apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I found my perfect brown in Pratt & Lambert. But Benjamin Moore now has an improved scrubbable flat finish, so I am going back today to get the P&L color mixed up in Benjamin Moore (since the Pratt & Lambert flat is way too easily marked up...).

I also have a paint question - has anyone used the Restoration Hardware colors? I was in their shop a while back and saw gallons of some very nice, light colors for sale.

I've been very, very happy with Benjamin Moore. Love their Montgomery White (which is actually a buttery yellow) and I also had the paint store mix Donald Kaufman Color 13 (a lovely neutral) and Kelley Moore White Shadow (a great trim color) in BMoore paint.

Love Farrow and Ball paint goes on well, covers well and cleans up well. The range of colours is good and all very natural (no super bright day glow colours)

I'm a cheapo, I like Behr from Home Depot...

Re Farrow & Ball - I love the F&B colours but couldn't afford them for an exterior house painting. I had Benjamin Moore replicate them (Dorset Cream with Picture Gallery Red Trim). Our local B.M. had trouble getting the formula right and as my painter was going to purchase on his a/c he used another Benj. Moore who got it right. My painter wasn't very happy with the trim paint, took three coats to cover white. But my painter is a spectacular tradesman (it is a man) that we ended up with a fabulous job.

I'm a cheapo too, MR. Not only the Behr, but sometimes, the mistints. ;)

I have the restoration hardware colors throughout my apartment. I love them. They are rich and light and work very well with each other. (They are all very soothing in that non-hospital way).

Used F&B in my house in London and loved it-- chalky finish great for older homes and the color difference is subtle--can't really match it, even though people will tell you they can. Am using it in my house interior in NJ--but only in certain rooms. Have 5 kids and it seemed to hold up well on kitchen cabinets and even on hallway walls.

if someone need somebody to make all the F&B colors in a cheaper product, it's possible !! i made before for different paintmarks the colorcards, regards, sven from belgium

We used the Restoration Hardware colors in our kids' rooms and bathrooms and they look awesome. A word of advice, however -- those paints look extremely different in different lights and different rooms. I've never seen such chameleon-like colours before.

I am disgusted at the fact that people seem to think that they are able to colour match F& B to B moore or P & L. It is a fact that you cannot colour match an artificial latex to a natural clay finish. It is the clay finish that you want on your walls, it is naturally beautifull. F& B has no chemicals or formaldehyde. Latex is poison to our homes. If you like a single malt scotch do you substitute for something less because it's cheaper?

From experience I strongly recommend Farrow & Ball paints. I used for the first time on my master bedroom and it is beautiful......The colours have more depth and I have seen colours made to match Farrow & Ball but they lack depth and are not quite the same. It took less than 2 gallons to paint my master bedroom which is quite large and had we been more careful in applying the first coat could have done it in one gallon but we are used to using about 3-4 gallons on that room with regular paint. I also think their choices of colour are more beautiful Sincerely, Sheila

I've tried Behr from home depot and the only thing I can say is you get what you pay for. I know that Benjamin Moores paints are fab, but I am willing to spend the extra buck on F & B, after all these colours will be gracing the walls of my living room and dining room. You only get once chance to make a first impression. Those colours are amazing.

I agree with previous posts Sheila and Richard. I was introduced to Farrow and Ball by an interior designer and I have never looked back. Our eyes interpret color in relationship to light, and the flat clay finish on these paints enable them to soak up light - not reflect it - so we see richer, deeper color. I tested several paints before painting my dining room and even the flattest finish from BenjMoore was nowhere near as flat as F&B's Estate Emulsion (makes me wonder what wonder what F&B "dead flat oil" is like??. The Estate Emulsion also cleans up better than flat paints from other vendors. If color is important to you, I see no reason why you should blink at the extra $20 - 35 per can. Dollar cost average that amount over the five years plus you will live in those walls. Compared to fixtures, window treatments, furniture, floor coverings etc the extra money you spend on great wall color is the cheapest way you can upgrade a room. Definately get the sample pots before buying the big can.

what Farrow and Ball colours would anyone recommend for a (blue?) bedroom, and also any suggestions for bathrooms and living/family rooms and hallways???

Would like to use a Farrow and Ball paint for my entrance and stairway but cannot find a colour that I like for that area. Benjamin Moore's STONEHOUSE would work well but, as I said, I would prefer to use FB instead. Have used FB in several rooms including the living room and love it deep, flat look. What would work in F and B paint that would match STONEHOUSE?
Thanks,
Ann

We have used painted earth tone BenMoore paint colors in our camaflash green livingroom and light brown dining room, but are looking for a "clay" looking color in our kitchen. Tried yellow, but too bright. Anyone know of a toned-down yellow or have another suggestion?

I loved Farrow and Ball's Berrington Blue. I used it in my master bedroom and I am constantly complimented on the color. I agree that there is no substitute for F&B paint. Not only is it healthier than latex paint (it is non-toxic and all natural, so it is better for your body and the environment), but the depth of color is superior to any other brands I've tried (including P&L, B Moore, and Behr). I have F&B paint in every room, and the colors are all gorgeous. The selection is much more edited, so there are fewer choices, but that can be a relief! I highly recommend it.

Just heard about F & B paint. Can it be purchased in the US? I live in the Atlanta area.

I just finished painting my bedroom ceiling with Farrow-Ball, Borrowed Light. It is gorgeous, the color changes as the light changes in the room. It was well worth the money I paid and I intend to finish every room in my house with their paints. I am very pleased and have used Ralph Lauren, Pratt and Lambert and Benjamin Moore on my walls.

We are remodeling a kitchen..the wall color is sherwin williams blonde....the kitchen cabinets are white....what color countertops should I use and floor covering...we are trying to be as inexpensive but looks great as possible...thanks HT

I am a person that has used Behr from Home Depot extensively! I purchased Farrow & Ball paint for my daughter's room - she has allergies and is very sensitive to environmental toxins. F&B is totally safe and toxin free - unlike any other paint I can find up here in Canada. What a difference! The colour is absolutely beautiful. I couldn't get the exact hue she wanted so we bought a few and mixed (I'm an artist so no problem). I will not be going back to Behr.

Farrow & Ball is worth the price....no other company can match the colors due to the way it is made. F&B is made with a clay base (more expensive) and more color pigments - thus giving it the great hand (feel) and the depth of color. You only need two coats of paint and you really can see the color depth.....I highly recommend you trying two coats of F&B paint against any other brand and you will see why the extra money is well worth it.

F&B also is one of the lowest emissions of toxins on the market.....so is your life worth the extra dollars you spend on the paint...you decide??? These are all things you need to consider. Also F&B paints are nicely washable....If you use the primer and paint and done properly you will enjoy your choices for many years......

Other manufactures use a plastic base and save money by using cheaper materials - thus the various price lines within one manufacture - and less color pigments giving you a flat color and why you need 3 to 4 coats to have a good solid finish and you have to look at the emissions that they give off.

You will be glad you went with the F&B!

Help. i am buying a condo that is only 2 1/2 years old. I dont think the ceilings are in need of painting. Would it be ok to use F&B on the walls and crown mouldings, but to leave the ceilings as is- or would the difference be too noticeable?
Thanks

We used Farrow & Ball to paint our renovated optical store 2-1/2 years ago,,, a dark green on one side and a lighter ivory colour on the other to co-ordinate with our marble green coloured Marmoleum (real linoleum) flooring. Also used the charcoal grey for all our trim and wall displays.

My kids even liked the result - 'upscale'...

Classic colour tones are soothing and calm. We feel as good about our choices today as we did before starting. No apparent fading.

We had to 'persuade' our contractor to use F&B because it was different from the normal paint brand he used. He was surprised that it took only two coats of F&B to do the job - less paint required and overall cost was no higher. No bad aroma,,, wonderful.

Craig

Just looking at the comments suggesting that Farrow & Ball is made with a clay base. Not true. F&B use a acrylic binders like other modern paint formulations. They just don't use a vinyl binder like some other less expensive paints. Vinyl makes paint look shiny or like plastic. There are other paints on the market like C2 Paint that have great depth of colour are truely matte. C2 paint is available in a more extensive (though not infinite) range of colours, so you have more choice of colour to incorporate into your interior design scheme, rather than having to adjust your scheme to the limited pallet of F&B. Also F&B isn't entirely VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)free. It is just very low in VOC's. At truely VOC free paint, that is completely safe for the user ie: anyone who has any sensitivities to any of the driers is paint is Claypaint from earthBorn. It is completely natural, very matt, and VOC free. You can also try Milk Paint, again completely safe for people and for the environment and very matt.

YES F&B IS WORTH THE PRICE!! I actually used much less paint than I would have otherwise, and my painters went crazy over it. They just couldn't believe the saturation and quality of the product (I've had the same painters use other brands previously). So it is more money, but you'll use less. The difference is they use less synthetic pigments and brighteners used in all American brands. I have an 1925 Spanish Colonial so I needed good paint to hide plaster flaws. I used White Tie, Matchstick, Rectory Red, Off Black, Hague Blue, New White, Saxon Green, Wainscot, and a yellow that has since discontinued. If you would like to see before and after shots, shoot me an email and I'll reply with pics. The online color guide is not accurate. And their whites are sublime...

Farrow and Ball colors are the best and cannot be replicated. I used them in every room of our New York townhouse for a period feel. However, don't believe anyone who tells you this paint cover well. It took 5 coats of Babouche to cover our entry hall walls, and 4 or 5 coats of all strong colors like Gervase Yellow, Porphyry Pink, and Ballroom Blue. Paler colors like Pale Powder, New White, and Parma Grey (the most beautiful of all), took 3 coats. That said, it is still my favorite paint, but my painters hate it because of all the coats required.

F&B Estate finish is made with a clay base...the other water base finishes are made with acrylic binders to give the extra strength for washabity. C2 paint can't compare with F&B - even though they tried to copy the F&B line and when failed expanded their colours- C2 only produces the bases and does not have control over the colour pigments which gives the high VOCs. The F&B great colour depth and coverage is due to the fact the paint is made the way paint used to be made with a strong concentration of colour pigment. AHF must have had new walls and were not properly prepared as two coats will cover a primed or previously painted wall even if using the darkest of colours.

The other finish you must try is the full oil gloss - so in fashion right now and an amazing finish!

What is a couple hundred of dollars to get a great paint colour and finish in a room when it is the foundation of everything you put in that room??

I have spent about 8 years restoring two old houses. I have to say that at first i continually brought 'cheap' paint- and was continually adding more and more layers to attain a 'satisfactory' finish. It ended up being quite costly. But then someone recommended I try F&B. They maybe more expensive, but I only needed one coat and therefore worked out cheaper. The end result was so impressive I now rarely use any other paint. You just can't get the same quality and light reflective finish with other paints, and the colours available are truly exceptional.

F&B are absolutely the best and the colors and finishes can not be replicated by other paint companies. The natural pigments and traditional formulas are so completely different than latex, you simply can't compare the two. I have painted my whole house in F&B (I assure you that I am not rich) and would never even consider using anything else again.

Can anyone recommend a Farrow and Ball neutral to use on a small bathroom-I am about to try pointing but am worried it may give too cold a look.

Hi, read an article recently in Consumer Report and they gave Behr a better rating than BM which was pretty surprizing to me.

I have never looked back since I painted my nursery 2 years ago with Farrow and Ball paint. I refuse to view selections from popular companies due to the cameleon effect they sport (never been lucky enough to have a product match the sample card). There is no comparison to other manufacturers in colour depth, coverage or clean up! My husband refers to me as the painting queen because I will change anything to suit my needs, so from extensive experiance, I can say with all honesty it is work the extra money.

I lived in the UK for 19 years and used Farrow and Ball paints. They are really wonderful and I would love to be able to find them here as easily as there. Too bad about the price in the US but it is worth it. The paints are brilliant.

A good Farrow and Ball neutral to use is Dimity, Old White, or New White for a creamy yellow effect.

I have painted our apartment in F+B estate emulsion, the matte finish they offer. While I love the finish and agree that it offers more depth, I find that it is difficult to wash. Even the slightest pressure makes that area sheen, and I needed to repaint a whole hallway after using 'magic erasers' to clean up spots from the movers. Any suggestions how to keep the finish clean?

My goodness! It never ceases to amaze me at how quick we judge a product without reading the label and doing our reasearch first. As a seasoned professional decorative painter, I've had the opportunities given to me to use about every type and brand on the market. Yes, there are many exagerated products. Especially with the new "green" movement. Try wiping them-or having your pet lick them off the wall. You think F&B is pricy?!
All paint manufacturers have their own recipes for bases, etc. No two are ever "dead ringer" color matches due to this fact...it's what makes them "unique". Do your homework, and ask an experienced professional when in doubt as to what sheen level or brand may work best in your application. As to "Allison's" dilema of traffic problems, had she dug a little deeper, the Modern Emulsion would've been a better choice, as it is a bit harder in durability & states clearly that it's for "areas of high usage". At 18% shinier...nothing compared to BM Eggshell (even their washable Matte glows);I won't even get on other brands. Ralph Lauren has only started to be back on my better side when it switch the manufacturer, even if they have nice colorways. F&B is historic, and we have to remember they might acually know what they're doing, although we colonists might think we know it all...still wet behind the ears. You can't go any farther than you're taught. The lower the sheen, more absorbent; as the gloss level goes up, the harder...more washable. When you can get oil out of chalk, let me know. That's why all the walls of your childhood were covered in semi-gloss! Remember those glossy, sandy speckled walls in the school hallways? They took a licking and probably could take close to sandblasting. Anyone will have to compromise if they want glorious colors in really chalky finishes. Historically we couldn't be happier when plastics were invented so we'd have consistent smear, but we have come full circle and have many wonderful choices and brands to choose from...mainstream and artisnal, and in the right application and learned hands...gorgeous! I have used BM for years, and am a diehard F&B fan, too....all in the proper places, including my home alongside plasters, etc. It wouldn't be my sancuary without it...and my Single Malt Scotch, and that's something you can't put a price on! Sometimes you have to suck it up, and call off the Tea Party.

Anyone have a great bright white color from F and B for walls and ceilings??

oh-can we buy it in nyc anywhere besides at the D & D?

Obnoxious that in New York you can't actually see the paint chips in person if not a member of the trade. Paint pots for me I guess. grumble grumble grumble.

There is no comparison. You might get a similar color but never the finish. Much much richer. It is expensive but still worth the money if you can afford it. As for Behr, don't waste your money. Ralph Lauren is better than it used to be but still not as good as BM. When using BM, we always check RL colors and then substitute if we find something we like. With FB, you get what you order but read through the different finishes and try a sample pot to make sure that it's suitable to usage. There is nothing worse than paying for a beautiful application in the wrong location and having it wear poorly.

Oh and SPHH you might be mistaken. You can get sample pots and color cards on the website. D&D is now open to the public as well through their no decorator service. 212-759-6894.

Hi, great discussion. Can anyone recommend an F&B white or ivory (and coordinating colors) for a British Colonial look?

I'm aiming for matte (at least for main room), and we have dark cherry/mahogany wood and green plants. I'm pretty picky about 'true' tones. (I can only relate this to hair, lol, but always go w/neutral brunette w/no red or gold tones.)

Alternatively, favorite cozy, yummy browns? (Could go w/a sheen there.)

I have asked BM to replicate F&B colors and prefer the original F&B paints. They have a beautiful powdery finish. Also, in general the F&B colors are more natural looking than BM colors, though both are very good paints.

You will be happy with any high-quality expensive paint. Any expensive paint is better than cheap paint, especially cheap white rental paint, which lacks pigment and always looks gray and dingy. Also, F&B and BM are very close in price. (FB is $50, BM starts at $40.)

P.S. F&B has sample pots for every color it makes. They cost $4 each vs. having an entire $50 gallon made up in BM. (You can get a quart but if you then order another quart it won't be exactly the same color.) You will save a fortune there.

Can you buy Farrow and Ball paints anywhere in NY without a decorator license?

QUESTION RE FARROW AND BALL PAINTS. I love their colors and the matte finish, but was hesistant to use it because feared it would not be durable with small children and dog and it was so chalky felt it would chip. I used modern emulsion which is gorgeous and very durable and no problem, but slightly shinier (10% v. 2%). Does ANYONE have any long long term experience with the estate emulsion and durability with dogs and children?????????????????

These colors are superb. Even the modern emulsion was beautiful and not that shiny. I love the fact that the palette to chose from is small, gives you less headache!!!!!!!!!!!!!

this will be my first comment ever in this format setting. After 33 years of qualified experience it is interesting to see the comments about this question. It is wonderful to see how peoples beliefs in what there doing is accurate. Trust me no one but no one can give you an exact match or duplication to a product or color...period....For those who think this is possible your need for truth needs better souces..I personally know about and have all these lines in my store. Let me say this with the procedures of colorants ,bases, gram weights,titanium variances etc.paint is a science. when you seperate paint from color its another discussion. With that said every paint line can have a strong suit but few do all of them...the best...do yourself have the paint store do a side by side drawadown 8mil wet 4mil dry youll see the diffference. and if they cant....well what kind of match do you think your really getting??

Just wondering what finish of farrow and ball you'd suggest for my master bedroom? estate emulsion or modern? i'm torn and don't want to make a wrong choice. we do have kids, but no pets. thanks so much!!

I'm generally a great big cheapskate, but if you can possibly afford the Farrow and Ball option, do it. It isn't just about the colour, there is a quality to the paint that is hard to describe. In my experience, Estate emulsion is a much better idea with kids or animals around, unless you want to be running around yelling 'Nooooo!" a lot of the time.