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Original poster

new farrow and ball colours/decorating hall

67 replies

manchurian · 07/02/2011 10:14

Has anybody tried out any of the new farrow and ball colours yet?

I'm thinking about decorating my hall London Stone below dado with the new Oxford Stone above, but the hall at the moment is very white and I'm finding such a big change hard to imagine all down the hall and up the stairs and landing.

Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks

OP posts:
freshmint · 07/02/2011 10:15

nope
I have painted hall elephants breath and I love it

not that that is any help for you!

have you got a f&b shop near you? They usually have new colours on the walls which may help you imagine...

teta · 07/02/2011 10:17

Order some sample pots on line first and see if you can live with the colours.

Original poster
manchurian · 07/02/2011 10:17

Yeh, I've got a tester pot of it and it's nice, but I can't see it being as warm as they describe, its very stoney, and can't imagine it over a whole wall.

I also have terracotta tiles on the floor which is creating problems for matching.

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Original poster
manchurian · 07/02/2011 10:19

Has anybody used London Stone? Part of me loves it and thinks its very striking, the other part of me think it looks like something that comes out the wrong end...

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teta · 07/02/2011 10:22

I have victorian tiles on my floor with a lot of terracotta in and have painted my hall dorset cream .This is a lovely warm colour and is considered a neutral by F&B.Alternatively string is a good bet for a warm neutral.Stony colours don't look right in my house [and lighting] for some reason.

Original poster
manchurian · 07/02/2011 10:22

freshmint - how does elephant's breath come out? the picture has it looking more brown, but the image of it painted looks very grey?

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freshmint · 07/02/2011 10:25

It is rather a beautiful warm grey. Greige. Not beige at all but not a cold blue-y grey.

It is really fab.

I'm afraid I've never liked london stone in real life. I am a bit of a F&B expert and have used their paints around two big houses but never could get on with london stone oddly enough.

I have pavilion grey in the drawing room which is lighter and cleaner and greyer than elephant's breath but still nice. I prefer the complexity of elephant's breath for the hall though. And it is great to hang mirrors and pictures on.

Original poster
manchurian · 07/02/2011 10:26

thanks teta - I've actually tried dorset cream and its fantastic with the tiles, but doesnt match the carpet at all, as its too yellow. I've spent around £50 on sample pots and am beginning to pull my hair out!

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freshmint · 07/02/2011 10:29

hmmm terracotta on the floor

I have a stripy red orange green cream carpet up the stairs (don't laugh - audrey sunrise by crucial trading www.housetohome.co.uk/image/550/550/imageBank/s/stripes.jpg and that looks great with elephants breath - has a lot of orange in it - but you need to get some lining paper and paint a really big swatch (2 coats), let it dry and then see

freshmint · 07/02/2011 10:30

what is the carpet?

Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 07/02/2011 10:31

Oh, I'm v excited about the new colours. Have just painted our drawing room, drawing room blue (yes really!) and the morning room, is Elephant's breath. But I do LOVE the idea of Mizzle in my kitchen (especially as I live in the west country!) with a couple of crazy bright spot colours, poss in something like Arsenic or cinder rose. Am also desperate to find somewhere to paint in Charlotte's locks, is very sexy!

teta · 07/02/2011 10:31

Oh dear,i know the problem.I have just ordered 35 pounds worth myself for our new extension!.

Original poster
manchurian · 07/02/2011 10:32

ostensibly its cream, but as soon as i started trying to get colours to match it I found it tends to have more orange tones to it.

I've also tried F&B Light Blue which goes very well with the tiles and carpet, but for some reason I hate the idea of a blue hall...

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freshmint · 07/02/2011 10:34

well give elephant's breath a go, it seems to work well with orangey tones IMO

freshmint · 07/02/2011 10:35

yes agree with blue hall

Original poster
manchurian · 07/02/2011 10:38

yeh i'll grab a sample pot of elephant's breath today (fortunately - or unfortunately depending on how you look at it! - only live 3 minutes walk from an f&b shop).

I tried Stony Ground as well which I found quite a cold grey, but hopefully elephant's breath will be warmer like you say

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freshmint · 07/02/2011 10:41

let me know what you think!

SameOldJollster · 07/02/2011 11:00

ooo, F&B, yum.

Also had Dorset Cream hall - lovely.

Have also used Dimity in a playroom, and Archive in a bathroom, both warmer neutrals without yellow?

Yeah blue hall doesn't sound quite right does it. I used Borrowed light in my DS room, it was lovely.

Good luck. Have to say every F&B colour I've used I've been happy with.

Original poster
manchurian · 07/02/2011 12:14

For some reason Archive in my hall looks like a peach colour and looks horrid.

Also considering Hardwick White and Charleston Gray though so we'll see...

Love the carpet btw freshmint!

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freshmint · 07/02/2011 13:13

Thank you!

My bedroom is hardwick white. Also fantastic. It does come out a little darker than elephant's breath, and has a bit more of a tendency to green (it isn't green, but has that in it IYSWIM). I also love it. I should post some photos for you really... if you pm me I'll email you some if you like?

Original poster
manchurian · 07/02/2011 16:07

Just tried elephant's breath - it's a lovely colour but comes about a bit purpley in my light.

Also tried hardwick white, which comes out very steely and doesnt match the terracotta tiles. Light Gray looks horrid as well.

I think I'm gonna have to take the plunge and go for London Stone and hope its not too overpowering. I was worried it was a bit murky but next to the Light Gray it looks like a lovely warm chocolately colour.

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Original poster
manchurian · 07/02/2011 16:09

On a separate note, is anybody else desperate to try Calluna in a room?? It looks so calming.

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freshmint · 07/02/2011 17:54

oh boo
doesn't look purpley in my house but it does all depend on light/colours around it etc

good luck with it!

Mirage · 07/02/2011 19:56

Oh,I want Calluna for the woodwork in my bathroom.I was planning on doing one wall in Brassica,but am leaning towards Pelt now instead.[F&B colourcard arrived today].I fancy a strong colour.

SameOldJollster · 07/02/2011 20:22

spooooooooooooooooooooooooooky. I had yet another look at the website today after reading the thread earlier and spotted Calluna and have earmarked it for the lounge of the house we are renovating.

God I love F&B Grin

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