Farrow & Ball – A bold new take on Scandi style

Farrow & Ball look at how to take on a new Scandi style within the home instead of just using the obvious colours white and grey. The Nordic Edit is a selection of 24 Farrow & Ball paint shades chosen to celebrate the colours of Scandinavia. This edit was curated by Jannki Martensen-Larsen head of Danish design house Tapet-Cafe, to reflect the region’s open landscapes and cities, as well as the work of its designers and tastemakers.

We take you on a journey through each and every colour in this Scandi Edit, where diverse inspirations are found, from Copenhagen townhouses and verdant summer lawns to the unmistakable clarity of northern light.

Let’s go beyond the whites and greys we might traditionally associate with the Scandi design and embrace bold and unexpected shades from the core collection of colours and the Farrow & Ball archive.

This selection of colours is designed to excite and inspire, inviting you to step outside your comfort zone, be bold and creative with colour, and create your own new Scandi look within your handmade kitchen.

Strong White

Strong White by Farrow & Ball is both strong by name and strong by nature. The grey based white is from the Contemporary Neutrals collection, where the subtle urban feel of the light grey undertones add a contemporary twist to period homes and keep within the style of modern properties. Pair with Skimming Stone, Elephant’s Breath and All White in any combination for an effortlessly cohesive scheme.

School House White

School House White by Farrow & Ball is the lightest colour in the group including Shadow White, Shaded White and Drop Cloth – each created to look like white when used in deep shade. This soft off white is reminiscent of the colour used in old school houses – hence the name.

Hardwick White

Hardwick White by Farrow & Ball is a traditional grey originally created to touch up the old limewash at Harwick Hall and doesn’t look very white to most unless contrasted with strong shades like Off-Black. This rich and chalky hue sits just as well in a contemporary room as it does in a historic house.

Light Blue

Light Blue by Farrow & Ball is a light silvery blue. It becomes a little more silver in tone when used in shaded areas, popular on walls of internal halls. When this colour is used in well-lit areas it feels more peaceful and calming, especially when paired with a cool white like Blackened.

Archive Collection – Wall White

Wall White by Farrow & Ball is a wonderful wall colour for a white room. A beautifully understated neutral with a hint less green than Old White. Use alongside other Traditional Neutrals for a gorgeous finish.

Archive Collection – Tunsgate Green

Tunsgate Green by Farrow & Ball is a fresh and delicate green taking its name from Tunsgate Square, home to one of Farrow & Ball’s very first showrooms just off the cobbled high street in Guildford. The big dose of yellow pigment makes this hue an incredibly versatile shade for both inside and out.

Archive Collection – Dyrehaven

Dyrehaven by Farrow & Ball is a deep, earthy green taking its name from the historic deer park that offers fresh air, sparkling lakes and shady woodland to day-trippers from nearby Copenhagen.

Archive Collection – Serge

Serge by Farrow & Ball is a chic dark blue stronger than Drawing Room Blue and less green than Hague Blue. This chic shade is named after the original fabric used to make jeans. A wonderful colour to introduce into an open-plan space creating an elegant feel that’s well-suited to entertaining spaces.

Archive Collection – Saxon Green

Saxon Green by Farrow & Ball is a light, traditional green with a little more yellow than Breakfast Room Green and less intensity than Yeabridge Green. Saxon Green has a traditional feel and a soft, lived-in quality. This historic shade harks back to a time before British Standard Colours were established in 1931 when it was regularly found on paint makers’ cards.

Archive Collection – Danish Lawn

Danish Lawn by Farrow & Ball is a vivid fresh green that conjures the freshness of newly cut lawns and the cool, clear light of a Danish spring day.

Archive Collection – Pantalon

Pantalon by Farrow & Ball is a traditional green-brown where a modern colour meets a traditional character. Neither brown nor green, the mysterious tone of this hue changes in different light conditions, making it particularly captivating shade for exterior paintwork.

Archive Collection – Etruscan Red

Etruscan Red by Farrow & Ball is a brown-based deep red that became a popular feature in neoclassical decoration following the original 18th-century excavation at Pompeii. With more brown tones and less intensity that Preference Red, it’s a wonderful grounding shade for kitchen islands and pantries.

Archive Collection – Potted Shrimp

Potted Shrimp by Farrow & Ball is a traditional blush colour with a touch lighter and more yellow than Setting Plaster. This classic blush colour of Potted Shrimp results in rooms that feel delightfully familiar and embrace you in their warmth.

Archive Collection – Sugar Bag Light

Sugar Bag Light by Farrow & Ball is a charming, weathered blue inspired by the sun-bleached bags used to import sugar. With their similar levels of intensity, it is often seen as a blue version of Chappell Green.

Archive Collection – Mere Green

Mere Green by Farrow & Ball is a traditional and luxurious teal with a little more intense in colour than Vardo. Despite its more traditional feel, it still bursts with energy, making it ideal for the contemporary home.

Archive Collection – Monkey Puzzle

Monkey Puzzle by Farrow & Ball is a deep ‘estate’ green conjuring images of the distinctive evergreen tree that was popular in the 1920s. It has endured through the generations and remains irresistible for contemporary homes. The deep green hue within sits beautifully alongside both brick and stone.

Archive Collection – Copenhagen Roof

Copenhagen Roof by Farrow & Ball is a strong brick red inspired by the old city of Copenhagen, where distinctive red roof tiles sit atop brightly coloured gabled townhouses.

Archive Collection – Grate Black

Grate Black by Farrow & Ball is a special hue and sits between the softer tones of Off-Black and the more intense Pitch Black, creating a versatile shade for trim and metalwork.

Railings

Railings by Farrow & Ball is a soft black with blue undertones and has become a popular colour in our handmade kitchens. It’s a softer alternative to black which is particularly suited to the ironwork it takes its name from. It can create a handsome and commanding entrance but becomes much more relaxed in feel in the Estate Eggshell finish. The bluer undertones of this dark hue transform rooms into dramatic and enveloping interior spaces.

Our client based in Chigwell, Essex originally had this classic shaker kitchen built by us in 2017. Due to the fact that a handmade kitchen allows you to sand back and repaint the furniture to freshen up the space our client took full advantage of this and got us to re-paint the cabinets in Railings by Farrow & Ball. We added a polished brass deck mounted tap supplied by Perrin & Rowe and matching knobs and handles.

This room has certainly transformed into an enveloping and dramatic space taking on the Scandinavian style.

This classic shaker style kitchen we designed and built for a client in Harringay has been hand-painted in the popular Railings by Farrow & Ball. It certainly does look fabulous with brass knobs and handles. What makes this kitchen truly bespoke as well is the plinth being set back for a more substantial look allowing the cabinet ‘legs’ to show.

India Yellow

India Yellow by Farrow & Ball is a strong and moody yellow famously named after the pigment collected from the urine of cows fed on a special diet of mango leaves. This hue creates a really cosy and surprisingly un-yellow space when contrasted with a dark tone like Tanner’s Brown. It should, however, be used in moderation in small rooms where its moody intensity may be a little overwhelming.

Archive Collection – Terre D’Egypte

Terre D’Egypte by Farrow & Ball is a deep, warm red with a rich orange tone bringing an incredible depth to interiors and exteriors alike. When used outside under direct sunlight, it creates a warm terracotta glow. When used inside it makes for cosy rooms with an intimate, enveloping feel.

Babouche

Babouche by Farrow & Ball is a cheerful yellow taking its name from the distinctive colour of the leather slippers worn by men in Morocco. It has a cheerful brightness that will intensify when used in large areas, but it is always dignified and never garish. It can be paired with Railings for a very modern but sumptuous effect.

Arsenic

Arsenic by Farrow & Ball is a lively mint green that looks great on contemporary kitchen cabinets, especially when paired with Down Pipe, as it does on the walls of a 19th-century dining room. Its name comes from the poison that was rumoured to have been in the wallpaper that poisoned Napoleon after his capture.

Archive Collection – Chinese Blue

Chinese Blue by Farrow & Ball is a classic blue, warmer that Cook’s Blue and brighter than Stone Blue. This shade was inspired by the blue and white patterned Chinese ceramics displayed in the room for which it was originally mixed.