I’m a Johnstone’s paint lover. I ask them to replicate F&B colours and they do. Their machines are all computerised so it’s easy. The colours have been spot on. Personally I would never pay for F&B paint. Dulux trade also has good reviews but again it is more expensive than Johnstone’s.

if you don’t find a colour in the F&B range you like go to a Johnstone’s store and speak to them. I have found them very knowledgeable at my local store.

Have a look at Little Greene paint too.

I have used lots of Farrow and Ball colours, Little Greene and Paint and Paper Library. There are some Farrow and Ball colours that can't be replicated accurately, Shaded White is one of them. I have just used their paint recently and the quality was good, previously it has been watery and not so good, it seems to be hit and miss. Their eggshell is tricky to use and they no longer do an oil based one. Little Greene and Paint and Paper library are better quality paint in my opinion, but each range has it's own colours that you become familiar with. I love Skimming Stone, it's a beautiful colour and I have never found a match for it anywhere.

I have a soft spot for F&B colours. Maybe I have succumbed to the clever advertising! The paint is thinner than Dulux and drips more, but it’s still nice to use. I think the best paint is Little Greene and I love their eggshell paint for woodwork. I think both paints have more pigment than cheaper brands, unless that is a marketing ploy too! However, it is expensive at over twice the price of Dulux. I do think Dulux have responded to the desire for soft shades like F&B and brought out a lot of new colours that would sit well in a modern or period home. This Dulux colour chart below could easily be F&B!

Most of my walls have ended up being F&B, I would agree with Colourhappy that it can be very hit and miss especially in terms of coverage. It does mark easily (estate) and doesn't clean up but I know people have previously said it can't be touched up but I haven't found that (and I've used very old tins!). I recently used the modern emulsion on a corridor to my son's room but ironically it hasn't yet marked so can't comment on how it cleans. I don't find their eggshell cleans that well, nor always goes on easily and it chips quite easily, but nor does Dulux trade Imo. I recently colour matched to johnstones for our exterior, not perfect in terms of colour but pretty good and the quality seemed good. I once matched F&B to Dulux and I think they just match to their nearest colour, it was way off!

i love Little Greene, the paint glides on and coverage is superb. I haven't tried Paint and Paper Library but they're owned by Little Greene. Mylands is also highly recommended. I wouldnt avoid F&B (clearly in my case!) but there are other brands. Lots of people also comment on Craig & Rose and Valspar.

I was told that Paint and Paper library's dark paint have so much pigment in them they are virtually lost leaders compared to their more neutral colours. I can vouch for this as I once painted a white wall in a P&P dark colour and it obliterated it.

I’m a long-standing fan of Craig & Rose, although i’m sad to see their prices are now stretching into the F&B range; they used to be very slightly more expensive than Crown Period—ie, a good third cheaper than F&B for really lovely colours and great quality. More recently I’ve jumped onto the copying colours at Johnstone’s bandwagon, and I’ve been extremely impressed by the quality and endurance of the eggshell in particular. Once it cures it wipes clean very well, and is proof even against insistent dog claws. I was also very pleased with the colour match, which was to LG. I agree with whoever said that Dulux’s so-called ‘colour matching’ is pretty much a con, and Valspar too, I think. They match to their nearest tone which is not the same as true colour matching. By contrast, I really couldn’t tell the difference between my sample of Slaked Lime and the copy.

As for F&B: I loved all the pictures I saw of rich deep blue islands and peninsulas in otherwise soft neutral kitchens and wanted to emulate. Tried Stiffkey Blue, the proper F&B eggshell. It was a disaster, went on ok on chipboard/mdf but looked horrific everywhere else. Ended up painting over it. Should really get that tin on gumtree! By contrast, I have nothing but good to say of Craig and Rose’s eggshell, which paints beautifully and cured well. Put it this way, my painted furniture survived moving house without getting chipped, which I thought was impressive.

I painted Farrow and Ball modern estate emulsion in a previous house although I never used their eggshell.
I saw no problems with application or marking and feel the cost argument doesn’t hold water as cheaper paints need more coats to achieve a similar finish. Furthermore I really appreciated the flatness of the finish and depth of colour of the original.
However I do recognise that professional painter/decorators prefer these colours mixed in trade paint and see the value in having happy trades so have chosen to mix Farrow and Ball colours at Johnson’s for my current house- I suppose it is a slightly different finish but not enough to worry about.
I would add that I have noticed consistency of colour in different tins of Farrow and Ball- I can’t say the same of paints mixed at Johnson’s.

I've used F&B (matt on walls & eggshell on woodwork) several times and I really don't think it's worth the money, and since coverage is pretty poor, you will need LOADS of it to get a good finish (I don't know anyone who's ever used a F&B primer). I much prefer Little Greene or Mylands paint (- I've used both are lovely to use, great F&B-ish shades, and scrubbable!!, or if the F&B colour is the only one I like, then I get it mixed at Johnstones, and can never tell the difference.

Before we started renovating i'd never have spent that much on paint, 2 years on and i'm wondering if i'll ever use anything else. We tried colour matching at B&Q/Leyland/Johnstones and it may as well have been a different colour. We've just redone our bedroom in Ammonite so now the whole house is F&B and I love it.

I think it goes on really well personally. We don't bother with the primer, just but a basic white emulsion on and then paint over. 2 coats has been enough for the neutrals but the one dark room in Incrya Blue did take 3 I think. For reference the bedroom we just did 4.5x4m with chimney breast/alcoves etc used less than 2 2.5L tins.

We use the standard estate emulsion as we want a matt finish. It can mark but i've done numerous touch ups by rolling a small patch over the area and you'd never know. Worth every penny imo and B&Q often do 3for2 anyway

I have had Johnsons mix up F & B many times and always been very happy. Having said that, my cousin is a painter and reckons F & B is noticeably better to work with, has a nice finish, etc - so possibly worth paying extra if you've got the cash? If not, the Johnsons shades are identical (I know because I have had Skimming Stone in both Johnsons and F & B and the colours are indistinguishable). Hope this helps!

Thanks for the input so far everyone. i'm currently looking into the other brands before i make any decisions

Just check but B & Q told us Sunday that they no longer match to F & B (unless you’ve bought from them previously and are on the system !)