Is Farrow & Ball really worth the extra cost?

[Zeeky]

I'm sure this has been discussed to death in the past but I'm too lazy to search...

Is it really worth the price compared to Crown or Dulux? The testers alone will cost me a small fortune!

It looks lovely. Fantastic actually. Beautiful.

And then the kids wipe their hands on it, and draw on it, and run toy cars along the wall, and slide their feet down it when wearing black trainers, and bash chairs against it, and splash tomato sauce on it, and blu-tac pictures on it.

Dulux-industrial-strength-just-wipe-the-crap-off-or-paint-over-it for me any time.

Yes, there is just something about the colours....I am sure someone will be along to explain who knows about these things but I would never use anything else now.

No

But if you don't spend the extra money, you won't get that warm glow of knowing you've, um, spent the extra money.

I am a recent convert and I have to say, although I wish it wasn't, the answer for me is 'yes'. It went on brilliantly, the colours are gorgeous and, so far, it is wearing brilliantly (but the last one is a bit of a ridiculous claim as I've only finished the painting a month ago!)

I prefer Little Green paint, same chalky finish but bit more hard wearing.
They have lovely colours of their own and will also match F&B if you prefer.

No.

I had a decorator in and he said he wouldn't touch the stuff, the quality isn't really very good. He said if you like a particular colour though, you could take a sample to any Dulux or Crown desk in somewhere like B&Q etc and they would mix some up for you.

Decorators hate it.

Nothing else seems to have the same gorgeous look imo but it is not hard wearing or cleanable.

i have the estate emulsion everywhere,except the childrens bedrooms-which is crown.
i find the only problems we have with it is just above the radiators in the winter- it crazes-but we sand it down every spring and retouch.

I have tried and tried and tried to find something with the perfect colours and finish, and just can't.

The modern emulsion doesn't have the beautiful chalky finish, but the upside to that is that it is pretty much indestructible. We've tried other brands, Dulux, Valti and their wipeable paints are just too shiney, and their chalky ones just the same price as F&B. On top of that, F&B always have really helpful people in their shops, who just seem to "know" the right colours. Their website is really helpful too. Finally, if like me, you live in the middle of nowhere, their next day delivery costs less than a tank of petrol, regardless of how many tins you need. Which is just as well because yesterday, I took delivery of 50l.

The worst you can do is try it, it's not like you're marrying it - though if I had to chose between DH and F&B, it might be a close call some days.

I've had the modern emulsion on my kitchen walls for 5 years and it is just ready for re painting. I am sure any other paint would be the same given the traffic from the back door.

I think decorators dont like it because they cant go off and get discounts on it which they benefit from? My nice newish decorator who has no interest in buying the paint himself never complains.

Correct, springaroundthecorner, the only way to get discount from F&B is to buy the whole collection of their wallpaper books, which is somewhere north of £500. Some decorators' merchants will rebate a 'discount' back on to other products for their favourite trade clients.

Personally I think their colours are difficult to find elsewhere and whatever anyone says, the Dulux colour matching service doesn't get you the same finish as F&B. Yes, some people fall for the marketing hype but that's because F&B are very good at it, and they pretty much invented the 'heritage' paint sector.

If a slight difference in colour or finish isn't that important to you, buy Dulux. If it is, buy F&B. Neither is 'better', it depends what you want!

I have gone the other way - Dulux Trade - F&B - back to Dulux Trade. But then I am only painiting in white at the moment and in a modern house. For colours, would probably use F&B.

Dulux Trade is pretty hard to beat though in my experience (limited, not a decorator) and you can get it cheaper at trade prices.

I would always use either or now (B&Q etc own paints are cack)

No experience or Crown.

The finish is fantastic and its much easier to apply than dulux/crown. I also love the subtle colours although I don't use the offwhite shades. Touching up is easy as long as you mix the paint well.

Decorators hate it because they can;t get a trade discount and find it hard to buy - you often have to order.

No, it is not hard wearing. Most paint shops can match any F&B colour, but in a hardwearing Dulux anyway....

Yes.

I've tried the matching process, the finished overall look really doesnt quite cut it in the way F&B does. I have used modern emulsion and it has had dogs and children battering it to death, it's been wiped down and wiped down and still perfect.

The decorator doesnt like it at all though.

Is it suitable for bathrooms too? Previously have always used Dulux bathroom paint.

We have just moved to an 18th century farmhouse, so thought F&B may be more suitable here than in our previous 80's build. Wanted to start with painting the bathroom and loo as they are currently a nasty peach colour. The tiles are nice though - creamy stone with a brown polished mosaic border. Was thinking of maybe slipper satin, Dimity or Joa's White?