Painted in
Since 1997, non-profit organisation Vital Voices has been encouraging women’s voices in leadership and supported women who’ve gone on to achieve remarkable feats, from Nobel Prize winners to groundbreaking social entrepreneurs. As a woman-led business ourselves, it’s definitely a cause we can get behind. So, when we found out that they were creating a new headquarters in Washington D.C., we were more than happy to lend a hand with the decorating.
The new headquarters is designed to be an embassy for women leaders from around the world. So, designer Ashley Maddox, of Studio Maddox in Paris, picked five of our signature shades to create an inspiring palette to represent the key themes of the Vital Voices mission:
Hague Blue No. 30 | Driving Force
A leader has a clearly defined sense of mission and is dedicated to having a positive impact that extends beyond the individual, seeking power to empower others.
Calke Green No. 34 | Strong Roots in the Community
A leader identifies with the needs of others and acts inclusively to address the perspectives of all who share a stake in the outcome, embracing a participatory or lateral leadership style.
Borrowed Light No. 235 | Ability to Connect Across Lines that Divide
A leader builds consensus within a community and partners with unlikely allies to advance a shared vision for progress.
Incarnadine No. 248 | Bold Ideas and Bold Action
A leader is innovative and solution-oriented, sees potential and is encouraged to think beyond the status quo and take calculated risks to achieve their goals.
Brinjal No. 222 | Paying it Forward
A leader invests in the next generation and embraces a vision for change that extends beyond their personal achievement.
We asked Ashley why she gravitated towards our colours for the palette, and she explained:
“How to capture the vitality, diversity, and passion of Vital Voices’ global network in a physical space? With colour. And no one does colour better than Farrow & Ball. The result is warm, soulful and elegant – a perfect expression of the positive power of colour, light, and the magic that happens when women get together to do something great.”
These shades are found throughout the building’s seven floors on the walls, ceilings and even incorporated in the furnishings. adorns the Amanda Gorman and Malala Yousafzai Library, creating an inviting space for contemplation and research.
In the Sarah Blakely Center for Entrepreneurship, you’ll find vibrant Incarnadine, while rich purple Brinjal inspired the shade of the tiles in some of the bathrooms. Purple is traditionally associated with royalty and exclusivity, but Ashley has turned this concept on its head, using the shade to represent mentorship, inclusivity and progression from current leaders to the next.
and can be spotted in the bathrooms on the lower floors, bringing playful pops of colour to the otherwise pared-back palette on these more public floors. These shades also appear throughout the office floors, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere for visitors. Borrowed Light even inspired a custom shade of Venetian plaster in the building’s entranceway.
Throughout the headquarters, Wimborne White No. 239 covers the ceilings and woodwork. Maddox also used other shades to complement the main colour palette, including: Vert De Terre No. 234, Book Room Red No. 50, Ballroom Blue No. 24, Slipper Satin No. 2004, Stony Ground No. 211 and Skimming Stone No. 241.
Ready to explore more?
Browse our signature palette to discover all the shades in our current collection. From deep blues to soft greens, versatile neutrals to bold reds, a world of colour awaits.