I must first begin this post by saying that I am a huge fan of Farrow & Ball’s colors. I often recommend their paints to clients and the results are always beautiful. There is not a bad color in their edited collection and the hues are sophisticated and nuanced. They are truly one of a kind.
That said, sometimes using Farrow & Ball is not an option either because they are not available or not in the budget. In those cases the same look can be achieved with a close alternative color.
Even before I closed on my new house I knew that I had to have a Brinjal bedroom. This Farrow & Ball color #222, is a deep, velvety aubergine with hints of wine and chocolate (no wonder it is such a fabulous color). For months I have had piece of cardboard painted with the test color next to my bed imagining the whole room that cozy.
The time has now come to paint but since I have splurged on new silk drapes and window hardware, I need to save some money elsewhere. So, I have chosen a Benjamin Moore’s Dark Walnut. It is not an exact match for Brinjal, no other color would be, but it is extremely close with just a hint more chocolate which I love. Also, if you want VOC free paint, which I always recommend, but don’t want to splurge on Benjamin Moore’s Natura paint you can have your color made up in Ultra Spec 500 which is a less expensive VOC option.
Farrow & Ball, Brinjal, Modern Emulsion, $80/gallon
Benjamin Moore Dark Walnut, VOC Free Ultra Spec 500, $30/gallon
I am thrilled with the results and since I needed 2 gallons for two coats of paint, I saved $100. I will be offering some other F&B alternatives in future posts so stay tuned!
Happy Painting!
The color on the wall is Benjamin Moores’ Dark Walnut, the Farrow & Ball Brinjal is painted on the cardboard below it. You can see that the Dark Walnut is slightly more red and slightly more chocolate which I actually prefer.
Here is the finished color, the rest of the room is still in progress, room shots coming soon.
