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Original poster

Farrow & Ball - worth it?

89 replies

Noimaginationforaun · 27/08/2023 16:25

Is Farrow and Ball worth the price point or is it better to just colour match a colour if you particularly love it? I’ve bought a couple of their books and I’m really loving them as I’m pretty clueless about where to start!

DH and I have just moved into our forever home with our LO. Our last house was very much a doer-upper. We did what we could with a very limited budget and we also knew we were going to move. Basically, we never decorated for us and more for what was on offer/what is neutral to be pleasant enough.

Anyway, now we are in our forever home and have been lucky enough to have some equity and inheritance behind us. For the first time ever, we want to actually take our time decorating and decorate for us and not just because we need everything doing as quick and as cheap as possible but equally we don’t want to waste money when it’s not worth it! We are trying to go with a ‘happy to spend the money when it’s for something that’s actually going to last’ kind of mindset!

OP posts:
CountryCob · 27/08/2023 18:48

I have used farrow and ball for woodwork but the reason I wouldn't on walls is I want tough and washable or bathroom finishes so they can be cleaned and last well. Absolutely F&B was worth it for the front door and windows the colour is so nice and it has impact there

Blogdog · 27/08/2023 18:57

It is absolutely worth it. We painted most of our house in it but colour matched two shades as they didn’t have enough paint in stock. The colour in the F&B rooms has far more depth than the colour-matched ones. Our painter groaned and moaned when we said we wanted it as it is much harder to apply than trade paint but the results speak for themselves.

needastrongoneagain · 27/08/2023 19:04

No. From someone that knows a number of paint and specialist coatings chemists very well from working in the industry. Don't go super cheap, but Dulux or Crown are at least as good.

TerfTalking · 27/08/2023 19:44

Saschka · 27/08/2023 16:41

My painter/decorator says no - apparently it is very watery and takes about a million coats! He asked me to get a F&B tester, and get it colour-matched with Dulux. DM says the same, it doesn’t cover well. She used it on one of her bedroom walls and it needed about 4 coats.

Nice colours though.

Edited

Exactly what my decorator says!

colour matched in Dulux, looks great and hard wearing. I use Dulux Armstead Trade.

Original poster
Noimaginationforaun · 27/08/2023 19:53

Such mixed reviews! Lots to think about! I think I’ve definitely discounted F&B for my little boy’s room. He’s only 4 and the comments about it not being good for high traffic areas make me think it probably won’t be so good for his room!

Love the comments about the colour pay off though and think I’ll be getting some tester pots for our room!

Thanks so much everyone!

OP posts:
Richmondgal · 27/08/2023 19:57

No
paying for a label

3rdtimemumma · 27/08/2023 20:02

Opposite to someone else. We colour-matched farrow and ball to dulux for our whole house. Painted our bedroom with f&b. I'd never use f&b again. It took loads of coats, looks blotchy and it just hasn't lasted like the rest of the house painted the same time (5 years ago).

CNDflag · 27/08/2023 20:04

Yes..I definitely rate F&B and have used it loads over the years.

I do all my own decorating and find it great to work with. I also have used Little Greene in several rooms, and that is lovely to paint with too.

Screamingabdabz · 27/08/2023 20:10

We painted our all white bedroom in F&B All White and I loved it. I had a mini tantrum when my DH went to touch it up with Dulux Brilliant White and I gave him a lecture about the unique chalky finish and how the light bounces off it ‘…like that’ I said, pointing at a patch of it. ‘That’s the Dulux’ replied my DH gently. So I was over it.

…Until we wanted a pale paint for our large living room recently and the only paint that looked actually beautiful in all lights was F&B. I really didn’t want to pay that much but the colour match was useless and even my DH (who is Mr Economy) didn’t want another paint.

He thinks it’s lovely to paint with and he’s no DIY-er. The only downsides for me are cost and it marks very easily - you only have to brush passed it and it marks.

Laboriprofumi · 27/08/2023 20:23

I actually did a "scientific" experiment with this! 2 rooms, same direction, same light.one matched one f&b. No difference... The f&b isn't "alive" and both "change colour" during the day cos the light itself changes during the day. F&b did take a lot more coats. Lovely colours but I feel there's a lot of hype

Mummatobe98 · 27/08/2023 20:25

Noimaginationforaun · 27/08/2023 16:25

Is Farrow and Ball worth the price point or is it better to just colour match a colour if you particularly love it? I’ve bought a couple of their books and I’m really loving them as I’m pretty clueless about where to start!

DH and I have just moved into our forever home with our LO. Our last house was very much a doer-upper. We did what we could with a very limited budget and we also knew we were going to move. Basically, we never decorated for us and more for what was on offer/what is neutral to be pleasant enough.

Anyway, now we are in our forever home and have been lucky enough to have some equity and inheritance behind us. For the first time ever, we want to actually take our time decorating and decorate for us and not just because we need everything doing as quick and as cheap as possible but equally we don’t want to waste money when it’s not worth it! We are trying to go with a ‘happy to spend the money when it’s for something that’s actually going to last’ kind of mindset!

Lovely colour range, but very price and takes 4-5 coats to get a cover

PinkCheetah · 27/08/2023 20:42

After years of cheaper brands and colour matching, yes F&B is worth the price.

Reigateforever · 27/08/2023 21:00

Painters hate using to decorate F&B because 2/3 coats are needed depended on the walls condition, however the depth of colour is amazing. All my home is decorated with F&B and I have good comments from visitors regarding the colours which I don’t ask for and I certainly don’t say what make.

isthesolution · 27/08/2023 21:04

We colour match at a local decorating centre. So we have farrow and ball colours without the runny paint or price tag 😂

There'll be companies online that do the same.

Madcats · 27/08/2023 21:14

15 years ago, we put in a new kitchen with F&B paint. A few of the cupboards were painted in Brinjal (aubergine). The cabinet painter left the tin and I decided to "touch up" the cabinets during lockdown (just a couple of toddler/waste-bin bashed induced scratches). You can't tell where I touched them up.

Vettrianofan · 27/08/2023 21:25

For high traffic areas I have used Johnstone's washable matt emulsion. Great for wiping down any mess with a damp cloth in high traffic areas.

PlipPlopChoo · 27/08/2023 21:35

Colour match to save money and get better consistency paint in my experience.

Cyclingmug · 27/08/2023 22:00

We use it as have lime render on our old house and has to be water based paint. I like the smell of it too!

TotalOverhaul · 27/08/2023 22:01

I hate it. Streaky and very unreliable colour. But Paint & Paper Library paint is gorgeous, Goes on like cream.

Original poster
Noimaginationforaun · 27/08/2023 22:19

TotalOverhaul · 27/08/2023 22:01

I hate it. Streaky and very unreliable colour. But Paint & Paper Library paint is gorgeous, Goes on like cream.

Not heard of Paint and paper library! Will add it to the list of samples! Thank you!

OP posts:
Karmatime · 27/08/2023 22:27

Has anyone used their modern emulsion rather than the estate? It’s supposed to be washable but it’s not as flat. Im thinking of going for that but don’t want it to have an obvious sheen.
They have a new one out that’s flat Matt and washable but it’s eye-wateringly expensive!

cimena · 27/08/2023 22:28

I’m the painter / decorator in this house. So from both a finish and application perspective - I don’t get F&B at all. Shit coverage, shit overused boring colours, shit finish. Little Greene though, I won’t use anything else. I guess if price was really an issue, I’d give the colour matching a go, as dulux/crown are fine in the end when I’ve used them elsewhere but I don’t mind spending on paint, seems better value than lots of other things and Little Greene I find much better to work with.

In terms of wearability, matte finishes, no matter who makes them, will mark and are hard to clean, they don’t really wipe. They look nicer though! That’s basically how F&B got big, they sold matte paint and everyone went ‘oh that looks nice!’ Water based eggshell or semi gloss or whatever each brand calls it will be wipeable and so is easier to keep clean. F&B and Little Greene both do them cos everyone ALSO realised that ‘that looks nice’ doesn’t last long in a hallway…

However. If you have an old house and damp is a problem, painting it all in what is effectively plastic coating will make it much worse, so you’re better going matte (dulux/f&b/whatever you want) and touching up. It doesn’t take long to do and is much better for your house. If you really want/need to go with a wipeable, consider only going halfway up the wall - which I also think is nice visually!

faban · 27/08/2023 22:33

StSwithinsDay · 27/08/2023 16:32

We have used F & B and also Little Greene. Very happy with both.

I agree. We have little Greene in the living room and daughters room and it's lovely

faban · 27/08/2023 22:35

Noimaginationforaun · 27/08/2023 19:53

Such mixed reviews! Lots to think about! I think I’ve definitely discounted F&B for my little boy’s room. He’s only 4 and the comments about it not being good for high traffic areas make me think it probably won’t be so good for his room!

Love the comments about the colour pay off though and think I’ll be getting some tester pots for our room!

Thanks so much everyone!

The little Greene one we got is waterproof and I've cleaned jr a few times with no left over marks

catlady2222 · 27/08/2023 22:37

100% colour match but NOT with Dulux.

You need to colour match F&B at Johnsons. It's literally the same. Exactly. I was against colourmatching previously as Dulux is just slightly off somewhat. You can tell it's not F&B.

Johnsons is insane. I got that tip off an account on Instagram.

Trust me - Get yourself to Johnsons and ask for the F&B colour. You won't be disappointed.