this. It’s going to cost you more in paint and more in time. So make sure you feel it’s worth it.
5. YES – IF YOU ARE GOING FOR A NEUTRAL
This may surprise you but in my experience colour matching to neutrals is where I have seen the worst results. Most people think you can’t really go wrong with an off-white or a light neutral. But these are actually some of the most complex colours, and so trying to fake them brings bad results. An earthy, yellow-based natural that makes you think of glistening wet sand, can suddenly look more like nicotine-stained walls when colour-matched.
6. YES – IF THE BRAND INSPIRES YOU
I sometimes wonder what would happen if everyone colour-matched. Well obviously Farrow and Ball would cease to exist, and then what? Who would inspire us? Who would come up with those glorious new colours every few years? Who would curate those beautiful colour cards we love? Who would deliver those most inspirational marketing images that make us up our interiors game? Designer paint brands have inspired me so much over the years that I feel I owe it to them to remain loyal.
7. ONLY IF YOU THINK YOU ARE GETTING VALUE FOR MONEY.
Everyone’s value for money is subjective. We all have a budget to work within, and sometimes there are higher priorities in a project than what we put on the walls. For me personally, designer paint is totally worth the money, but when it comes to buying clothes I’m happy to shop in Sainsbury’s. We all have our standards.
What’s your experience of Farrow and Ball paint? Do you love it or hate it? Join the discussion below.
If you would like help choosing paint colours then check out our colour consultancy service. I offer colour consultations online and in person across Southampton and Hampshire. Never make a bad colour choice again!
Sarah x
Hi, been linked to this article by your pal Linda. I’m a professional decorator and only use Dulux trade. I can only share my experience with Johnson’s paint on one occasion that I reluctantly agreed to use it:
The original Dulux trade colour match to f&b sulking room pink emulsion was awful. I, like your husband, see 8 colours, my wife sees 8 million. Again, if I could tell, anyone could. (Bare in mind that Johnson’s own and claim to colour match by code). So my customer decided to use Johnson’s instead. Big mistake! It was terrible. Took 4 coats, no opacity, cutting in looked terrible, my hair greyed. Now – the twist – my client had matched both eggshell for the skirting boards as well as emulsion for the wall – both allegedly the same code matched Johnson’s paint colours. Finally I insisted (after being paid mind you) on doing the whole room for free if she would please use Dulux trade. It took 4 coats on a board to get a decent colour base to match down at the Dulux decorating centre and 3 attempts and she was not happy with the match to the wall colour, it being a bit deeper. But when we repainted all of the walls, they matched the Johnson’s skirting perfectly!!! The chalky finish in Dulux trade (note, not domestic stuff – vastly different) gives that same beautiful flat finish but it takes some effort. It can only be compared on a board side by side – challenge the teams at the decorating centre, make them work! I love the Johnson’s eggshell (oil) but wouldn’t paint my shed with the emulsion. I’m looking at the comparative eco unfriendliness of f and b Vs Dulux trade, interested in the results, not unimportant. That’s all I have, hope that’s interesting.
Hi there, thank you so much for taking the time to comment and yes it is VERY interesting. I love hearing such a balanced opinion from an expert in the trade. What I would love to do if money were no object was compare all the top brands and their colour matching skills. So many (like Johnstones) claim to use a spectrometer to analyse and break down the F&B and recreate it. Whereas others just pick their own closest colour. And then it’s not just the colour, like you say, it’s the finish too. I don’t have a lot of experience with Dulux but I’m very interested in your comments, thank you so much. And yes the eco friendly qualities are also very important. That’s a whole other blog!
Hi
I decorate people’s homes for a living. I work with Dulux and Zinsser for the most part. If someone mentions that they want to use Farrow and Ball I always try and push them to do so. The colour and finish is unrivalled in my opinion.
I am, admittedly a bit biased as I like the chalky finish of the estate emulsion especially and that the same colour looks different across the different walls depending on time of day. When I stand in front of a wall painted in All White it feels like I can put my hand through the wall, almost like it’s an illusion, the way I feel when I look at my girlfriend’s face, her jaws, ears and nose, her eyes changing depending on her mood and the light shinning on the stunning that is her.
I think that for some people it might just be a colour in the same way that most faces are just faces. It might seem inappropriate to compare her to a paint brand but it’s the feeling of the observer that matter when it comes to paint and love.
Yes I absolutely agree, we all perceive things differently but for me personally the finish is 100% worth the extra cost.
I am a proffesional painter and Farrow & Ball paint is terrible!
I’m getting to the point now where I am refusing to use this crap!
Recently done a job and the paint took 4 coats just to cover. What takes the pee the walls were ready painted the same colour, I was just meant to be making everything look fresh!
Over priced rubbish. The only thing going for the poncey paint is the colours.
Please do not remark saying I am not using the paint correctly! I have done my homework, read up on this paint and followed the whole Farrow & Ball system from start to finish!
I am just going to colour match it with Johnstones in Future.
Would be happy to make a proffesional You Tube to show everyone the truth about this paint.
Hi, great article and happens to address my current dilemma. I bought testers in various F&B colours including pigeon and skimming stone. Yesterday I bought the dulux trade colour matches for those two particular colours. Pigeon is pretty good, lacking a little blue and possibly a little darker but the match isn’t bad at all. It’s worth noting that the finish and depth of colour just isn’t as nice but I may be willing to sacrifice that in this instance. Skimming stone on the other hand, was way off. It’s a difficult colour to match anyway but the dulux trade was nowhere near. Nowhere near as warm, lacking that slight pinkish warmth and it is far too pale. Back to the drawing board on that one. As you say, neutrals are far more difficult to match. Will be attempting matches for light blue, blue gray and skylight next. Ultimately, I feel that if your pocket allows then the finish and exact shades of F&B really can’t be beaten but if you’re not too finicky and using darker colours then the dulux trade matches are worth trying. It’s been a fascinating experiment which I’ve really enjoyed.
Hi Amy, thanks so much for the insight, that’s really interesting, I can imagine Skimming Stone looking off as like you say it’s a complex colour with the red undertone. I hear that Dulux Trade don’t colour match as such, they just pick their own colour that is the closest match but I can’t confirm whether or not that is true! Good luck with your project. I love Pigeon, one of my all time favourites.
Hello! I have had a painter in to paint most of the house. Note I did 2 rooms with my partner but given extent of other renovations we are doing plus two small kids we decided the thing to outsource was painting.
Anyway, he did the sitting room in Ball Green by F&B, estate emulsion. The couch already scuffed the wall. I know the estate emulsion scuffs more easily than modern but this is extreme IMO. The painter advised we colour match with Johnstone’s to fix the wall. Also we need to install a new fireplace so there will be some patching to do there too. The painter advised against cutting in with F&B and prefers Johnstone’s. I am worried that the finish won’t be the same and the colour match exact. So here are my options:
1.repaint full walls with Johnstone’s colour match
2. patch with exact same product
3. Get F&B modern emulsion. Concerned the finish will look weird.
Has anyone any advice on this issue? I painted with Johnstone’s and also F&B. Johnstone’s was slightly easier to work with but not significant.
Hi Amy! Thanks for your comment, I totally get your concerns and agree I wouldn’t repaint just one wall and the touching up around the fireplace in a different paint as even though Johnstones can colour match the texture and finish of the paint will be different so the patches will show up. I would go with option 1 and redo the whole room in the Johnstones colour match. Just get a tester first to make sure you like the colour as in my experience the colour matches on colours like ‘Ball Green’ are pretty good but they are nearly always a tad darker. Best of luck, Sarah
I have used farrow & ball and still think it is the best. It lasts for years (15) and cleans up like new. Goes on beautifully,colours cannot be matched. I have tried other makes to save money but never get the same satisfaction from results. Sadly my addiction to it is something I have to hide from my husband.
Ha! Me too, I never tell him how much it costs.
Me too but he always finds out 🙂 F&B or nice dress? Give me F&B any time!
Ha ha, agreed!
I have a mix in my house. I wanted specific colours from F&B and I agree with the amount of depth you have from the colours, it’s unreal! I’ve never found them to need more coats than any other brand, but covering them with another colour is challenging!
We have recently just done our bathroom, and because of the price hike for F&B we decided to colour match Strong White with Valspar. You can tell it’s not F&B but it’s the closest thing I’ve found to it as it does have some depth to it, so to the untrained eye it would be a pass!
I am a little disappointed F&B paint has gone crazy expensive compared to a few months ago, as it’s now well and truly out of my price range. It’s at the point where I’d seriously have to consider using it now, whereas after my first pot of paint, it was F&B or nothing.
Great post. I would add that Farrow and Ball is well worth the money if the look you want is high gloss. Correctly applied, it gives a beautiful mirror-like finish that looks as good as an oil based paint and almost as good as lacquer. And it is tough! I used Tallow in high gloss on the wall of my stairs and it withstood a lot of smudging and bumping.
I also used Teresa’s Green in high gloss on my dining room ceiling. The effect was stunning. I say “was” because I had pinpoint leaks in a copper pipe that fully saturated the ceiling with water over a period of 4 months. I only noticed something was wrong with the ceiling when water started dripping from the dining room chandelier. The F&B paint had sealed the ceiling so well that a water stain never appeared, even though the entire ceiling was damp. I had noticed my water bill was unbelievably high those four months, but I couldn’t find a leak – I never thought to test that ceiling because it looked perfect. I am about to paint the new ceiling with Borrowed Light (in full gloss).
F&B full gloss is beautiful, tough as nails, and easily wipes clean.
Thanks Nina, sorry you’ve had to deal with a leak! Sounds like the new ceiling is going to look gorgeous!
Rely. You used high gloss on walls and ceilings… you must work for F&B
Hello there,
Thanks for your article. Very helpful.
Would you use if on laminated furniture? Of course primed twice. I am worried about the cost +time consuming if the paint is too thin and need several coatings.
My only reason to go for it is Iam painting bookcases and I want the chalky finish.
Hi, with a laminate surface I would recommend a shellac based primer, I would then recommend eggshell as the finish for a wood surface as it needs to be robust but this has a 20% sheen and it sounds like you want a completely matt finish. I wouldn’t recommend painting furniture in Farrow and Ball’s emulsion as it will chip when the furniture gets knocked. If you want a chalky finish then a chalk paint is probably going to be best, but with chalk paints you do see the brush marks. Hope that helps. Sarah x
I always say that what I want in a wall is that it must be snotted on.
I loved to read all these comments. F&B is quite a source of conflict in my family 🙂 Since I have discovered this brand, I have been a total addict. Every room I have ever painted has been F&B and I love getting the inspiration from their website, Pinterest etc. I even asked a F&B designer to come into our home and advise on colour scheme. Worth every penny in my mind! The result was outstanding. My husband, on the other hand, it’s a different story…he is a Business Studies teacher, very much down to earth. “Nothing wrong with Dulux! You are a marketing victim!” My answer : “F&B has got soul.”I tried Annie Sloan but it’s just not the same. We’ve just bought a new house and I can’t wait to start dreaming again 💜
Glad to hear you’re on team F&B! Good luck with the new home, exciting project!
I have been told that adding a tester pot of pale grey paint gives the soft finish that farrow and ball produce. Has anyone tried this.
Dulux trade diamond matt for that finish.
Best paint to work with in my opinion and I have worked on some very serious building projects upwards of 189million.
If you have millions to spend fine. But you can’t touch up a scuff mark with the likes of F&B etc
I have used Farrow & Ball paints, exclusively, for my interior and exterior paints when doing restoration work on my small cottage in Gloucester, Massachusetts. This little house, which was in derelict condition when I bought it, has been a labor of love. I find the magical powder finish of the Estate Emulsion, coupled with the impossible to replicate depth and richness of color, to perform In an unrivaled and luminous was in the coastal New England light.
As an architect, most of my career has been spent designing institution projects, and mostly used Benjamin Moore, but for my home, i bought a few sample
Pots on Moore paint and did a couple of test comparisons to show a few artist friends who insisted The Moore paints, especially their historic collection, would be great at far less cost, but when we did the test side by side, there was absolutely no comparison, not that I needed convincing, but the big fans of using Moore paint in a historic house, were enlightened.
This paint is expensive and results are directly proportional to one’s efforts and fastidiousness, but in my opinion, there is nothing as beautiful as the colors and finish you f Farrow & Ball.
I will also say their exterior eggshell has performed remarkably in the New England coastal climate.
Is it good for exterior walls please advise
I recently tried to colour match Skimming Stone, first with Dulux then Johnstone’s. Neither were anywhere near. I’m about to use Johnstone’s Scramble Crossing which is very close and a beautiful colour in its own right.
Having a bit of difficulty getting the right white to use with it. Hoping to get F&B All White in Johnstone’s tomorrow to see how that looks.
I’m also going to try doing walls, ceiling and trim in the loft all in Scramble Crossing . This was a great discussion to come across
Hi Isobel, thanks for sharing your experience, it’s always so interesting to hear people’s thoughts on this topic! I’m not familiar with Scramble Crossing but it sounds perfect. Good luck with your project 😊.
B&Q colour match service claims to digitally match 2.2million colours. They also do an upmarket range called V & Co Dead Flat Matt.
I asked my decorator which paint she wants, so I’ve committed myself to Dulux Trade!