Farrow & Ball -worth it or cheaper alternatives?

shegirl

I've fallen in love with some Farrow and Ball colours and had planned to use them fully through my entire house when we move.I got the colour card through today to check the colours and,although I knew they were more expensive than most,I had a bit of a shock when I saw the price list!!!!

So,is their paint really worth it?Pros and cons?Are there cheaper alternatives that give the same types of colour with high pigmentation,same availability of finishes and that would enable me to still use the same finish and colour throughout the house?

nickj_2

shegirl wrote: »

I've fallen in love with some Farrow and Ball colours and had planned to use them fully through my entire house when we move.I got the colour card through today to check the colours and,although I knew they were more expensive than most,I had a bit of a shock when I saw the price list!!!!

So,is their paint really worth it?Pros and cons?Are there cheaper alternatives that give the same types of colour with high pigmentation,same availability of finishes and that would enable me to still use the same finish and colour throughout the house?

if you can find a decorator that recommends or likes using F&B i'll be very surprised , i personally find it over priced,hyped and rated ,
if you want a good match , try scanning their colours in either crown whose mixing machines will create an excellent match or dulux who which will give you the nearest equivelent . i always use the F&B colour card with the actual swatches of paint on rather than the ones you get from homebase which are just printed , or get a tester pot , paint a bit of wood , paper then take that and get it scanned .

i've never had any of my custemers complain about the shade or finish of the dulux equivilent ,
you may get the odd person saying how they love the finish , but tbh once it's up on the walls , unless you have nothing better to do than admire the finish then you won't notice the difference ... save your cash

Ich_2

We've just decorated a room using F & B on the walls, a totally better finish than we've ever had before. Yes it was expensive and we used undercoat but the coverage was far higher than expected.

Mayflower10cat

We used F&B's oil based eggshell on our kitchen cupboards & woodwork and it was wonderful - great coverage and a really hardwearing finish that cleans up easily.

Another brand I'm fond of is 'Craig and Rose', they have some delightful shades especially of soft blues and greens that other ranges just didn't have. (And slightly cheaper than F&B!)

I'm a big fan of Dulux paints, too.

OddjobKIA

I believe F&B is a clay based paint and gives a more traditional chalky look finish. If you have a lime render then clay based is a must. I have used F&B paint and love the finish, if you live in a period property then the extra cost is probably worth it. if you live in a house 10 years old or longer it can look a bit Disney or false. At the end of the day if has the colour you want then pay the extra.

Niv

Homebase own brand used to be made by F&B. Dont know if it still is though.

Niv

shegirl

It's not a period home but I fell in love with the shades (my son wants a chalky green and I love the greys - it's hard to find the perfect grey!) and I do love the changes depending on light.

I had been told that dulux etc can't actually colour match it very well? Maybe worth trying as it's not so much period style I want,it's just the rich but 'calm' shades that I've found hard to find elsewhere.

Thanks

shegar

Ive used F&B on doing some shabby chic furniture and it turned out beautiful, but for the home I use Dulux simply because of the finanacial reason, it would cost a bomb to paint every wall and ceiling in F&B.....

Ich_2

Walls are F & B, paintwork Dulux! and the ceiling is B & Q pink to white! (as advised by someone who advised on the colour scheme.

Yes the shades of the colours can vary so much during the day.

As here: -


Get at least 4 trial pots of different shades of colours and view them under bot natural and artificial light

nickj_2

shegirl wrote: »

It's not a period home but I fell in love with the shades (my son wants a chalky green and I love the greys - it's hard to find the perfect grey!) and I do love the changes depending on light.

I had been told that dulux etc can't actually colour match it very well? Maybe worth trying as it's not so much period style I want,it's just the rich but 'calm' shades that I've found hard to find elsewhere.

Thanks

the dulux system will give you the nearest option in their colour range , bearing in mind the range has around 12000 colours i'm sure only the uber fussy would dispute any difference in shading , where as the crown system will create it's own recipe , so intheroy you should get an exact match

bobthedambuilder

Unless your rooms are huge, the price difference is hardly worth worrying about. If F&B have the exact colours you want, why worry about the odd £10 or £20 (topside)? You can take moneysaving too far. (I bet that brings some howls from some stalwarts on this forum:p).

IMO, F&B gives a better finish anyway. I've used estate emulsion on plastered walls, and casein distemper for bare brickwork (breathable).

PS If you like greys, have a look at F&B's Hardwicke White. I have a feature wall in the kitchen done in it, and it looks spectacular.