Farrow & Ball

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British paint and wallpaper manufacturer

title: "Farrow & Ball" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["color-space", "paint-and-coatings-companies-of-the-united-kingdom", "historic-preservation-organisations-in-the-united-kingdom", "english-brands", "chemical-companies-established-in-1946", "british-companies-established-in-1946", "1946-establishments-in-england", "companies-based-in-dorset"] description: "British paint and wallpaper manufacturer" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrow_&_Ball" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary British paint and wallpaper manufacturer ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]

FieldValue
nameFarrow & Ball Limited
former_nameFarrow & Ball (Southern) Limited
typePrivate limited company
predecessor
successor
founded{{Unbulleted list
founders
hq_location_cityWimborne, Dorset
hq_location_countryUnited Kingdom
num_locations
num_locations_year29 March 2020
area_served
products
production_year
revenue_year
income_year
profit£16,030,000
profit_year2019/2020
assets£95,295,000
assets_year29 March 2020
num_employees550
num_employees_year2019/2020
parentHempel
website
::

| name = Farrow & Ball Limited | former_name = Farrow & Ball (Southern) Limited | type = Private limited company | industry = | genre = | predecessor = | successor = | founded = {{Unbulleted list||Incorporated | founders = | hq_location = | hq_location_city = Wimborne, Dorset | hq_location_country = United Kingdom | num_locations = | num_locations_year = 29 March 2020 | area_served = | key_people = | products = | production = | production_year = | brands = | services = | revenue = | revenue_year = | operating_income = | income_year = | profit = £16,030,000 | profit_year = 2019/2020 | assets = £95,295,000 | assets_year = 29 March 2020 | num_employees = 550 | num_employees_year = 2019/2020 | parent = Hempel | website = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Farrow_&_Ball_paint_cans.jpg" caption="Farrow & Ball paint"] ::

Farrow & Ball is a British manufacturer of paints and wallpapers largely based upon historic colour palettes and archives. The company is particularly well known for the unusual names of its products.

History

The company was started by John Farrow and Richard Maurice Ball in 1946 in Wimborne Minster, Dorset. Both Farrow and Ball had previously been chemists. The company was the first manufacturer to switch to the production of 100 per cent water-based paints in 2010.

Products

Paint

Farrow & Ball maintains an updated colour card of 132 colours, plus 12 new paint colours and 3 new wallpaper patterns created with Christopher John Rogers. The company has worked with the National Trust in formulating near-exact matches of colours used in the restoration of the interiors and exteriors of historic buildings.

Wallpaper

Farrow & Ball produces wallpaper patterns made using traditional block, trough and roller methods with the company's own paint.

Books

Farrow & Ball has produced several books; the British National Bibliography contains the following records:

  • Paint and Colour in Decoration (2003)
  • Farrow & Ball The Art of Colour (2007)
  • Farrow & Ball Living with Colour (2010)
  • Farrow & Ball Decorating with Colour (2013)
  • Farrow & Ball How to Decorate (2016)
  • Farrow & Ball Recipes for Decorating (2019)

Showrooms and stockists

The company has 63 showrooms across the UK, US, Canada and Europe, as well as a global network of stockists carrying both paint and wallpaper.

In popular culture

Farrow & Ball has been lampooned in the US for its expense and preparation requirements on NBC's Saturday Night Live.

In 2021, Channel 5 broadcast a one episode documentary about Farrow & Ball entitled Farrow & Ball: Inside the Posh Paint Factory.

Corporate information

Ownership

In 2006, American Capital subsidiary European Capital Limited purchased Farrow & Ball for approximately £80 million by way of a management buyout. Until its sale to European Capital Limited, Farrow & Ball remained a family business. In 2014, Ares Management bought Farrow & Ball from European Capital Limited for £275 million. In October 2020, Bloomberg reported that Ares Management was considering a potential sale of Farrow & Ball. In May 2021, the Financial Times reported that Danish coatings manufacturer Hempel had agreed to purchase Farrow & Ball from Ares Management for approximately £500 million. The sale was expected to complete in the second half of 2021. On 26 August 2021, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) completed the phase one investigation it launched on 9 July 2021 and cleared the merger. Following clearance by the CMA, the sale of Farrow & Ball by Ares Management to Hempel completed on 3 September 2021.

Financial information

::data[format=table]

Financial yearTurnover (£)Gross profit (£)Operating profit (£)Profit after tax (£)Total comprehensive income (£)
2019/202076,574,00054,264,00019,763,00016,030,00016,402,000
2018/201973,915,00052,100,00018,336,00014,773,00014,773,000
2017/201873,451,00053,164,00019,770,00015,919,00015,919,000
2016/201774,934,00054,474,00022,781,00017,854,00017,854,000
2015/201665,684,00047,221,00018,391,00015,577,00015,577,000
::

References

Bibliography

Friedman, Joseph. Paint and Color in Decoration. Rizzoli New York: 2003. .

References

  1. "Farrow & Ball Limited".
  2. (30 July 2020). "Farrow & Ball Report and financial statements for the 52 week period ended 29 March 2020".
  3. (18 January 1971). "Certificate of Incorporation for Farrow & Ball (Southern) Limited".
  4. "Our History".
  5. (30 July 2020). "Farrow & Ball Report and financial statements for the 52 week period ended 29 March 2020".
  6. (30 July 2020). "Farrow & Ball Report and financial statements for the 52 week period ended 29 March 2020".
  7. "Branding colour - how paint companies personalities shines through their paint colour names".
  8. Gordon, Ollie. (2014-11-16). "US investment firm Ares Management bids for Farrow & Ball in £300m deal".
  9. Expedite, BT. "Our History {{!}} Farrow & Ball".
  10. "Farrow & Ball Traditional Papers & Paint - Wimborne White". Farrow & Ball.
  11. Woolfson, Daniel. (2023-05-01). "We'll go to war with rip-off rivals, says Farrow & Ball chief". The Telegraph.
  12. Senior, Emily. (2021-09-01). "Farrow and Ball paint colours in real homes".
  13. "Farrow & Ball Paint Colours Color Table".
  14. "Carte Blanche Colour Card {{!}} Farrow & Ball".
  15. Keeps, David A.. (2005-04-14). "It's cool, really".
  16. Marx, Patricia. "Does the Paint World Need Another White?".
  17. Mead, Rebecca. "The Luxury Paint Company Creating a New Kind of Decorating Anxiety".
  18. Lesser, Casey. (2019-01-30). "The Artist-Turned-Color Expert Who Made the Perfect White Paint".
  19. "Wallpaper".
  20. Friedman, Joseph. ''Paint and Color in Decoration.'' Rizzoli New York: 2003. {{ISBN. 0-8478-2593-0.
  21. "Paint and colour in decoration / Farrow & Ball.".
  22. Coleman, Brian D. ''Farrow & Ball The Art of Colour.'' Gibbs Smith Layton, Utah: 2007. {{ISBN. 978-1-4236-0010-7
  23. "Farrow and Ball: the Art of Color / Brian Coleman; photographs by Edward Addeo.".
  24. Byam Shaw, Ros. ''Living with Colour.'' Ryland Peters & Small New York/London: 2010. {{ISBN. 978-1-84975-038-7
  25. "Farrow & Ball Living with Colour / Ros Byam Shaw; photography by Jan Baldwin.".
  26. "Farrow&Ball decorating with colour / Ros Byam Shaw; photography by Jan Baldwin.".
  27. "Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper / Joa Studholme, Charlotte Cosby.".
  28. "Farrow & Ball recipes for decorating / Joa Studholme.".
  29. "Farrow & Ball - Content".
  30. (2019-11-02). "New Paint". National Broadcasting Corporation.
  31. (2021). "Farrow & Ball: Inside The Posh Paint Factory".
  32. (2014-10-23). "Four funds vie for $400 million luxury paintmaker Farrow & Ball: sources". Reuters.
  33. "Farrow & Ball". British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association.
  34. Godfrey, Hannah. (2021-05-11). "Posh paint brand Farrow & Ball bought by Danish company in €500m deal".
  35. (2014-12-01). "Ares Management Private Equity Fund to Acquire Farrow & Ball".
  36. (22 October 2020). "Ares Weighs Sale of Iconic Paint Maker Farrow & Ball".
  37. Wiggins, Kaye. (11 May 2021). "Farrow & Ball sold to Danish paint group Hempel in £500m deal". Financial Times.
  38. (11 May 2021). "Ares Management To Sell Farrow & Ball To Hempel Group - Quick Facts".
  39. (3 September 2021). "Hempel / FBA merger inquiry".
  40. "Hempel completes the acquisition of iconic paint and wallpaper brand, Farrow & Ball - Hempel".
  41. '''Full accounts made up to 29 March 2020'''. Page 11. Available from [https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00999927/filing-history find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00999927/filing-history]
  42. '''Full accounts made up to 31 March 2019.''' Page 9. Available from [https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00999927/filing-history find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00999927/filing-history]
  43. '''Full accounts made up to 31 March 2018.''' Page 9. Available from [https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00999927/filing-history find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00999927/filing-history]
  44. '''Full accounts made up to 31 March 2017.''' Page 8. Available from [https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00999927/filing-history find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00999927/filing-history]
  45. '''Full accounts made up to 31 March 2016.''' Page 8. Available from [https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00999927/filing-history find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00999927/filing-history]

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

color-spacepaint-and-coatings-companies-of-the-united-kingdomhistoric-preservation-organisations-in-the-united-kingdomenglish-brandschemical-companies-established-in-1946british-companies-established-in-19461946-establishments-in-englandcompanies-based-in-dorset