No. G18

Smelt Black

Modern Emulsion

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75 Years of Perfecting Paint
  • Handcrafted in Dorset
  • Free standard delivery on all orders

Express Checkout with Apple Pay

Ways to Pay


Card Payments


We accept card payments from Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and Amex.

Simply choose card payment and fill in your details at checkout to choose this option. In some cases, you’ll be asked to authorise the payment through your bank for additional security.


PayPal


With PayPal you can pay for your paint and paper in just a few easy steps.

Simply choose PayPal at checkout, confirm the payment on their website (you’ll need to log in or create an account if you don’t have one already), and then you’ll be redirected back to farrow-ball.com with your order complete.


Apple Pay


You can use Apple Pay when shopping on Apple devices and on a Safari browser. But you need to activate it in your Apple account and device first.

Choose Apple Pay at checkout, confirm the payment on your Apple device and you’ll be redirected back to farrow-ball.com with your order complete.


Klarna


Paint now, pay later with Klarna.

We’ve partnered with Klarna to offer you multiple ways to pay for your handcrafted paint and paper. Just look for the Klarna logo at checkout or visit our FAQ page to find out more.

Modern Emulsion

Sitting between Railings and Off-Black, Smelt Black is a soft base metal colour that is perfect for use on ironwork.

Modern Emulsion is our super-tough, easy to clean finish for interior walls and ceilings. Washable and protected against mould, it’s the best choice for kitchens and bathrooms.

This product is archived and made to order, which means samples aren't available and orders cannot be refunded or returned.

Complementary white: Drop Cloth

Key features

Matte

Matte

Modern Emulsion is a beautiful, durable matte finish with 7% sheen.

Our deeper, richer colours are available in a range of finishes with different sheen levels. Sheen always affects how colour appears: the same shade in gloss can look very different in matte. That’s why we specifically adjust the formula for every finish to make sure the balance is exactly right and you get the colour you were expecting. Our colours and finishes are formulated together, so you simply can’t have one without the other.

For interior walls and ceilings

For interior walls and ceilings

Modern Emulsion is our super-tough, matte finish for interior walls and ceilings. 

From walls, floors and furniture to radiators, skirtings and sheds, our range of paint finishes can help you transform almost any surface in your home (and outside it, too). Browse our full selection of finishes to find the perfect paint for your project.

Best choice for kitchens and bathrooms

Best choice for kitchens and bathrooms

Our expert chemists add a preservative to Modern Emulsion that protects it from mould, keeping moisture-prone kitchens and bathrooms looking fresh. So, although it makes a wonderful addition to every room of your home, it’s the best finish option for these steamy spaces in particular. 

Tough and easy-to-clean

Tough and easy-to-clean

Our super-tough superstar for washable walls, Modern Emulsion has a high-performance formula that makes it easy to wipe away spills and marks – not paint. We use high-quality minerals and strong binders to make sure it’s also resistant to knocks and scrapes. 

100% water based

100% water based

We’re proud to have been the first in the industry to transition to a completely water based range back in 2010. As a result, all of our finishes, including our tough trim and floor paints, are made with a low-odour, low-VOC water base that scores A+ for indoor air quality. 
 
Plus, our water based paint doesn’t discolour over time like solvent based paints can. So your spaces stay beautiful for longer.

Toy safe

Toy safe

This finish is independently tested and certified toy-safe in accordance with Safety of Toys Part 3: Migration of certain elements (EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021). That means you can and a splash of colour to toys, cribs and other surfaces little ones come into contact with. Our paints also have hardly any odour and don’t need any solvents to clean up, so you can breathe easy during application and beyond. 


75 Years of Perfecting Paint

If you've ever wondered what it is that makes Farrow & Ball so special, you'll find the answers here.

From our high-quality ingredients to our artisanal methods, our 100% water based range of finishes and responsible practices, it's about so much more than just paint and paper.

Complementary White

Complementary white: Drop ClothComplementary white: Drop Cloth

Drop Cloth

Neither too yellow, nor too grey, Drop Cloth is a mid grey beige that sits effortlessly in both modern and traditional homes.
Find out more about Drop Cloth No.283

Every colour in the Farrow & Ball palette is paired with a specific shade of white, these are selected to celebrate a shared undertone and create harmonious spaces alongside your chosen colour.


Recommended Primer & Undercoat

Primers & UndercoatPrimers & Undercoat

Dark Tones

When it comes to using dark colours, the deeper the better. So, for an irresistibly inviting finished look, pair darker shades with our Dark Tones Primer & Undercoat. Based on the colour of Down Pipe, combining this primer with your topcoat creates an unrivalled richness and makes quite the statement.

Made with the same natural ingredients and pigments as our topcoats, our Primer & Undercoat is the crucial foundation for creating a rich, even and longer lasting finish.


Colour Schemes

#3C3C3C
#C9C7CD
#8D838C
#C9C7CD
accent Colour Calluna
No.270
#8D838C
trim Colour Brassica
No.271

Sample Our Archive Collection 

The only way to sample all 142 colours in our archive collection, our Archive Colour Fan is the perfect design resource for those looking to sample beyond our Signature Palette.

Sample Our Favourites

The best way to experience our colours before taking the plunge is with a true-to-colour paint sample. To help you narrow down your shortlist of shades, we've curated three of our most popular shades to help you find your perfect match.

Sample selection contains 3 x 100ml Sample Pots of our beautiful Hopper Head, Off-Black and Pitch Black.