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Exclusive First Look at the New Farrow and Ball Colours

A special post for you today. Farrow & Ball only launch new colours every two or three years and today’s the day. But they have allowed us an exclusive first look at the new shades – a few hours ahead of the rest of the world. So if you’re reading this early in the morning you’re seeing it first. Now do you see what I see? Do you want me to hang on while you scroll down to the bottom and back up again… done it. Ready?

BANCHA 298 This mid-century modern green is a darker version of the much loved archive colour Olive. Named after Japanese tea leaves, it provides a feeling of security.
BANCHA 298: This mid-century modern green is a darker version of the much loved archive colour Olive. Named after Japanese tea leaves, it provides a feeling of security.

There’s no grey. Nope. None. Last time there was a new grey, Worsted, and Joa Studholme, the company’s colour consultant, spoke about how yellow was coming for us. Which we all slightly poo-poo’ed (like we know better than her!). And anyway you can’t move for ochre, saffron, turmeric, mustard and gold at the moment so she was clearly  right about that. And if you’re just getting ready to paint it then look at Babouche and Citron for inspiration.

But enough about then. This is now. So what do you think?

JITNEY 293 This relaxed and sandy neutral takes its name from the bus that whisks New Yorkers out of the hot city to the beaches of the Hamptons.
JITNEY 293: This relaxed and sandy neutral takes its name from the bus that whisks New Yorkers out of the hot city to the beaches of the Hamptons.

There’s a deep pink and a paler version, a soft off-white and a rich blue and green. These new colours will take the place of nine others on the colour card so that it remains at 132 choices. Now before you panic, nothing ever disappears at Farrow & Ball, but some colours are archived – including Smoked Trout and Clunch – so if you have an older card you just have to remember to ask for them by name.

PAEAN BLACK 294: This Georgian inspired red based black is a nod to the colour of old leather hymnals which so often included a song of praise or paean.
PAEAN BLACK 294: This Georgian inspired red based black is a nod to the colour of old leather hymnals which so often included a song of praise or paean.

Charlotte Cosby, head of creative and the woman for whom the fabulous deep orange Charlotte’s Locks is named, said: “An extraordinary amount of time and thought goes into each colour from working with our expert craftsmen to refine the exact shade to dreaming up the name and telling the story behind the colours.

“The collection is designed to ensure the colours can sit alone or as part of a scheme as well as responding extraordinarily to light.”

PAEAN BLACK 294: This Georgian inspired red based black is a nod to the colour of old leather hymnals which so often included a song of praise or paean.
PAEAN BLACK 294: This Georgian inspired red based black is a nod to the colour of old leather hymnals which so often included a song of praise or paean.

Now before we discuss these colours in more detail, I did have to ask them about the lack of grey. After all I may have painted over the famous Down Pipe in the sitting room, but it’s still in my bathroom and I still love this deep dark, greeny grey shade.

And, of course, my bedroom is painted in Pavilion Grey, a rich mid shade that works beautifully with the dark green of my velvet headboard.

PREFERENCE RED 297: Our deepest richest red, this Baroque colour is named in honour of our original trade name. The preferred red of modern homes.
PREFERENCE RED 297: Our deepest richest red, this Baroque colour is named in honour of our original trade name. The preferred red of modern homes.

So what did Farrow & Ball, purveyors of perhaps the most famous grey of modern times, have to say? Well, wrote Charlotte in an email to me: “We’ve noticed that people are starting to move on from grey here in the UK but I don’t think you can ever truly see the end of a classic.

RANGWALI 296: An exotic pink inspired by the powder which is used so enthusiastically at the Holi festival of colours in India.
RANGWALI 296: An exotic pink inspired by the powder which is used so enthusiastically at the Holi festival of colours in India.

“Grey has gone from a bit of a cult shade to a really popular feature in homes over the past few years and it certainly still has its place in our palette.

“In fact two of our new shades offer a twist on grey: sulking room pink’s dose of grey keeps it from looking overtly pink while Treron [not pictured here] is a dark grey green that partners perfectly with our traditional neutrals.”

SCHOOL HOUSE WHITE 291 The lightest in the group including Shadow White, Shaded White and Drop Cloth, this soft white isreminiscent of the colour used in school houses.
SCHOOL HOUSE WHITE 291: The lightest in the group including Shadow White, Shaded White and Drop Cloth, this soft white isreminiscent of the colour used in school houses.

But, she added, and this is important. If you are looking for a new neutral then try Jitney, which has a brown base making it warmer than many greys.

So there you have it. Right from the horse’s mouth. Grey isn’t dead but it’s definitely having a little lie down. And we’re looking to warmer neutrals from now on.

SULKING ROOM PINK 295: This muted rose is evocative of the colours used in boudoirs, a room originally named after the French ‘bouder’ - to sulk.
SULKING ROOM PINK 295: This muted rose is evocative of the colours used in boudoirs, a room originally named after the French ‘bouder’ – to sulk.

I have had the tester pots for a couple of weeks now and while I haven’t had a chance to use them all, I definitely like Jitney and Schoolhouse White the best for now. Although I could be tempted with a little Treron green. And, I’ll be honest, I could paint a place in Sulking Room Pink for the name alone.

SULKING ROOM PINK 295: This muted rose is evocative of the colours used in boudoirs, a room originally named after the French ‘bouder’ - to sulk.
SULKING ROOM PINK 295: This muted rose is evocative of the colours used in boudoirs, a room originally named after the French ‘bouder’ – to sulk.

Over to you. Start the chat in the comments below and if you follow me on instagram, then stayed tuned to my stories as I’m heading off to the official launch later today and will be finding out more details about the collection. I will also try and get you a picture of the elusive Treron which, for some reason, was missing from the pack of images I was sent here.

DE NIMES 299: An elegant blue that is wonderfully down to earth, it is inspired by the cloth of everyday workwear originally made in the French city of the same name.
DE NIMES 299: An elegant blue that is wonderfully down to earth, it is inspired by the cloth of everyday workwear originally made in the French city of the same name.

The range is 100 per cent water-based range and the new collection will be low odour, eco-friendly, safe and easy to use and available in a range of finishes.
The new colours will launch globally at London Design Festival on 20-23rd September. To purchase the new
colours, visit farrow-ball.com, local showrooms and stockists.

 

Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.

11 Comments

  1. Oh what a brilliant way to brighten up the day, Kate! And how great that F&B have livened up their pinks/reds selection with these new colours. Like you, I love their greys and my hall, stairs and landing are all Pavillion Grey. Which is super-smart and a great backdrop for pictures, but maybe it needs livening up or given a dose of drama. I just love ‘Rangwali’ … and ‘Paean Black’. And, as ever, their names are as delicious as the colours themselves. Hmm … time to get ordering some sample pots.

  2. Absolutely love the School House White. I think it will look perfect in the large hall of our old Manor House which I was going to paint Manor House Grey. This lovely soft white will look great with the old grey flagstones and lighten up a very large dark space.

  3. Might paint my kitchen Sulking Room Pink I think. Paean Black also rather lustworthy and Schoolhouse White. Oh dear……. and De Nimes

  4. I love Sulking Room Pink 295. On my screen it looks like a warm colour and here in the middle of Canada we want warm. Oh, and the name! I have renamed my bedroom now.

  5. Love the new palette of colours . The Georgian inspired paecan Black is lovely . Can’t wait to try them out : it’s Autumn so decorating season in my house :

  6. Totally love Sulking Room Pink, also love de Nimes and Schoolhouse White! I think Rangwali will be one of those ones that will come into its own when used with other colours!

  7. Thanks so much Kate for this preview! The colours are all wonderful, as to be expected but as ever always so many to choose from! We’ve yesterday literally just painted our bedroom walls and paintwork all in clunch, and it’s a beautiful shade so I feel slightly behind the times, but it takes very well to dark furniture and we’re v pleased with it. I love the new black shade which would look good painted in our room as a headboard!

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