Lessons In Colour: De Nimes

Posted in: Inspiration

Lessons In Colour: De Nimes

18 November 2024

Over our 75 years of crafting colour, we’ve created a few truly special shades. We love our entire palette equally — of course — but several colours are particularly adored around the world. In this series, we’re taking a look at the stories behind these shades.

Today, with Colour Curator, Joa Studholme, we’re delving into De Nimes.

Sophisticated, elegant and yet wonderfully down to earth, De Nimes is a firm Farrow & Ball favourite.  

‘Some people see it as grey,’ says Joa, ‘while others see it as blue. I've always thought it was incredibly versatile. For those who are a little wary of using grey, this is the perfect colour.

‘It was actually inspired by workwear. So, we looked at the fabrics that workwear is made from. One of those fabrics is denim. And where does denim come from? The city of Nîmes. De Nîmes. So, the colour was aptly named De Nimes.’


Kitchen Scheme

‘Keeping the stronger Railings low down on cabinetry, below your eye level, means everything above it feels lighter and brighter, even fantastically moody De Nimes.’


Living Room Scheme

‘Take De Nimes three quarters of the way up the wall, with Light Blue above it and over the ceiling. To spice it up a bit, perhaps use Picture Gallery Red on the door.’


See real homes brought to life by De Nimes 

Browse Our Blues

Looking for a shade lighter than De Nimes? Or perhaps you’d prefer something darker? Browse all of our beautiful blues to find your favourite.

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