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deirdres_gw

Can Farrow & Ball paint be glazed?

15 years ago

Hello all,

This is my first time to post on Gardenweb, but I have been a fan for a long time and have really learnt a lot here.

I live on a fishing trawler in San Francisco which I bought almost 6 years ago. I have spent all my time turning it into a very cosy home and now I am on the last lap. The paint!!

I have been using Farrow & Ball paint in London (and in Paris) over the years but I had no idea that it was so popular in the States. I am so impressed by the deep knowledge that some of you have about the paint, at least as good as the F & B stores in London & Paris and a lot more practical.

So now I am agonizing about colour choices. It`s a small space, obviously, but I get so much light coming through my windows (it was built as a liveaboard by a retired navy guy for he and his wife to live and fish on, so not at all pokey like a normal yacht) and the light seems to suck the energy out of the subtle F&B colours. Anyway, apart from the colour, I would also like to recede the walls, and I was wondering if anyone had tried to glaze over F&B paint. In other words, water down a 3rd coat?

Just an idea I am toying with, and as I say, there is so much good sense and good taste on this site, I thought I would ask.

Thanks a lot,

Cheers,

Comments (8)

  • 15 years ago

    You can make a glaze with any paint. Either add water or use a glazing medium. Again, any brand will do.

  • 15 years ago

    Thank you paintergirl.
    It used to be said that by glazing a paint you could visually recede the wall, thereby making your space look bigger. As my kitchen sitting area on the boat is 10ft wide x 17ft long, that would be a good thing, but I wonder if it is worth the effort, or if it would detract from the look of the F&B paint. I know it makes touching up difficult, but frankly, I rarely touch up paint.
    Do you have an opinion?

  • PRO
    15 years ago

    There are so many brands and grades of paint to choose from, deirdres.

    I wouldn't choose pricey gallons of F&B to do a faux finish/glazed finish. F&B's appeal is all about their time-tested palette and each color within that palette has its own "look" or vibe. And, of course, there is the factor of F&B's final finish. Could you do a glaze with it, I'm sure you could. But unless there is a specific F&B color that you just gotta have, I don't see the point.

    A better plan would be another quality can of paint at a lower price-point IMO.

  • 15 years ago

    Yes Funcolors, that sounds right. And in fact, much as I love F&B I may be forced to use something else as their colour choice is rather limited and I have SO much light coming into the boat, from N,S,E and West that it is rendering all my samples sort of lifeless. I think maybe they were created for great mansions and stately homes.
    When I bought the boat 6 years ago it had belonged to a single guy for years and it was, well, bleak, so I just slapped on a deep marigold Milk Paint, which actually was lovely and made the room glow, but now that I have spent hard earned savings turning the place into a cosy home, I wanted something more sophisticated. And I`m sort of yellowed out. I have that downstairs, in my bedroom and bathroom.
    Thanks for the sensible advice,
    Cheers,

  • PRO
    15 years ago

    Well, F&B is from the U.K.

    Many of the smaller, specialty palettes do indeed reflect a regional provenance. No surprise F&B colors wash out in a certain characteristic of abundant light.

    Maybe check out some of the Ben Moore colors from the Color Preview deck - make 'em a little more special by getting them mixed in Aura.

  • 15 years ago

    Those of us who use F&B because we're besotted by the surface and the color shifts have found out from talking to each other that the colors don't have the same impact in bright light. Both my places are painted with it but if I was not on the E coast I'd use other brands.

    Sydney Harbour Paints -- Australian Porters has a similar texture, many finishes and a palette more suited to strong light -- Cox Paints in LA carries it. Not much distribution outside California, which tells you something. I think their colors might suit.

    Alternately, there is Fine Paints of Europe and if you're inclined to work with oil-base paint and accept sheen theirs would be incredibly durable and might make sense for a boat. They can do any color, there's a telephone consultant and they ship. My painter was amused to see that they send mints along with the paint. I got tired of yearly mildew and we did our exterior with FPE and everything simply wipes clean now. I'm told it should hold up for 8 years or so. Going on 4 now and it looks like new.

    Cost roughly equivalent or perhaps a bit more than F&B.

    In the Aura price range there is Citron a boutique paint out of Arizona created by a vivacious color expert. Haven't used that brand but the very vivid palette also might suit.

    Here is a link that might be useful: FPE

  • 15 years ago

    That explains a lot rocogurl!
    I was wondering why most of you F&B savvy folk seemed to be on the East Coast. It also explains why when I painted gorgeous F&B colours in my place in Paris I was disappointed, although I still get a lot of compliments (I rent the apartment to Americans on vacation in Paris so lots of people have spent time with it!) I think it`s because, being on the top floor,with no building opposite, I get so much light there too.
    I have already contacted Citron in Tuscon thanks to your heads up and spoke to a really nice woman called Carolina. She suggested I sent them photos of the boat which I have done and I am dying to get her response. I sent a couple of the room with the old marigold Milk Paint, and now, after the remodel, with the F&B "Bone" in the prime coat so they can see the problem.
    And thanks to you I feel less guilty about being a fussy old bird with too much time on her hands.
    I had far less trouble choosing colours for my walls in the craftsman cottage in the redwoods I had for years, and now I see why. Too much light is more problematic than too little.
    I think I`ll post again asking if anyone has used Citron and would be willing to post photos.
    Thanks again.

  • 15 years ago

    Bless the English as nobody does it better. But we make good paint here too. Citron does have sample pots, I believe. First line of defense those. Will be interested to see what they suggest to you.

    Bone in California on the water -- Yikes. Sydney Harbour is, admittedly, spendy but the surfaces are very similar to F&B, if all-else fails.

    You are by no means alone in your paint concerns. The first thing everyone says when they walk into our newly painted apartment is "how beautiful". We don't have much furniture -- they're talking about the F&B.