Neutral colour schemes in the kitchen area have dominated the colour palette for a while now, keeping up with fashion trends and lasting a long time. There are many advantages to a neutral colour scheme, one being that it can be adapted to any style from traditional to country, to modern.
Neutrals create a great blank canvas to add a pop of colour and give your features a chance to shine through. Scandinavians have had this design style for centuries and us Brits love a blank canvas to work with. If you look through some of our projects below you will see how the neutral colour scheme allows the accents and features to tell a story through the kitchen design.
Farrow & Ball have been designing and making paint since 1946, using only the finest ingredients available and colours that transform modern and traditional homes, large and small. The company name comes from the surnames of two local pioneers known as John Farrow and Richard Ball. They met in a local clay pit and shared their passion for making rich colours.
At Handmade Kitchen Company, we are proud to hand paint our handmade kitchens in Farrow & Ball, especially with a neutral hue where our clients can add pops of colour to their design scheme alongside a blank canvas.
Farrow & Ball Neutrals at a Glance
Farrow & Ball’s neutrals range from pure whites such as All White and Pointing, through soft off-whites like Slipper Satin and Wevet, to warmer stones and greys including Cornforth White, Shaded White, Purbeck Stone, Stony Ground, Elephant’s Breath, Dove Tale, Dimpse, Strong White and Blackened. They suit traditional, country and modern kitchens alike, acting as a blank canvas that lets worktops, hardware and accent colours shine. At Handmade Kitchen Company we hand-paint bespoke cabinetry in any Farrow & Ball neutral.
Some of the popular colours
Cornforth White
Cornforth White from Farrow & Ball is an understated grey and is a mid-tone within the Easy Neutrals colour palette. This colour in particular is totally understated and extremely versatile. Cornforth White is neither too warm nor too cool. It was named in memory of John Cornforth, the revered architectural historian.
Blackened
Blackened from Farrow & Ball is a cool white, with the slightest hint of grey. It sits perfectly with the other Architectural neutrals within the colour palette for a minimal look or a stronger industrial feel. It looks spectacular within stainless steel kitchens or paired with the colour All White for an uncompromisingly modern finish.
All White
All White from Farrow & Ball is a totally pure white and exactly what it says. It contains no other pigment than white, creating the softest most sympathetic colour without the colder blue undertones of a brilliant white. It is one of Farrow & Ball’s contemporary neutrals, that pairs seamlessly with Skimming Stone and Strong White creating a warm scheme with a slight edge. Pair with strong tones like Pitch Black and St Giles Blue for a clean and fresh contrast.
Shaded White
Shaded White from Farrow & Ball is a light grey beige that is neither too warm nor too cool. This neutral hue takes its name from the soft tone created when many of the whites are used in deep shade. Shaded White has a gentle greyness making it extremely versatile within homes both old and new. It is often used alongside lighter shades such as Pointing or Slipper Satin for a restful space or paired with Drop Cloth for a wonderfully relaxed feel.
Purbeck Stone
Purbeck Stone from Farrow & Ball is a clean, understated grey that resembles the colour of stone found on the Isle of Purbeck, not far from Farrow & Ball’s home in Dorset. It’s one of the stronger colours in the neutral collection and can create a calming scheme with Cornforth White, Wevet and Ammonite in homes both old and new.
London Stone
London Stone from Farrow & Ball is a warm and timeless brown created by John Sutcliffe for a classic Nash house in Regent’s Park. Featuring underlying magenta tones, this unassuming stone colour is the perfect accent for each of F&B’s Red Based Neutrals. This brown hue feels effortlessly modern when contrasted with Dimity, and utterly timeless when paired with a stronger hue like Oxford Stone.
Please note that London Stone now sits within Farrow & Ball’s Archive Collection rather than the main colour card. It remains available to order, and we are happy to hand-paint your cabinetry in it.
Slipper Satin
Slipper Satin by Farrow & Ball is a chalky off-white taking its name from the delicate colour of silk used in traditional ballet slippers. It often reads as pale grey chalk without the cool blue undertones, which pairs perfectly with other shades from the neutral collection for a subtle and sophisticated scheme.
Strong White
Strong White by Farrow & Ball is a grey-based white producing a subtle urban feel from its light grey undertones. This colour adds a contemporary twist to period homes while staying in keeping with modern properties. Pair with Skimming Stone, Elephant’s Breath and All White in any combination for an effortlessly cohesive scheme.
Stony Ground
Stony Ground by Farrow & Ball is a strong neutral and popular colour. This classic stone colour has a slight underlying red adding warmth and creating a soft beige finish. It pairs incredibly well with the lighter Shaded White or stronger Mouse’s Back for a quiet cohesive scheme.
Elephant’s Breath
Elephant’s Breath by Farrow & Ball is a warm mid-grey, renowned for its characterful paint name, created by John Fowler, the notable English interior designer. This uplifting mid-grey has a hint of magenta and can become almost lilac in the cooler light of west-facing rooms. To create an invitingly earthy scheme with more intense accents pair with Charleston Gray and London Clay, or create a scheme of neutrality and calm with other contemporary neutrals such as Strong White.
Pointing
Pointing by Farrow & Ball is a warm and delicate white that is fresh and uncomplicated, taking its name after the colour of lime pointing used in traditional brickwork. The warm undertone that creates Pointing creates the prettiest of spaces and always softens the feel of a room alongside strong, traditional colours.
Dove Tale
Dove Tale by Farrow & Ball is a warm grey with a lilac undertone and is perfect for those hoping for a warm grey finish. Essentially a darker version of Elephant’s Breath, it brings a soft and inviting feel to the space, and when paired with Skimming Stone the most flattering and subtle scheme is created.
Dimpse
Dimpse by Farrow & Ball is a cool and delicate grey named after the quaint West Country dialect for the colour of twilight and is one of the cooler Architectural Neutrals. Its subtle blue undertones work particularly well in modern architectural spaces.
Wevet
Wevet from Farrow & Ball is a delicate white with a hint of grey and shares its name with the old Dorset term for a spider’s web. Wevet is clean, understated and incredibly easy to live with. With its hint of grey, this hushed tone can be used for a neutral contemporary living space.
View more in the Farrow & Ball Neutral Collection on their website.
More Farrow & Ball Inspiration
- Hidden Paint Gems: Farrow & Ball Archive Colours
- New Farrow & Ball Colours: The 2025 Collection
- Pinks From Farrow & Ball Offer a Versatile Palette
Farrow & Ball Neutrals FAQs
What are the best Farrow & Ball neutrals for a kitchen?
Popular choices include Cornforth White for a versatile mid-grey, Shaded White and Purbeck Stone for gentle warmth and depth, Slipper Satin, Pointing and Wevet for soft off-whites, All White for a pure white, and Elephant’s Breath or Dove Tale for a warmer grey with character. The right one depends on the light in your room and the accents you want to showcase.
Why choose a neutral kitchen colour scheme?
Neutrals adapt to any style, from traditional and country through to modern, and they age well rather than dating quickly. They act as a blank canvas so that worktops, hardware, splashbacks and accent colours can take centre stage, and they make it easy to refresh a room later without repainting the cabinetry.
What is the difference between a warm and a cool neutral?
Warm neutrals such as Stony Ground, Pointing and Elephant’s Breath carry red, yellow or magenta undertones that make a room feel cosy and inviting. Cool neutrals such as Blackened, Dimpse and Strong White have grey or blue undertones that feel crisper and more contemporary. North-facing rooms usually benefit from warmer tones, while south-facing rooms can carry cooler ones.
Are all these Farrow & Ball neutrals still available?
Almost all of them remain on Farrow & Ball’s current colour card. London Stone has since moved to the Archive Collection, which means it is no longer on the main card but can still be ordered, so it remains a genuine option for hand-painted cabinetry.
Where does Handmade Kitchen Company hand-paint kitchens?
We design, hand-build and hand-paint bespoke kitchens in any Farrow & Ball colour from our workshop in Essex, for clients across Essex, Hertfordshire and North London.
We love a neutral hue at Handmade Kitchen Company, especially from a respectable paint company such as Farrow & Ball. We hope our projects have given you some inspiration. Contact us today for more information and choose the neutral colour you have always dreamed of. We look forward to hearing from you.
