An Interview with Ros Byam Shaw author of Farrow and Ball Living with Colour

Ros Byam Shaw is a former Features Editor of The World of Interiors and Deputy Editor of the British Edition of the fashion and lifestyle newspaper W. She has written numerous books and articles including the bestselling Perfect English and Perfect English Cottage for Ryland Peters & Small. Here, Ros talks about using colour in the home and what makes Farrow & Ball so special.

Tell us a little about your new book for Ryland Peters & Small, ‘Farrow & Ball Living with Colour’?

The idea for this book came up when a room in my house was being photographed for Farrow & Ball’s Archive magazine. We were talking about how versatile the colours are – I was saying that we had used this same colour, Light Blue, in three very different houses over the years and how good it looked in all of them. We thought it would be great if we could come up with a book that reflected that diversity and showed Farrow & Ball paints and wallpapers used in interiors in a wide range of architectural contexts and decorative styles. I hope it doesn’t sound immodest to say that I think we have achieved this.

The first half of the book is devoted to ‘case studies’ of 16 houses, all very different, but all decorated exclusively with Farrow & Ball – a real range of locations from a flat in Soho, to a cottage down a bumpy track, covering a range of styles from slick and contemporary to chic and shabby, and a range of budgets from a swanky mansion with every modern luxury, to a rented portion of a farmhouse furnished on a shoe-string.

The second half of the book is divided into chapters according to five different colour palettes, including all white schemes, neutral schemes, bright, bold colours, and dark colours. Here we look at how these types of colours are used in a wide variety of locations and styles, and advise on their effects.

What are your own experiences of using Farrow & Ball paint?

As mentioned above, we have used Farrow & Ball paint in all three houses we have lived in since the mid 1980s – the first a Regency maisonette in Greenwich, the next a contemporary house in Blackheath, and the most recent a Tudor house in Devon. Three weekends ago I had hands-on experience when we painted our entrance hall, changing it from Fowler Pink, to Saxon Green. I don’t suppose this is how the professionals would do it, but we only used one coat and the coverage was so good we didn’t have to go over it again. I haven’t done any decorating myself for a long time and I had forgotten how satisfying it is, seeing the transformation of a room progress with every sweep of the brush.

Ros Byam Shaw has used 'Light Blue' in all of her houses. The image
on the right shows the house of interior designer Emma Sims-Hilditch

Farrow & Ball are famous for their selective colour palettes and evocative colour names. What are your favourite shades and why?

Light Blue is a colour we have used in all our houses. It is an exceptionally subtle colour, sometimes blue, sometimes grey, always interesting. It is also a very calm colour and makes an elegant background for prints and engravings. String is another colour we have now used in two houses as it is a lovely, warm neutral.

You moved from London to the West Country. Do you think there is a difference in how colour can be used in the town and country?

As I have already mentioned, we have stuck to very similar colours even though the style of all three of the houses we have lived in has been very different. But I think as a general rule the whites and neutrals with a yellow base, such as White Tie and String, are more suitable for country cottages, while sophisticated whites and neutrals with a grey or mauve base, such as Elephant’s Breath and Skimming Stone might be considered more appropriate for slick, city interiors. As I said earlier, these are incredibly versatile colours and there are no rigid rules on how or where you should use them.

Furniture designer Aiveen Daly uses 'Strong White' above dado level
and 'Elephant's Breath' below to create a dramatic contrast between
muted and brilliant colours

What did you most (and least) enjoy about restoring your 16th century house in Devon?

I tried very hard to enjoy the whole process – it lasted for at least four years, and in fact we are still fiddling and just about to have some work done in the kitchen. But there were times – like when there were nine different workmen, all doing various things from wiring to plumbing to painting, and I was trying to write a book – when it was difficult to be entirely positive. And I did hate the dirt and dust when it was at its worst, and I hated the windows being boarded up when the leaded lights had to be taken out to be restored. But there were also real pleasures – the satisfaction of seeing things put back as they should be, the excitement of finding a blocked in early 16th century fireplace and the remains of an Elizabethan privy, and then the excitement of decorating and arranging rooms.

What tips would you give to someone who would like to use colour in an interior where space is more limited?

There is no doubt that if you want to make a small flat or house feel bigger, painting it all a single, pale colour is the most effective way to do it. However, if you want to create visual interest, rather than simply maximise the feeling of space, then strong colour can be very dramatic in small spaces. You can see this illustrated in the book in the London flat of architect Ben Pentreath who has painted his tiny entrance hall in Harissa, a bright pillar box red. He has also used strong colours in his tiny bathroom and tiny kitchen but in between these very small rooms, his living room and his bedroom are in space-expanding off-white. This is a clever way to use the decorative power and visual punch of colour without making the whole flat feel claustrophobic.

Architect Ben Pentreath has painted his tiny
entrance hall in 'Harissa'

Is there any advice you can give to someone who is nervous about using colour in their home?

George Carter, a superb designer of gardens and exhibitions as well as interiors, reserves the use of strong colour for bathrooms and cloakrooms because he says these are rooms we spend limited time in and because everything else in them, ie sanitary ware, tends to be white. The house remodelled and decorated by him that is featured in the book has a bathroom in Gervase Yellow and a cloakroom in buttercup yellow Babouche. If that is too intimidating, you can always try out colour in smaller areas, such as inside cupboards, or inside book shelving, or the shelves of a dresser. And the great thing about paint is that you can paint over something if you decide you don’t like it after all. Even the most experienced decorators and colourists get it wrong and sometimes there really is no substitute for just giving it a go.

George Carter has used vibrant 'Gervase Yellow' in
this small bathroom space

Farrow & Ball has a loyal following and seems to evoke a strong reaction in people. Why do you think people have such a personal connection with the paint?

I can say from recent, and personal, experience that it is exceptionally nice paint to use. But I think the reason that people become addicted is because, after you have used even a small selection of Farrow & Ball colours, you come to trust them – whether a particular colour is to your personal taste or not, they are never harsh or brash, never grating or insipid. And there is a fantastic choice.