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No. W40

Imperial Purple

Modern Eggshell

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Hand Picked

When we receive your order, your paint is picked by our dedicated warehouse team.

Safe and Sound

Every tin is carefully packed to keep it safe on its journey from Dorset to your door.

Out for Delivery

We work closely with our courier to make sure your order arrives on time, in perfect condition.

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Colour Consultancy

Whether you're feeling overwhelmed by endless possibilities or looking for the confidence to try something new, our expert Colour Consultants are here to help either online or in your home​.

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Our Showrooms

Visit one of our showrooms for help on colour schemes & finishes. Our in-store colour experts can help you find the perfect palette to match your vision.

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Our live chat team are available from 9am – 7.30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). Click on our live chat button on the right hand side to reach one of our colour experts.

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For Sales, order queries, colour and general advice, our team of experts are here to help and advise. 

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   Now available to sample. Order a 230mm x 190mm colour page, made with Farrow & Ball Estate Emulsion for 100% colour accuracy.

Modern Eggshell

Deep Imperial Purple transforms dining rooms and other intimate spaces, creating a luxurious look and enveloping feel. Used in smaller quantities, such as inside a bookcase, it can add a rich pocket of colour to even the most neutral of rooms – try it with soft Snow White and Ash Grey for a relaxed scheme with a playful touch.

Modern Eggshell is our toughest interior finish, adding lasting colour and protection to interior wood, metal and concrete. It’s even tough enough for floors and kitchen cabinets.

Archive colours are made to order therefore refunds & returns are unavailable.

Recommended Primer & Undercoat: Dark Tones

Complementary white: Ash Grey

Key features

Mid sheen

Mid sheen

Our super-tough mid shine finish with a 40% 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 matt. 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 wood, metal and concrete

For interior wood, metal and concrete

Add colour and protection to interior wood, metal, and concrete surfaces. This ultra-durable eggshell is even tough enough for floors, and can be used throughout the home on skirting, doors, kitchen cabinets, furniture, and radiators.

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.

Tough enough for floors

Tough enough for floors

This ultra-durable eggshell is even tough enough for interior wooden and concrete floors. 

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.

Our most durable finish

Our most durable finish

Modern Eggshell is our toughest finish — it’s even suitable for floors. Formulated by our experts using the finest ingredients, it’s washable, wipeable and stands up to scuffs or 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.

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.

Why Choose Farrow & Ball?

Remarkably Unmarkable

More durable than typical emulsions, eggshell paint is impressively tough. And Modern Eggshell is our toughest finish ever. It can withstand knocks, scuffs and stains, making it ideal for busy homes. A classic choice for skirting boards, kitchen cabinets and windowsills, it’s even tough enough to transform floorboards, concrete floors and staircases.

Matt 

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

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. 

Resistant to Mould

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.

Scuff and Stain Resistant

We use high-quality minerals and strong binders to make sure Modern Emulsion is stain resistant and scuff-proof. 

Rich Colour

Packed with pigment and handcrafted using the finest ingredients, this multi-surface finish is available in all of our signature shades, archive colours and collaboration collections.

Paint for floors

Modern Eggshell is the toughest Farrow & Ball finish. Scrubbable, scuff resistant and stain proof, it’s so durable, you can use it on internal concrete floors, floorboards and staircases.

Paint for wood

Our Modern Eggshell is an ideal wood paint. With impressive durability, rich colour and low odour, it’s the perfect choice for tricky surfaces like kitchen cupboards or bathroom shelves.

Paint for metal

From radiators to pipes, cupboard handles to shelving units, this metal paint can turn the most unsightly items into a beautiful focal point or discreetly help them blend into the background.

Paint that can't be matched


Asking ‘can you match Farrow & Ball colours?’ misses everything else that goes into the tin to make our industry defining finishes. We pack our paint with quality minerals, coverage-enhancing pigments and resin (using a much higher proportion than many other brands), ensuring an exceptional base to add colour to.

100% water based
Our completely water based paint range doesn’t discolour over time like solvent based paints can. So your spaces stay beautiful for longer.

Toy safe
Independently tested and certified toy-safe in accordance with Safety of Toys Part 3: Migration of certain elements (EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021).

Low VOC
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. 

Colour Schemes

#51516A
#B5BBB4
#454749
#B5BBB4
accent Colour Light Blue
No.22
#454749
trim Colour Off-Black
No.57
#51516A
#C0BCB3
#A09C97
#C0BCB3
accent Colour Purbeck Stone
No.275
#A09C97
trim Colour Worsted
No.284
#51516A
#E4E2DC
#D8D6CF
#E4E2DC
accent Colour Strong White
No.2001
#D8D6CF
trim Colour Ammonite
No.274

Sample Our Favourite Purples

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 purple shades to help you find your perfect match.

Sample selection contains 3 x 100ml Sample Pots of our beautiful Brassica, Brinjal and Pelt.

  1. Peignoir
    Peignoir
    No. 286
    No. 286
  2. Calluna
    Calluna
    No. 270
    No. 270
  3. Brassica
    Brassica
    No. 271
    No. 271
  4. Pelt
    Pelt
    No. 254
    No. 254
  5. Paean Black
    Paean Black
    No. 294
    No. 294
  6. Brinjal
    Brinjal
    No. 222
    No. 222
  7. Imperial Purple
    Imperial Purple
    No. W40
    No. W40
  8. Titmouse Blue
    Titmouse Blue
    No. W24
    No. W24

Colour Consultancy

Our expert Colour Consultants are ready and waiting to help bring your style to life. If you’d like personalised advice on how to use our paint and papers in your home, book an in-home or virtual appointment today.

View All Purple Paint Colours

Ranging from understated near-grey to deep plum, our purple palette offers an array of styles and moods.

 

Discover Purple Paint Schemes

Find inspiration for your project and view beautiful images of purple paint schemes in real homes.

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