to think Farrow and Ball is overrated and is the Emperor's New Clothes of MN?

[MardyBra]

They use names like "drab" because the colours are drab.

Fired Earth is much nicer.

YANBU
our house was farrow and ballsed-up by the previous owner

it is taking me forever to Dulux over everything. "string" is particularly offensive, making my sitting room look ever so slightly nicotine stained.

ah yes.....we have fired earth and that posh dulux stuff!!

Arf.

Unspoken Rules of Mumsnet No. 3789.

The world will explode if an MNer does not, upon creating a lick-arsey thread about LeQ; then immediately create a thread that will cause great upset for Le Q.

i tried to direct DH towards the F&B in homebase last week. He snorted, said 'they're just shades of shite' and went pale at the price. We -argued and shouted a bit and I cried-- discussed it like rational grown ups and compromised on some dulux.

Oh, is this a dig at LeQ?

that's a shitty thing to do.

I like LeQ, she didn't ask for a thread saying how lovely/missed she was.

Ah no, I don't think it's a dig, more of a gentle prod...

oh.

F&B is still crap though i still want it

I think it's a dig at Farrow & Ball.

YANBU, btw. Overpriced. Not particularly special. Quite good advertising.

I'm going to go against the tide here and say the F&B paint is worth the money. The depth of colour is completely different to that of any other paint I've used. We've used it in a couple of renovations of period properties and it has really made all the difference.

That said, I wouldn't use it in our current house as it really isn't worth it (grubby fingers) and is a pain to work with. One decorator we had resigned when he found out we were planning on using it.

We move fairly regularly, and have done up and fully painted 3 houses over the last 8 years.

The first 2, and half of the 3rd, were Duluxed. I am still absolutely fine about Dulux emulsion.

I am the 'windows, skirting, doors and architraves' painter (anything fiddly, that's me) and I have to say that a switch from Dulux silk to the F&B equivalent was an absolute revelation in terms of ease of use, drippiness, coverage, density of pigment, lack of 'bits' even after lengthy use of the same can, storability etc. I wouldn't go back now - though that is very definitely a 'properties of the paint' comment rather than a 'colours' one, as I agree that some F&B are drab. It is a fine line in an old house between 'not looking jarringly modern' (some Dulux colours do this) and 'still looking fresh and recently painted' (some of the F&B colours are a bit ...frowsty).

can anyone recommend a non-drab shade of off-white?

currently we are looking at 'chalk-burst' from Dulux, (pale yellow cream-white. like milk at the bottom of a cup that hasn't been washed for a bit)

And YABU. Farrow and Ball isn't the Emperors New Clothes of MN. That's Boden.

For woodwork, we have mostly Wimborne White. Have also used Pointing, both as a ceiling colour and on woodwork. Our 'quick, lets obliterate the previous owner's 70s wallpaper but we don't have time to agonise over colours as there are 8 rooms to do' shade of choice is Orchid White from Dulux, but it is quite yellow.

A second vote here for Pointing as a woodwork colour.

Closely followed by Innocent Smoothies.

I also assumed this was a (very subtly shaded and tasteful, natch) LeQueen trap

And it will serve us right if she catches us all in here and insists on showing us her holiday snaps.

(That's not a euphemism by the way)

Farrow & Ball?

Have no idea who LeQueen is, but F&B paint is fantastic. We've used it for several house projects, and it goes on well, stays put, washes, and doesn't need a thousand coats. The colours are dreamy too.

Anyone who can summon up an OUNCE of enthusiasm to debate PAINT COLOURS needs a hobby

If this is a dig at LeQ it's not naice

hmm.. 'pointing' sounds good...i wanted something slightly yellow, but more of a my lounge has splots on the wall from the paint testers already - may as well go the whole hog. it will look like a giant paint fight has erupted before we choose this time.

it is currently a stylish 'value' blue (which we have found to be identical in colour to dulux 'a whisper of powder blue' though much much better quality)

i should finish that sentence - ' want more of a greek yoghurt/ real but pale cream' rather than pale yellow.

the room can be quite dark as i have allowed our 'privacy' hedge to grow rather massive at the front.

not a euphemism.

and i think LeQ is great. i was hoping to tease her about her paintwork.

Overpriced shite, hyped up by over zealous idiots.

YABU - great, subtle colours and gorgeous coverage. But my PIL have had problems with it peeling so maybe not always perfect? I love it though, and find the coverage is so good it doesn't necessarily work out more expensive as you use less.

Have you ever used it, LadyOfTheManor?

My BIL is a painter and decorator and tels his customers to get the paint else where as it is over priced, leaves a bad finish and is hard to work with.

But people go for the name and middleclass-esque of it