Colour matching Farrow & Ball? Any advice as the colours I’ve chosen are not coming out well!

[PicnicAtHangingRock]

I am having a bit of a decorating disaster.

Could anyone tell me please if colour matched paints ever turn out like the F&B originals? My decorators tried to get Schoolhouse white colour matched and it looks like the colour of margarine! It is so far from what I expected I have decided to choose a different colour (Slipper Satin) but I am afraid that colour matching that is going to turn out rubbish too, even though that’s what I have told them to do tomorrow.

I’m afraid that maybe the colours aren’t the problem so much as the fact that trying to colour match doesn’t work and I should either buy the F and B colour I want in F and B or pick a readymade colour in a more affordable range instead of trying to do this colour matching thing which doesn’t seem to be working out very well for me.

I am doing an entire newly refurbished three bed house so there is quite a lot of paint to buy, hence trying to economise but if it doesn’t look great it’s a false economy and I don’t want to spoil it at the end with a bad finish.

If you’re still with me, thank you. I need to tell the decorators what I want first thing tomorrow and I am so confused right now so if any kind soul has any words of wisdom they will be gratefully received!

Wow. You can tell me I’m a bit hysterical about this as I normally use explanation marks quite sparingly. And multiple explanation marks usually make my eyes hurt almost as much as the margarine on my walls!!!!

Have a look at The Decorating centre on line. They have an Instagram page that shows you how they colour match in Thor highlights. The lady seems very knowledgeable and a lot of the well know interior design pages use and recommend them.

Where are you based? There is a place in london that does very good colour matching at trade prices.

Don’t panic.

Colour matching is pretty good. I have extensive experience.

What I am wondering is whether you used a genuine F&B tester, and painted it on cards, and put it against all the walls in the relevant space(s). I failed to do this with my bathroom (just tried a tester pot on one walk). I then bought the ‘real deal’, and it looked awful. It was a horribly expensive mistake - and that wasn’t even with colour-matching!

Since then, I have used a colour-match, but have been even more —obsessive— careful to try testers absolutely everywhere...

Ooh where Nonomore2?

^walk? Wall...

We colour matched f&b stifkey blue with the Johnstone's paint, recommended by our decorator, we were really happy with the outcome! Couldn't tell a difference in the paint samples, and love the room decorated. Not sure if every colour would be s great match but worth checking out?

Where did they go? I use Johnstones and it’s always been identical.

I used Johnstone’s, too (following the expensive cock-up). They are v good.

What brand are you using OP? Johnsons colour match is exact, where as dulux not so much.

Use F & B, its not particularly expensive and is on your walls for a few years so is good value. You will not replicate the finish F & B gives.

The one on the left is a colour match for Schoolhouse White and the one on the right is supposed to be a match for Slipper Satin. The Slipper Satin is better but how does it compare to the original? Does anybody know if it is close?

Do you guys think it looks nice enough to paint an entire house in? Because I’m not sure and I’m afraid of making another expensive mistake. The labour cost if I have to get them to redo it will no doubt be more than I saved by choosing a different brand. I’ve also heard that a lot of painters don’t actually like using F&B, but that’s probably another thread in itself.

Oh thank you folks! I’ve just seen your replies.

We are in London. They are using Leyland Trade.

Picnic, it’s impossible to say. The colours depend so much on the light in your own house, i was going to paint my kitchen Ammonite, following a visit to a friend’s beautiful new kitchen. - but when I tried a tester in my house, it looked like sludgy brown. I am going for either Slipper Satin or Pointing, as a result...

Do you think those colours look close to the real deal?

I have a terrible confession that is that I didn’t really test. I just used the cards from the £15 colour fan thing. But I didn’t think they could look that different. I totally deserve my fate.

Should I just tell them to get a few vats of Natural Calico on their way past B&Q in the morning?!

You won’t be able to judge without buying an actual f&b tester pot and painting them both side by side.

I am such a muppet. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at my own ineptitude 😭

Our decorator centre says same as fruitbre. Johnstone's for a good match.

I'm really happy with our Johnstone's colour matched paint but it was around the same price as F&B. It was eggshell though (for kitchen) not emulsion. Great coverage - it's a very dark colour but barely needed a second coat.

This Picnic is definitely a few sandwiches short.

Valspar has the most accurate scanner and is actually accessible imo and I worked for years in the paint industry. The most accurate F&B matches are usually Johnstones but its finding somewhere that mixes it that is the challenge.

You'll never get quite that same finish though, that flat matt sort of effect that they do so well.

This article about Farrow and Ball made me laugh.

www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/truth-farrow-ball-paint-love-hate/

It’s a bit tricky for me to get to site tomorrow morning as I have nursery Christmas service - carol things going on in the morning. Does anyone have any thoughts on whether F&B’s own Slipper Satin is pretty foolproof and works in most situations? Maybe I could tell them to buy some and just do one room until I can get there?

If you baulk at the price of Farrow, this chart might help.

www.e-paint.co.uk/Colour_alternatives.asp

They are working on the first floor which is bright and west-facing so maybe it’s a safe bet? And just ditch this colour match malarkey.

Another vote for Johnstone’s.

Both those shades look very dark OP, but obviously it’s hard to tell as we’re not standing in the room. What direction does that wall face?

I have Shadow White (same family as School House but a shade darker) in a large west facing kitchen. It looks lighter than what you have, and depending on the light it has very delicate greeny beige tones. Nowhere near as muddy as what you have there.

I love Slipper Satin but it doesn’t look anywhere near as dark as your tester patch in my house.

If your rooms are naturally dark should you perhaps go for a rethink and aim for cosy with strong colours?