Farrow and Ball modern or estate emulsion

[user1484830599]

For those of you who've used it, which is better, modern or estate emulsion please? It's for my living room and would be a light colour (if I can ever choose). I don't want to have to be touching it up every 5 minutes.

Estate marks pretty easily. I’ve used it in all my north facing rooms as I love the chalky reflecting paint.

In all the south facing rooms I’ve used Johnstones acrylic eggshell on the walls to give a similar finish to modern emulsion.

I find the estate doesn’t like small touch ups the new paint can been seen easily like when you touch up few years old paint with fresh new paint so I’ve accepted I’ll have to cut in any repairs/touch ups.

Johnstones paint gives a lot better coverage but no matter what people tell you the finish isn’t the same. The colours are still very similar but for £22 a tin rather than £70 you’d expect some difference!

Modern is wipeable. You can't scrub it but marks do disappear. Estate, no hope. Marks just by looking at it. Modern every time.

I use estate, I've managed to wipe it down without damage (I have dogs). Greasy finger prints won't come off mind, but they don't even come off my Homebase Duracoat either!

I've used Elephants breath and Mizzle, have wiped both down and touched both up, the EB quite a lot 9 Months after I did it because I hadn't gone into the alcoves enough and that all blended in nicely too.

Estate is 100% fine. I only have modern in the bathroom and imo it's far too shiny to use anywhere else.

(You can trust me - my friend's dh calls me Farrow & Bore 🤣)

Would only ever use, and have only ever used, Estate. I used the Johnstone's copy (washable) when I was married, as XH was funny about paying for F&B for a massive house (perhaps understandably). But you can't beat the wonderful chalkiness of Estate.

Disclaimer: I have a tiny house, which makes F&B just about affordable. But if I had a big house, again, I might think differently...

Reminds me that I have Estate in the bathroom as well. I have touched it up a fair few times. And I do have to remind the DC to open the window when they have a bath (no artificial ventilation), as it doesn't necessarily like constant condensation.

Modern would be too shiny for my taste. I have Estate on all the architraves (and all other woodwork, including doors) in my house because I don't want anything remotely shiny. Exterior Eggshell is fine for, um, exteriors...

I have a very old house, and I don't like shiny. Thanks everyone for your help, I'm even more confused now

Modern is only 20% sheen or something like that! Barely any difference between that and estate!

Oh actually DUR I think I get it! So if we were talking for example, Dulux, EE would be Matt, and ME would be silk? Sort of?!

I do know, OP, that Johnstone's don't exactly match 'Estate'. I have used their nearest match on rental properties, but have used the Real Deal on my own house, because I have a bit of a thing about even the merest hint of sheen (namely: I don't care for it, and 20% sheen is too much for me if I could get 5% sheen).

I don't know how Dulux would compare, as I have never tried them. Though if I had a big house, I'd definitely go to Johnstone's, and ask them for the nearest they could do to Farrow Estate. Their colour-matching is very good.

It is only one room, and only for a feature wall.

I am also not keen on the sheen

In that case, F&B Estate, OP.

Thank you!

Estate for an old house. Every time. I have a large house and we have used it everywhere. We might be extra careful(?) but no retouching in 8 years and lounge is still perfect. Even the stairs are ok still.

Thank you @BubblesBuddy

I should say I've used Dulux everywhere else (timeless, dull dull dull) and it is lovely and I'll continue to do that, it's just this one colour in farrow and ball that i like. I know I can colour match but i'm not really bothered about that.

It was the homebase 2 for £70 that prompted me to ask, I'd been dithering about colours up until now.