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.

Sanderson paints are much better quality, don't have that heavy quality that F& B does, which can make rooms in modern flats and houses seem even smaller than they are - and , for snob value, Sanderson also have a Royal Warrant.

Odd. As experienced amateurs, we have found it very easy to work with, leaves a better finish than Dulux and, though expensive, gives better coverage of whatever is underneath so needs fewer coats.

teacher, ditto. We have painted several houses with F&B, and it is great.

Well, I've been following the F&B threads with interest and the idea of deeper, richer colours is very attractive.

But why does that make it better for period restorations? I bet they had very poor paint refining techniques in Those Days and poor quality colours. If you really want an authentic look, shouldn't you use egg albumen and sheep's blood?

Otherwise it'll be so modern, you might as well put plumbing and electricity in!

YANBU, my house was also F&B'd by the previous owner and all the doors get marked really easily as the paint is shite!

Little know fact from a painter friend of mine. Apparently F&B is mixed at the same factory as Crown paint and is essentially crown paint except for the riduculous mark up...

I used various paints in a part of the house we redecorated recently, and apart from the very chalky original F&B range I challenge anyone to see a difference.

Obviously you have to buy top of range other people's stuff to get the pigment density, you cant compare £5-a-gallon B&Q slop, but by the time you are paying half its price you're pretty much there.

Ha ha at negative feedback of F&B products means it's aimed at LeQueen.

Having used most paint brands out there (shops own, dulux etc), I really like F&B. The colours sit so well in an old house. The best paint i know though in terms of application and colour is Little Green. Just amazing stuff.

Just done a room this week with Little Green - very pleased. F&B is only going to be worth it if you're the kind of person who really cares about the depth and density of their walls. If you don't care then F&B will be overrated for you.

If you take a F&B sample to B&Q etc they can mix paint up to the exact colour. It will cost you a fraction of the price, it will go on the walls easily and it won't come off like F&B does.

I love F & B colours but find the paint rather thin and the coverage poor.

Their "Modern Emulsion" is a nightmare to work with - doesn't go on very well. If you overpaint e.g. around a lightswitch, it shows. Their Exterior Eggshell is also useless - peels and cracks every year despite careful preparation.
We have changed to Leyland - fantastic stuff and you can get the colours of most other brands of paint mixed to order.

I love Little Green, and Noddy recommended Malabar paints as well and they were ace too. Same sort of thing, breathable, deep pigments etc. But different palettes to f&B. Malabar has some very lovely colours.

The Little Green I've done looks very flat. My painter liked it so no issues with it going on.

No idea about "LeQ" but I like Farrow & Ball. They don't have many colours but they are all good and solid. Finish is lovely.

Also like Paint & Paper Library and LIttle Greene. Nice stuff

thoughts on 1829 Craig & Rose paints anyone?

i have just tried some - it is really really nice compared to Dulux and Crown.

in fact compared side-by-side - it goes like this -

1)1829
2) Dulux 'light and space'
3) Dulux 'endurance'
4) Dulux standard
4) Crown.

you can't get Sanderson/Farrow &Ball/ Fired Earth at B&Q, so i haven't tried them.

DH is now wandering back on forth rubbing the tester-patches and gurgling about how great the 1829 is (apart from the colour 'alabaster' is too dark)
Jasmine White actually didn't look yellow enough....'milk white' is 'really pale pale blue' 'white cotton' was a bit grey....'delicate cream' is just magnolia by another name.

We used 1829 in our dining room. I think it was called Lincoln Green (sort of British Racing green). Very flat colour, no sheen at all.

Has been brilliant. It's been there 3/4 years and still looks as good as new (no marks anywhere despite being a "corridor" room to the kitchen and 3 small children eating in there!)

Would definitely use 1829 again - as now getting bored with it and fancy a pale grey colour

"it's just shades of shite". brilliant!

yabu - we have just finished painting (actually re-painting) our house in F&B String - and it def does not look nicotine stained, our house is old and it looks beautiful. Tight arse DH tried to Dulux the job but I stood firm and even he admits the paint gives a great finish. And doesnt stink!

Couldn't give a flying fuck about LeQueen - she's sometimes amusing but oft-annoying and I can't say I've missed her but hey she's back again.

F&B is wonderful. All my woodwork is Clunch and it still gives me pleasure to look at it, especially in our bedroom, despite the fact that I am a total housework slut and the place is a tip. The walls of the living room are 'light blue' which is just beautiful; changes from grey to blue to greenish-blue according to the light, and I never look at it without thinking 'what a lovely colour that is'.

Vert de terre and off white in the kitchen, Teresa's green with clunch in the bedroom. I may rarely clean, but fuck me the colours are just gorgeous.

I'm blissfully unaware of them.

Clunch? Really