How to Get the Farrow & Ball Look (Without Paying Farrow & Ball Prices)

The mistake people keep making

Most people trying to “save money” on a Farrow & Ball look do the exact opposite. They focus on buying cheaper paint — then undo the saving by repainting, over-ordering, or choosing finishes that fight the space.

The Farrow & Ball look isn’t about a brand name. It’s about depth, restraint, and cohesion. Get those right, and the room reads expensive regardless of what’s on the tin.

Get them wrong, and even genuine Farrow & Ball can look off.

Step 1: Understand what you’re actually paying for

When you buy Farrow & Ball, you’re paying for complex undertones, muted chroma, cohesive colour families, and predictable behaviour in real light.

You’re not paying for magical coverage, indestructible durability, zero prep, or guaranteed perfection.

Once you understand this, saving money becomes strategic — not random.

Barrow & Fall exists to preserve the behaviour and palette logic, not just the colour name. Start with the A–Z directory or the best dupes list.

Step 2: Spend where it shows, save where it doesn’t

Using Barrow & Fall matches in lower-cost paints for large, less critical areas often delivers 90–95% of the look for a fraction of the cost.

Step 3: Choose the right finish (this matters more than brand)

Finish has more visual impact than people realise.

A £30 tin in the right finish beats a £70 tin in the wrong one. Use the paint finish cheat sheet to lock this down first.

Step 4: Use fewer colours, more intentionally

Farrow & Ball rooms rarely use lots of colours. They rely on one dominant tone, one supporting neutral, and one consistent white. This creates flow and makes everything feel deliberate.

Trying to save money by switching brands room to room, introducing extra colours “to mix it up”, or using whatever tester you already own does the opposite. It makes the scheme feel chaotic.

Barrow & Fall palettes are structured to mirror Farrow & Ball’s approach — fewer colours, more cohesion. For neutral schemes, start with the neutral palettes guide.

Step 5: Don’t chase “exact matches”

Exact matches don’t exist. Different brands behave differently because of pigment systems, bases, finishes, and dry-down behaviour.

What you want is the same undertone direction, the same depth in low light, and the same warmth under artificial light.

Barrow & Fall matches aim for visual equivalence, not lab numbers — because that’s what your eye actually responds to. For a deeper breakdown, read how to pick the right dupe.

Step 6: Test properly (skipping this costs more than paint)

Testing feels like a faff. Repainting costs more.

• Large sample boards
• Two coats
• Multiple lighting conditions
• Same finish as final paint

This is how you avoid buying twice. Barrow & Fall matches narrow the field — testing confirms the winner. Follow the sample testing guide before you commit.

Step 7: Accept that cheaper paint behaves differently

Lower-cost paints often need more coats, dry lighter, feel flatter, and reflect light differently.

A smart dupe accounts for this. Barrow & Fall matches are often slightly deeper or softer than expected — deliberately — to compensate for how budget paints behave once dry.

Expecting identical richness at half the price is unrealistic. Expecting 90% of the look is sensible.

Step 8: Use paint quantity strategically

One of the easiest ways to save money is ordering accurately.

• Over-ordering “just in case”
• Using too many colours
• Repainting mistakes

To reduce waste: measure properly, stick to fewer colours, commit once tested. Barrow & Fall guidance is built around predictable coverage — not optimistic marketing numbers.

Step 9: Make the space look expensive without more paint

The Farrow & Ball look is supported by soft whites instead of brilliant whites, consistent undertones across rooms, natural materials (wood, stone, linen), and fewer contrasts with more layering.

• Reuse the same white everywhere
• Let colour depth do the work
• Avoid trendy high-contrast schemes

Paint is only one part of the effect.

Step 10: Know when not to cut corners

Saving money is not the same as cutting corners.

• Prep
• Primer
• Finish choice
• Testing

A cheap paint applied badly will always look cheap. A well-chosen Barrow & Fall match, applied carefully, will usually outperform an expensive paint rushed or misapplied.

The reality check

You don’t get the Farrow & Ball look by buying Farrow & Ball.

• Choosing stable undertones
• Using cohesive palettes
• Picking the right finish
• Testing properly
• Applying carefully

Barrow & Fall removes guesswork from the colour stage — not the thinking.

Spend where it matters. Save where it doesn’t. Avoid repainting. That’s how you get the look — without paying the premium.