Occasionally a Brand name becomes iconic. Instead of simply representing a product, it gathers around itself a raft of meanings and associations, walks off the label and enters the language. Farrow & Ball is one such brand name. Farrow & Ball began in the 1940s as a small firm of craftsmen paint-makers, specialising in paints made in the traditional way with traditional ingredients. Despite its global success, Farrow & Ball has stayed true to these origins. Its eco-friendly paints are still made in a small factory in Dorset and it is the quality of the paint, with its exceptional depth and subtlety of colour, that has made the company famous. There is now a range of elegant wallpapers, printed with the same paints, with the same handcrafted feel. The long association of Farrow & Ball with historically important buildings has reinforced the traditional nature of its products. However, as this inspirational book shows, there is much more to Farrow & Ball than quaint and quirky paint names, authentic shades of' drab' and grand architectural precedent, lovely though all these are. Here you can see how Farrow & Ball paints look as good on the walls of a contemporary bathroom or slick Soho flat as they do in a period ballroom and are as perfect for a cottage as they are at home in a castle. Divided into chapters according to style, including Classical, City, Modern Country, Country House and Cottage, the first part of the book shows Farrow & Ball paints and wallpapers used in a wide range of unusual and beautiful interiors. In keeping with the provenance of the products, all the houses and flats shown are British. What they share is a sense of style and an appreciation of the visual and the emotional power of paint and colour. Part Two of the book is devoted to colour — from the themes of All White and In Neutral to Softly, Softly, Bright and Beautiful and Dark and Handsome. Each chapter explores a particular palette and shows how colour can be used to create atmosphere, character and charm. A glossary of terms clarifies once and for all the difference between 'Estate® Emulsion' and 'Modern Emulsion', among other painterly distinctions. Inspiring, instructive, celebratory, this is a book to bring out the painter and decorator in us all.