Book Review - Farrow & Ball 'How to Decorate'

Farrow & Ball - How to Decorate Book Review

Published on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the British institution that is Farrow & Ball, this beautiful book brings together the expertise of Joa Studholme and the Farrow & Ball creative team to help you transform your home - from deciding which colours work best in a north-facing room to creating accents with paint and making the most of a feature wall. The authors, Charlotte Cosby (Head of Creative) and Joa Studholme  (Colour Expert), clearly live and breath paint, their passion for colour is inspiring!

As you would expect from any Farrow and Ball product the book is beautifully designed, with contrasting brown paper sections, interspersed with helpful advice and beautiful images. While there is nothing groundbreaking in this book that wouldn’t be readily available on their website, there is something special about having a physical book to browse for inspiration for room design. This book is the perfect coffee table book. 

The authors tend to use a tone of authority that at times, is a little eye-roll inducing, in particular, the section on why to paint skirting rails to match screams early 2000’s outdated advice. It also bills itself as the ultimate bible on decorating in ‘Paper & Paint’ when, let’s be real, this is a paint ad through and through. Yes F&B also do paper but they’re not exactly renowned for it and the amount of décor that isn't painted in this book reflects that. Similarly, it is pitched as a cover all advice from every home from a country estate to modern properties, which just isn’t realistic, what makes the images so attractive is the period properties. Ultimately that what makes this book worth the cost is just how beautiful the interiors are designed, the glamorously styled images and of course the colour palette of Farrow & Balls just dreamy paints.

Available in stunning Hardback and Kindle