Farrow & Ball Releases Its First New Palette In Two Years

And they're gorgeous...

Farrow & Ball has just launched nine new paint shades – the first new colours from the Dorset brand since 2016.

Unveiled during the London Design Festival, the 2018 shades include an exotic hot pink inspired by the Indian festival of colours, a denim blue, a sandy neutral, a soft off-white, an olive green, the richest red yet, and a green-grey that’s sure to become a Farrow & Ball classic.

The nine new paints were carefully chosen to rebalance the Farrow & Ball colour card – the new additions will replace nine existing shades to preserve the curated palette of 132 paint colours that’s become so synonymous with the brand.

The nine shades — either trend-led or updates on existing hits — are inspired by culture, history and heritage and add depth and global influence to the English company’s range.

There’s Preference Red (No. 297), a moody Baroque crimson that’s the company’s richest red yet and named after Farrow & Ball’s original trade name, Preference Paints.

Then there’s Paean Black (No. 294) which is a Georgian-inspired red-based black with hints of purple. The hue nods to the colour of old leather hymnals which so often included a song of praise or paean, hence being named after a song of praise.

Inspired by the cloth of everyday workwear made in the French City of Nimes, the stately light blue De Nimes (No. 299) is a warm slate blue like the now ubiquitous workwear from the French city (from Nîmes = de Nîmes = denim). It’s a wonderfully down to earth blue that’s inspired by the cloth of everyday workwear.

A muted rose pink, Sulking Room Pink (No. 295) has a soft, powdery feel and evokes the colours often used in boudoirs, a room named after the French word bouder (to sulk). The shade is rich, complex, and borderline brooding, an A/W18 update on Millennial Pink. It makes a beautiful backdrop for living rooms.

A darker version of the archived colour Olive, Bancha (No. 298) takes its name from Japanese tea leaves and channels a mid-century modern vibe. The hue is also meant to provide a feeling of security.

Named after the bright powder thrown during the Holi festival of colors in India, Rangwali (No. 296) is an exotic pink that’s equally saturated and joyful, and has an absorbing depth of colour achieved by adding a small dose of black pigment.

The lightest in the Farrow & Ball group is the newly added School House White (No.291) which is a warm and soft off-white shade reminiscent of the colour used in old school houses.

Treron (No. 292) is a dark green version of Farrow & Ball’s classic Pigeon. Traditional in feel, it complements modern residences that make use of natural materials.

Finally, Jitney (No. 293) is a relaxed and sandy neutral that evokes lazy days by the sea. It’s named after the bus that whisks New Yorkers to the similarly hued sandy beaches of the Hamptons.

The new paints will replace nine existing Farrow & Ball shades to retain the brand’s signature 132-colour palette.

The shades being retired from the colour chart are: Clunch, Archive, Smoked Trout, Book Room Red, Yellow Cake, Ringwold Ground, Tunsgate Green, Drawing Room Blue and Black Blue. But ardent fans don’t despair they’ll still be available to buy from the archive collection.

The richly-pigmented colours are designed to sit well alone or as part of a carefully considered complementary colour scheme.  They also respond brilliantly to varying light conditions, making them a longstanding favourite of interior designers.

Like the existing shades, the new collection will be low-odor, eco-friendly, and available in a range of high-performance finishes.

Paintbrushes at the ready…

On sale in shops and online from today, £45 for 2.5 litres of paint.