Discover 'Carte Blanche' Collection Paints + Wallpapers by Christopher John Rogers x Farrow and Ball
Meet the gorgeous capsule collection of 12 new paint colors and 3 new wallpaper patterns, by renowned designer Christopher John Rogers x Farrow and Ball.
‘Carte Blanche’ is a stunning capsule collection of colors and wallpapers, as a collaboration between amazing designer Christopher John Rogers and Farrow & Ball. We’re feeling refreshed and grounded with these 12 new colors and 3 wallpaper patterns, and are SO excited to share them with you!
Au Lait: a soft white that is inspired by the chicory coffee popular in New Orleans, often served with steamed milk.
Blue Maize: a deep blue inspired by the unique hue of corn popular in Mexico and the Southern States.
Cardamom: a rich brown inspired by the warming, versatile spice used in dishes around the world.
Hog Plum: a pale but intense yellow reminiscent of the sweet and sour fruit found across Central America and the Southern States.
Liquorice: a warm, rich deep black is that of the classic sweet created using the root of the plant from which it takes its name.
Lobster: a vibrant, lively blue that takes its name from the popular Louisiana catch.
Pea Flower Tea: a vivid true blue, this shade is named after the brightly coloured drink created by infusing petals from butterfly pea flowers.
Raw Tomatillo: a joyful and verdant green inspired by the fried green tomatoes made by a beloved grandmother.
Roasted Macadamia: a warm, stony neutral that’s a favorite among The Squirrels, this soft neutral is named after the nut of a similar shade.
Romesco: a rich, brilliant red evocative of the classic Spanish sauce, which also doubles as a favourite makeup shade.
Sardine: a silver blue that takes its name from a favourite afternoon snack of a much loved grandfather.
Shallot: a cheerful pink that takes its name from a sweeter member of the allium family widely used in Cajun cuisine.
Christopher John Rogers is a renowned designer that’s famous for his rainbow-hued clothing. “Born and raised in Louisiana, Christopher was enamored by art from a young age, finding inspiration in everything from Ellsworth Kelly to the costumes of comic book characters and even airport décor. Exploring the space between pragmatism and glamour, his designs emphasize quality, timelessness and declaring your sense of self.”
Check (wallpaper pattern): bold, Bauhaus-inspired Check pays homage to the innovative work of Anni Albers, the celebrated textiles artist— the geometric, mixed scale design feels both contemporary and classic, transforming your walls into a true work of art.
Dot (wallpaper pattern): this playful pattern celebrates one of Christopher John Rogers’ iconic designs— Graphic, graduated Dot brings energy and joy to your space, while the traditional flatbed printing method creates unique texture and tantalising depth.
Stripe (wallpaper pattern): a fresh take on a true classic, Stripe brings added interest to one of our most enduringly popular designs— with a wide, statement stripe, this pattern is effortlessly versatile and can be hung in four different ways to create the look you love (and can be hung both ways for either vertical or horizontal looks).
Visit us to learn more about this fabulous collection, and to sample and shop paint and wallpaper patterns! Please note that samples for all Carte Blanche colors are available only in large single-sheet swatches to purchase (no sample pots). All paint colors are available in most Farrow & Ball finishes (*exceptions currently are Exterior Eggshell + Masonry, however Full Gloss is available for any exterior notes).
Our Visit + Conversation with Farrow and Ball!
Read Farrow & Ball’s writeup about their visit and conversation with us…
So Farrow & Ball paid us a visit in May this year, and we had a lovely conversation with them about using paint and color, and working with sustainable products. We had a blast and are thrilled to share their writeup about it all!
11 New Colors from Farrow & Ball!
The end of September introduces not only a new season… we’re also welcoming 11 new paint colors by Farrow & Ball! Perfect Autumn timing for some colorful excitement.
STIRABOUT
Stirabout is inspired by the nurturing porridge favored over many centuries in Ireland. An earthy tone with just a hint of underlying grey, it’s perfect for creating a relaxed feel, which will never be too cold. Try pairing it with Jitney and natural fabrics for a laid-back look.
Recommended Primer & Undercoat: White & Light Tones
EDDY
A gentle green named after the circular currents enjoyed by wild water swimmers as a natural jacuzzi. This evocative color creates a seamless connection with nature, perfect for use in a garden room or alongside natural materials. A breath of fresh air, Eddy is also an ideal choice for calm, relaxing spaces. It is delicate in tone without crossing into pastel and sits at the lightest end of the French Gray and Treron family.
Recommended Primer & Undercoat: White & Light Tones
TAILOR TACK
The lightest and most delicate of our pinks, this charming color is that of the tacking thread used in Haute Couture ateliers. It may be delicate but it’s strong in character and has enough color contrast with white. Perfect paired with vintage finds or industrial accents, this shade works well in both traditional and modern schemes.
Recommended Primer & Undercoat: White & Light Tones
TEMPLETON PINK
A historic-feeling pink, this shade was developed for the dining room at Templeton House to offset the magnificent Wedgwood plaques made to commemorate the former owner, although it suits a contemporary setting just as well. A more intense version of Setting Plaster or Pink Ground, it creates a warm, welcoming space, particularly in low light where this shade becomes surprisingly deep.
Recommended Primer & Undercoat: Mid Tones
BAMBOOZLE
Our most spirited red, the name of this fiery hue was originally used to describe the deceit of pirates. Full of buccaneering spirit, Bamboozle brings joy and warmth to any room scheme and is easy to use in both traditional and modern homes. It will hold its own in any light and pairs brilliantly with other strong colors, like Beverly and Wine Dark.
Recommended Primer & Undercoat: Red & Warm Tones
HOPPER HEAD
Sitting between the ever-popular Railings and Down Pipe, this classic charcoal color is inspired by the attractively designed iron containers used to catch rainwater at the top of a downpipe. Ideal for creating inviting spaces, Hopper Head works beautifully with nearly any Farrow & Ball shade or can be used exclusively across walls, woodwork and the ceiling for a dramatic space.
Recommended Primer & Undercoat: Dark Tones
SELVEDGE
A lighter, less grey version of popular De Nimes, Selvedge is named after the highly prized denim woven on a shuttle loom to produce closed edges. It’s particularly good in low-light spaces, creating a familiar and friendly atmosphere, making it suited to bedrooms or rooms you spend time in, in the evening. It pairs beautifully with accents of darker colors like Inchyra Blue or Hopper Head.
Recommended Primer & Undercoat: Mid Tones
KITTIWAKE
This clean cool blue is inspired by the wings of seabirds when seen in bright sunlight. Sitting between Parma Gray and Lulworth Blue, Kittiwake has a touch more black pigment creating a warmer, more relaxed feel. This shade is perfect for living spaces, staying truly blue in all lights. It also complements stainless steel especially well, so is ideal for contemporary kitchens. A sophisticated blue, it looks fantastic with Wine Dark and Borrowed Light.
Recommended Primer & Undercoat: White & Light Tones
WINE DARK
Inspired by midnight skies, this spiritual color is named after the term Homer used to describe the sea. Our richest blue, it’s the perfect addition to our strong blue family, being more sophisticated than Stiffkey Blue and more upbeat than Hague Blue. In low-light, Wine Dark becomes even richer, making it particularly glamorous in candlelight and perfect for creating intimate spaces.
Recommended Primer & Undercoat: Dark Tones
WHIRLYBIRD
For an upbeat space, try this lively green. A lighter version of Breakfast Room Green, Whirlybird is inspired by the papery winged seeds beloved by many playful young gardeners and nature lovers. It looks particularly lively in morning light and is complemented by Beverly and James White.
Recommended Primer & Undercoat: Mid Tones
BEVERLY
This clean mid green is named in honor of a kind and generous member of our Farrow & Ball team who is sadly no longer with us. A dependable, uncomplicated color, with the ability to feel even greener in bright daylight or more conservative in lower light. This shade is a beautiful addition to any home.
Recommended Primer & Undercoat: Dark Tones
A couple new things with the paint launch to keep in mind:
11 colors are now archived! View the following now located in the Archive Collection (we can still make them though)- Savage Ground #213, Salon Drab #290, Radicchio #96, Blazer #212, Pale Hound #71, House White #2012, Churlish Green #251, Pavilion Blue #252, St Giles Blue #280, Pitch Blue #220, Mahogany #36
Some of these 11 new colors are not available in all finishes yet. Please wait until early 2023 for the following to be available-
Full Gloss finish in Hopper Head, Bamboozle, Wine Dark, Beverly
Exterior Eggshell in Hopper Head, Wine Dark, Beverly
Exterior Masonry in Kittiwake, Templeton Pink, Selvedge, Whirlybird, Hopper Head, Bamboozle, Wine Dark, Beverly
All items are available at our Shop & Studio to purchase, including sample pots (which come in the Estate Emulsion 2% sheen/ flat finish)! Don’t forget your complimentary copy of a new foldout color card. View our Primer Guide for proper application advice on all projects. Visit us soon to see all the new, colorful additions!
Visiting with 'The California Collection,' Farrow & Ball® x Kelly Wearstler
8 gorgeous colors introduced in 2021…
One of the bright spots of 2021 so far has been to introduction of Farrow & Ball x Kelly Wearstler ‘The California Collection’ into the offerings made possible by F&B paints. Maybe you’ve been following Kelly through the design world, or maybe she is a new name to you. Regardless, her collaboration with Farrow & Ball for this line has resulted in effortless yet sophisticated colors that not only work together as a ‘family’ but also fit in well with other colors in F&B’s current collection.
Let’s visit each of the 8 colors in the line:
Faded Terracotta- an apricot-toned earthy pink
Salt- a very clean and bright white that pairs well with cool colors
Citrona- a vivid ‘lemon’ color pop
Stoke- a warm brown-based grey, hence it pairs well with warmer colors
Palm- a bright ‘mint’ that can pair well with darker colors as well as bright, clean whites
Hazy- a cheery, clean pale blue
Sand- a stunning neutral that can pair well with both yellow or red-based colors
Tar- a very soft black that has some warm (almost brown) undertones
Each color has been carefully considered and can fit lovingly in homes across the globe, no matter one’s style. For sampling, F&B only makes samples of this collection as pre-painted sample cards at this time. This collection is available in the interior finished only (Estate Emulsion, Modern Emulsion, Estate Eggshell, and Modern Eggshell). Visit us to see colors in-person and to purchase sample cards!
How to Paint Your Front Door with Farrow & Ball®
Some great tips and tricks for painting your front door with F&B paints!
We were joined last week by Ben McCabe from Farrow & Ball® for two free demo sessions on how to paint your front door, which was helpful for not only door projects but also for any projects in which someone might use F&B exterior-grade paints. In case you missed it, we have a little recap for you! The luscious color featured on our large door and smaller demo sample doors is Vardo, in case you want to replicate the look.
First off, why work with Farrow & Ball® paints? F&B has been around since the 1940s and is well known in the design and home-improvement community for their durability and eco-friendly paint properties, as well as for their fabulous colors and sheen levels. Their paints have more pigment and paint solids in their recipes so more solid coating and color is left behind once the paint dries, which is best for longevity and wear. Also their paints are water-based containing no acrylic or latex.
For exterior projects we always go with their exterior-grade paints, which are the Exterior Eggshell (20% sheen), Exterior Masonry (2% sheen), and Full Gloss (95% sheen)... and Exterior Eggshell and Full Gloss are for those exterior metal and wood projects. For wear and longevity we also always follow their recommended primer + paint process. We choose the correct primer for the job (please visit our F&B Primer Guide Page) and add one coat, then apply 2 coats of the correct paint for the job. This will ensure the paint adheres correctly and stays true to color, per their warranty on exterior-grade paints.
Here are some great tips specific to painting doors with the paint:
- Always make sure to thoroughly stir the paint up from the bottom before using-- do not machine-shake the paint cans like you would with other brands of paint at the hardware store. Machine shaking is too vigorous for the paint and pigments and may result in an uneven appearance.
- If you can take your door off the hinges and bring inside to work, that's great! But that's not always possible. If you can't, tarp and tape around the walls and floor to protect from paint splatter. While paint dries you may also hang a plastic sheet in front of the door to protect from pollen and debris (do not wrap the door though of course).
- If working during hot times of the year, work during the cooler parts of the day for ease and maximum paint and primer performance. If humid, you may need to extend dry times to wait until the next day for the next paint coat, especially for Full Gloss.
- Normal recoat time for primer is 2 hours, and normal recoat times for exterior grade paints are 4 hours (extend for humidity).
- Use the right tools! For paneled doors like we worked on in the demos, use smaller brushes for the panel frames, then medium brushes for the flat panel fronts and the trim around them. Use rollers for longer continuous parts of the trim or for flat doors.
- We recommend starting on the panel frames, then working toward the flat panel fronts. After those are completed, we recommend doing all horizontal parts of trim (not including the very bottom panel of the door), then doing the vertical trim in small pieces in the center of the door. Next we recommend painting one of the long trim pieces on the side of the door, then the very bottom horizontal piece, then the remaining vertical side trim piece. *Piecing out a paneled door into smaller sections ensures you don't disturb places that are a little tacky and drying, and also help ensure even visible sheen especially on Full Gloss.
- For flat doors just keep a wet edge, working from one side to the next using the proper roller.
- F&B paints are self leveling, wow! But we always love to 'lay off' the paint in a continuous stroke per section. We do this with the proper sized brush for that section which doesn't have much paint added to it (it's okay if there's some leftover paint in the brush from earlier strokes, just not newly added paint).
- If you mess up or leave a weird texture, or something gets in your paint, just let it dry properly per recoat time. Gently sand out whatever is undesirable, then paint back over the section that it's in for a paneled door... for flat doors, if it's tiny you may try to do a tiny spot-treat, however it's most likely you'll need to do another coat after sanding it out.
- No topcoats needed over the paint when working with F&B exterior-grade paints.
- Always clean and prep your door before painting over it with F&B paints. Clean off gunk and let thoroughly dry. For pre-existing doors, no need to strip off the finish. If painting over an old gloss, make sure to just sand down the gloss a bit (before cleaning so you can wipe off everything at once). For new wood doors make sure to give a scuff sand with 150 grit sandpaper, even if the door feels smooth to you!
Stop by our Shop & Studio for color samples, demos, tips, and more!