THE STORY BEHIND… Farrow & Ball’s new shades
Beautifying homes the world over, the famous paint range now includes nine exciting additions. Here, F&B’s Charlotte Cosby advises on how to use them
With quirky names, such as Dead Salmon and Elephant’s Breath, F&B paints have become global bestsellers. Sound eco credentials – thanks to its policy of eschewing plastics, acrylics and oils – mean the ethos of the company, which sprang from humble Dorset beginnings in 1946, is perfectly in line with modern thinking.
Though its classic range of 132 colours is firmly established, a set of nine additional shades has just been released. ‘Each new colour was developed to address a gap we saw in our current range, so they can fit seamlessly into your existing scheme or create a whole new one,’ says Charlotte Cosby, F&B’s head of creative for the past nine years.
To update an existing scheme, Charlotte suggests re-colouring a piece of furniture, alcove or cupboard interior. ‘In a neutral scheme, try De Nimes for a hip but elegant look; or for something more dramatic, use deep, rich Preference Red or bohemian Paean Black. Painting your front door will give your whole home an uplift. Rangwali is a friendly, positive colour that should make you and your guests smile!’
According to Charlotte, the deepest colours, Paean Black and Preference Red, work wonderfully in dark rooms especially dining rooms and living rooms, where they’ll add a bit of drama, as well as creating a cocooning and restful effect in bedrooms.
‘School House White is the perfect canvas for any room as it softens all spaces and works with most other colours,’ says Charlotte, ‘while Sulking Room Pink can be used as a neutral and sits fantastically just about anywhere – my favourite would be a kitchen with Sulking Room Pink on the walls and Railings cabinetry!’ The new colours also bring a fresh dimension to the classic range. ‘Paean Black is our new black for teaming with reds – great for painting trim or flooring in a room with red walls,’ says Charlotte. ‘Treron was designed as the darker accent for French Gray, something that customers have been requesting for years.’ For more information, visit farrow-ball.com