And if the object of your affection is your home, then the depth of that devotion is often reflected in the decor, from fine furniture to meaningful art to treasured antiques.
It can go even deeper, though, extending to the elements that tie it all together.
And for many homeowners, there is but one choice when it comes to paints and wallpapers – Farrow & Ball.
The British-based company now known around the world humbly calls itself “Manufacturers of Traditional Papers and Paint.”
Farrow & Ball, which has been making paint one batch at a time since 1946, is revered in design circles for the purity, depth and beauty of its paints. Its papers use only Farrow & Ball paints and traditional printing methods to create evocative designs that showcase historically inspired patterns. All are on view at Farrow & Ball’s 35 showrooms around the world, including one in Greenwich and several in Manhattan, which has the SoHo flagship.
Christine Klotz, Farrow & Ball’s tristate lead showroom manager, spent time on a recent morning in the Greenwich space to talk about the company’s enduring appeal.
“When we talk about love of the home, the brand has a huge following,” Klotz says. “There is a passion for the brand.”
Indeed, it’s found in homes across the globe and on the pages of the most-respected shelter magazines. The paints are even on display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. There Farrow & Ball’s saturated hues – from Hague Blue to Studio Green to Mouse’s Back – underscore the jeweled tones in the works that make up the sumptuous “The Renaissance Portrait from Donatello to Bellini” (through March 18).
The tie-in is fitting, since Farrow & Ball’s latest line of wallpaper, The Broccato Papers, draws inspiration from the Renaissance paintings at The National Gallery in London.
Whether it’s the company’s paper or paints, the choices create a romantic waltz with various muses. Paints, for example, are based on inspirations ranging from 18th-century panel rooms (Olive) to the sports jacket worn at St. John’s College, Cambridge (Blazer) to the wings of a butterfly (Cabbage White).
Wallpaper motifs, in turn, can reflect a 19th-century Japanese print or the silk fabric discovered in Josephine Bonaparte’s bedchamber or even the Duke of Wellington’s campaign tent.
Choices, though, never overwhelm during a showroom visit, thanks to the staff expertise.
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