Abigail Ahern shares the Farrow & Ball shade you should bring into your garden right now

Abigail has already shaped our interiors, but now she’s taking her paintbrush to our exterior spaces

Abigail Ahern's garden paint tip
(Image credit: Rockett St George)
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Garden party season is so close; we can almost smell the sweet combination of our favorite summer flowers and homemade cocktails. However, as our exteriors play host to our friends and family once again, it is even more important than ever to make sure they mirror the style of our modern homes. But fear not, because the queen of maximalism and renowned interior expert Abigail Ahern has shared her favorite hue that we’re rushing to bring into our gardens faster than we can say Aperol Spritz. 

Speaking in a video to her thousands of Instagram followers, the London-based designer revealed the exact color we should bring into our gardens is Farrow & Ball’s Railings. The shade is a softer alternative to black, thanks to its subtle blue undertones. Abigail purchased the color in the ‘Eggshell’ finish, which offers a more relaxed finish to the original formula. 

But what makes this shade so sought-after, and why is it particularly suitable for our gardens? In her aptly named ‘Gardening Club’ video, Abigail reveals all. 

Abigail Ahern’s garden paint tip, Farrow & Ball garden paint

Railings by Farrow & Ball

(Image credit: Railings No.31 Estate Eggshell is £28 for 750ml. Available from www.farrow-ball.com)

The designer begins the video by suggesting we should ‘go dark’ when painting our exterior structures, including fences, cabins, and sheds. She demonstrates her argument on a dark-painted cabin, whose dark paint gives the structure an almost camouflage effect. Abigail suggests that because the cabin has ‘gone away,’ the green ‘planting is the grandest thing in the garden’.

‘If you go white or light, you’re de-accenting all your planting. If you go darker, the planting is the king,’ Abigail argues.

‘The eye can’t have two things pulling it and giving it the same attention. So, we want to recede with all our structures – whether that’s cabins or fences or even pots. You want them to go away. Then the planting in the garden looks even more magical than it really is,’ she adds. 

Abigail Ahern favorite Farrow & Ball shade, Abigail Ahern’s garden paint tip

(Image credit: Rockett St George)

Abigail then offers her paint suggestion, saying: ‘I’ve painted this in an exterior eggshell by Farrow and Ball called Railings, but lots of companies do exterior colors. If you go dark, I think your planting will be elevated.’ 

We’re willing to trust any advice from the figure at the very top of the industry, especially when our garden’s reputation hangs in the balance. We thank you, Abigail. 

Megan Slack
Megan Slack
Contributor

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team.

Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US whilst studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site.

Megan currently lives in London, where she relocated from her hometown in Yorkshire. In her home, she experiments with interior design trends and draws inspiration from the home decor ideas she observes in her everyday work life. Her favorite pieces include her antique typewriter and her expansive collection of houseplants. When she isn’t writing, she is browsing London’s coffee shops and bookstores to add to her ever-growing library, taking over the open shelving in her apartment.