Farrow & Ball 'modern emulsion' paint: want F&B look but I need something tough(ish)

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About to redecorate two bedrooms, hallway, landing and stairs. Love F&B colours but I don't think I can bring myself to use a full-on chalky finish, even in our bedroom; we have something similar downstairs (not F&B but similar period chalky finish - 1829 range I think) and it has gone really very tatty in only a couple of years, esp with toddlers around the place.

So, has anyone used the F&B 'modern emulsion'? is it better than getting a Dulux colour match, and do the colours still work well? How is the application? (I hated putting on the 1829 stuff, it was very streaky)

I got a colour match with Dulux Diamond trade Matt and could see no perceptible difference with the modern emulsion in terms of colour or texture.Dulux is easier to use [according to the decorator] but is the same price as F&B [in the diamond finish],but it promises to be scrubbable.I painted my hall in the estate emulsion and it has marked badly in 3 months [although i love the look of it].I have just got the decorator some 'Farrows Cream' in Dulux Diamond to cover over it.

thanks teta. Our halls are currently done in that Dulux diamond stuff and it is certainly tough (though apparently not as tough as our builders ... )- might have a look at the F&B modern emulsion finish in the local shop and see how it compares.

Have a look at Ultimatt too by Little Greene Company - very low sheen & designed to be tough scrubable paint.

hi! i used B&Q colour everywhere in matt finish, has been fab. lots of colours, goes on really well, is nice and thick and finish is beautiful...and its washable, which ca only be a good thing in a toddlers bedroom.

Oh, I like the look of the Little Greene ones - think I'll need to order tester pots and test the alleged washability!

I have used the Little greene Ultimatt and is very very good - we have used that for my nice rooms where I want 'nice' heritage colours and Dulux Diamond finish in hallways/playroom, stairs etc.
In fact I washed down the walls on the stairs and by front door last week to get off all the marks....
Would def recommend these as I've used again and again and can't find better. Would not touch F&B after these...hth

yes that does help bonkers, thanks very much! The only problem is that I've fallen for a F&B colour which Little Greene don't really do...can't really tell without tester pots though so that's the next stop

B&Q will match the F&B colour with their Dulux system.

Step away from the Modern Emulsion. It's REALLY streaky. I went F&B mad about 7 years ago and then found out the hard way that the chalky finish stuff goes tatty in next to no time and so tried out the "Modern Emulsion" and got horrid streaky walls. I am never buying any F&B paint again. Their exterior paint is crap as well. I do like the decorators do: take the F&B colour chart to a trade paint place and get them to mix me up a colour match in something more durable and easier to apply... Cannot understand why people think F&B is so great.

F&B modern emulsion is wipeable. We are about to do every room. Using the modern version for kitchen and bathroom.

The difference, especially for the lighter colours, is very slight. I couldn't really notice it.

But kept normal for the darker ones.

Which colour do you love?

Ha what a cross post.

Sorry :(

Oh no don't worry . Tis fine. Just had someone come in to do a quote.

First thing I say is I have ordered F&B are you ok with it..

Any suggestion of colour matching, mmmnnn

I love French grey, or at least, I love the colour swatch of French grey in the chart - want a very slightly greeny grey, basically. Have considered colour matching but I don't love the Dulux finishes or working with Dulux paint (though would much rather Dulux than 1829 or whatever it is - HATED that stuff). So I'm going to try the Little Greene testers then probably resort to the closest match from Crown (love Crown paints...) if that too seems like the devil to apply!

of Marsha having someone doing the painting for her!

Oh yes dh is banned from doing the painting. As for me, no way.

I am obsessing over the colours.

We have chappell green in hall and am keeping it as it's lovely. All muted greeny fawnish based colours. Shaded white, cabbage white etc

But chose tallow for kitchen and maybe should have gone with white tie, hopefully not too peachy. eek

Wimborne white eggshell on all woodwork.

Am slightly excited...

We have Wimborne White on all our woodwork, and the bedroom walls. The reception rooms are mainly Clunch, and the dining room Pale Powder. Our decorator loves it. He's a complete convert, after snorting the first time I asked him to use it.

I loved the colours with the estate emulsion, but we are just too clumsy and messy a family for it. Though the modern emulsion is slightly less matt, it really is properly suitable for family use. We've never had any streaking problems, no idea why that would happen, maybe a stronger colour than we've used. I love the new colours and used one of the greys on console - I want it on the hall walls now.

It is properly wipeable. DD2 had a crafty birthday party last year, and one of her friends sprayed paint right up the dining room wall. It wiped off really easily and hasn't damaged the paint at all. Shame we can't say the same for the brand new curtains.....

My problem is wanting all the colours. Have chart here. Pale Powder looks lovely too.

I walk past a neighbour who has used Incarnadine in the dining room. We can't use any reds with the green here but looks amazing.

I bet the best bit of doing up houses is deciding on the F&B palette.

We've just done our porch in F&B Modern Emulsion in Oval Room Blue and it looks fab. No streaking (you have to stir the paint really well) and 2 coats only, whereas with estate emulsion I find 3 coats is better.

I have my entire hall, stairs and landing, my kitchen and all my bathrooms in F&B modern emulsion. As long as you stir it properly I've never had any problems with streaky finish (which I have had with Dulux). And it's yet to succumb to scuff marks which the estate emulsion before it did within about 2 days.

Manchurian or anyone what did you use on the ceiling?

Thanks

I used Johnstone's Covaplus Vinyl Matt in Brilliant White for ceilings.

If money was no option I would just use F&B on ceilings as well in something like Wimborne White or Pointing, but this was less than half the price. And I rarely study my ceiling in detail.

Yes Wimborne White will match the woodwork. If I do it I will stare at the ceiling for sure, get value for £.

Thanks for link to other paint, if I don't that looks good as non-yellowing.

Quite simple. If you are painting a kitchen do not use Farrow and Ball. I used F&B Modern Emulsion, love the look at first but as soon as it gets the slightest mark, all you do is rub off paint. I have recoated it so many times. I get the smallest of splashes from coffee near the kitchen - really tiny marks and can't budge them unless I paint over them.

I am just about to fit the cooker and know I am going to have to change the paint around that area without a doubt. Assume it is the same with other types of marks so would not use it in a hardwearing area at all.