Farrow & Ball - is it worth the extra?

[Ponders]

I love the colours, but 2.5L is £35 where Dulux is £20 (but doesn't have the same colours of course)

also, what's the difference, practically, between Estate Emulsion & Modern Emulsion?

I'm looking at \link{http://www.farrow-ball.com/breakfast-room-green/colours//fcp-product/100081\breakfast room green}

Dulux have \link{http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10151&catalogId=1500001201&langId=110&searchTerms=Dulux+Emulsion+puting+green+paint+&authToken=&int_cmp=paintswatch\putting green} (putting green green, surely? ) which looks similar, though paler, on the sample image but completely different to what I have in mind in the \link{http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=409010\room image}

I haven't done any serious decorating for about 15 years so I'm floundering!

TIA

[PigletJohn]

no.

[Ponders]

well, that's short & to the point!

[Movingtimes]

I have a friend who is a really top class decorator and he hates F&B and refuses to use it unless the client really insists because he claims it is poor quality and goes on really badly. He uses Brewers heritage range which are similar colours. We have done the whole house pretty much in Brewers own brand and most people assume it is F&B!

[greendental]

I'm glad you said that PigletJohn. I've always had this feeling that I'm somehow missing out not having my walls adorned with Farrow & Ball, having read the hype about it on here!

I did recommend Wickes chalky flat Matt range once, it went down like a lead balloon!

[gostraighttojail]

Oh gosh I was about to buy loads of it this weekend!
What about the argument about catching the light and the different tones?

[Ponders]

I just googled Brewers, MovingTimes - I'm in Lancs, they look to be a Midlands/South operation, apparently my nearest one is in Stoke???

[Pyrrah]

I'm a huge fan - have Breakfast Room Green in my kitchen.

My builder also loves the stuff.

I've found that one coat is often enough - max 2 - as there is a lot of pigment in the paints. The finish is gorgeous (I use estate emulsion on normal room walls, modern emulsion on kitchen/bathroom walls and estate eggshell on woodwork), and it doesn't smell the way things like Dulux do.

For me it's well worth the extra money for the chalky finish and the depth of colour.

I do use cheapy white for ceilings though.

[Ponders]

oh thank you, Pyrrah - that's reassuring - after the first replies I've been looking for alternatives, & I'm struggling! there is a Dulux Trade Heritage colour which is similar but I can't find a local stockist (& I never know if non-trade people are allowed to buy at trade places anyway )

It's a dining room so the Estate Emulsion should be fine - is it wipeable though? There is a lightswitch very close to an external corner (door is inset a few inches) & it always gets very grubby around there - maybe Modern would be better?

[GettingObsessive]

None of the F & B colours are really wipe able, whatever they say - the finish is too chalky and it will leave a mark.

[3rdnparty]

I like F&B colours i have not managed to replicate in any other range really and the finish but even the modern isn't really wipeable - if you find a good trade paint shop that can mix Dulux paint (google) I get them made up in dulux trade paint - it is so close even my f&B mad/shareholder DM was amazed ...half the price as well..

I found the Dulux greens not great the F&B ones much more subtle (just done Ball green in my hall)..

[KindleMum]

We used F&B on our last place and I would never use it again. I felt it looked far too chalky and cheap. Personal taste though.

[badtasteyoni]

No. I used it once and didn't like the finish at all. I think maybe it only works in light, south facing rooms or something - I used it in a hallway and it made it look really gloomy.

[wfrances]

i have it everywhere with 4 dc and 1 large dog -i have no problems when wiping off marks or doing the odd touch up.
i always use estate emulsion
we use it as it doesnt smell, no fumes,i love chalky finishes and i love their colour range.
so far we have used
new white- my bedroom,ds bedroom
ball green-hall
all white- ceiling
wimbourne white-kitchen,porch,dining room
pointing- lounge
shaded white-hall,lounge,dd bedroom
drawing room blue-chest of drawers
bone-bookcase

[AnonymousBird]

NO NO NO NO !!!! It is not worth the extra.
It goes on very badly, you need loads, and decorators hate it!!!!

Dulux trade is the way to go, you can get any colour you want!

[Badvoc]

No.
It's paint.
Dulux is fine.

[Superene]

F&b is a con. Painters/decorators hate it, you need more of it and the colours are quite flat, not enough depth of tone. It is expensive and there are better paints. Little Greene for example. If you like the colours, then colour match them. In their defence, touch ups blend beautifully, but I wouldn't recommend them for any other reason.

[skandi1]

Yes it is. I recently introduced our decorators to it and they now love it so much they don't recommend anything else.

The estate eggshell (for wood) goes on far better than any other eggshell I have tried (crown, dulux, little Greene, fired earth). And it durability is superior. I am on my third kitchen painted in F&B with no chipping or scrapes.

As for the emulsion. Well, it's good. Make sure you don't get the flat matte one as its beautiful but doesn't stand up to wear and tear

But it's not as good as Fired Earth emulsion. It's goes on like a dream. And is washable. Lots of colours too. However it's more expensive than F&B.

And yes I have in the past used dulux, crown and various DIY own brand emulsions. All crap. Hideous to apply and crap wear and tear.

Fired Earth sometimes do a buy one get one free on paint which then makes it really similarly priced to dulux. It's absolutely worth it.

Sorry Piglet John but you are indeed wrong about this one.

[FlowersBlown]

Dulux trade is a totally superior product to normal Dulux though, and probably cheaper when you take into account the better coverage. I would agree about the normal DIY paints being rubbish.

I haven't tried F&B but was wondering whether it was worth it. Seems like its not.

[Rosesandlemons]

I love the colours but i agree with the others. I Was warned by my decorators not to use it. I went ahead and used it anyway and it's peeling already (6 months later).. Really rubbish quality it's just a 'brand' that people like to be associated with. I used the colour matching service to mix up the same tones but in dulux paint. There is no comparison on terms of quality and durability.

[kitsmummy]

I love it. Love the colours and also love the application - two coats max every time. I've never understood it when people say it's terrible to apply - I'm no professional but I do a good job and I think it's fab to work with.

Just used their modern emulsion for the first time in the bathroom and I'm massively impressed - it's still very matt looking but isn't marking with splashes of water.

[mumblechum1]

I have tons of F&B in the inside of my house and have always been happy with it but oddly enough had 2 sets of decorators round over the last 2 days and when I told them I wanted the front door and garage doors painted in F&B they both said no, they'd get it colour matched by Dulux. .

they're the experts so I'm taking their advice. Am currently painting my kitchen cupboards and kitchen walls in F&b and they look fine. Not really sure why decorators hate it so much.

[invicta]

We moved into a house of F&B and love it. The finish is lovely. We've never had any problems with applying it.

[Ponders]

Thank you all for advice & suggestions.

Superene, Little Greene might be a possibility as there are 2 stockists locally.

I'm struggling to find a Dulux Trade supplier locally (their website isn't helpful). I got the Dulux Heritage colour I thought would do (Grass Green) mixed in DIY Matt Emulsion this afternoon, & although it looked v similar on screen it's much darker than Breakfast Room on the wall but there are a couple of other DH colours that are probably closer.

Crown Period also have a couple that might be ok

I think for the sake of convenience I'll have to use DIY paint. it's going to cost me a fortune in tester pots