Farrow & Ball at Museum of The Home

Since 2018, London’s Museum of The Home has been undergoing rejuvenation and renovation on an impressive scale.

But the transformation isn’t merely physical. With the building work has come a re-examining of the Museum’s purpose and, from its grand re-opening on Saturday 12th June, visitors are invited to challenge their assumptions and consider their definitions of “home” more than ever, as they navigate a series of diverse, inspiring, and often moving exhibits.

Being no strangers to the importance of home ourselves, we were delighted to provide both our richly pigmented paint and the services of our Colour Curator to the redecoration of three new event spaces at the museum, which will play host to visitors of all kinds, from school groups to members of the local community.

Inside the Museum’s 300-year-old almshouses, which have been home to the Museum since 1914, these spaces have been brought to life with the combined efforts of the Museum’s dedicated team and a number of British brands, without whose kind donations these exciting new areas wouldn’t have been possible.

The key player in the transformations has been Plain English, a maker of fine bespoke kitchens whose team designed, crafted, and donated the cabinetry to create The Plain English Kitchen at the Museum of the Home.

Sharing a history and a locality with the Museum – the brand opened its first showroom on Hoxton Square in 1994 – Plain English was the natural choice to bring new life to this space. “With this gift,” says Plain English Co-Founder Tony Niblock, “it is our hope that the space will be enjoyed by many as a cultural destination and meeting place for years to come”.

To supplement the artisan-crafted kitchen, elements from other like-minded British brands – including Farrow & Ball and The Farmhouse Table Company – were hand-picked by Plain English’s Katie Fontana, all meeting her exacting standards for authenticity, quality and craft.

We’re no strangers to sharing space with these two great companies, who have used Farrow & Ball colours in the making of their artisanal products for years – in fact, Plain English’s very first kitchen was painted in Berrington Blue, one of our Archive colours.

A Plain English kitchen and table painted in Stone Blue No.86

“It is such a privilege for Farrow & Ball to be involved in the restoration of this iconic building,” says Farrow & Ball Colour Curator Joa Studholme, who, along with Plain English’s Katie and Merlin, chose the Farrow & Ball paint colours for the project.

“The Museum has long held a place in my heart, so it was great to be a part of the team to not only honour its historic roots but also make it relevant and accessible to those who will have the treat of using it in the future.”

The kitchen space, which will be made available for events and school visits as well as for commercial hire, has been decorated with our super-tough Modern range, all in Stone Blue. This powerful duo of Modern Emulsion on walls and Modern Eggshell on cabinets is perfect for moisture- and mess-prone spaces like kitchens, as well as for guarding against wear and tear.

Before the renovation, the kitchen wasn’t living up to its full potential as a usable and beautiful space. Now, it’s well equipped to handle everything from kids’ cookery lessons to glamorous supper clubs.

“Stone Blue’s lively but timeless colour feels both distinguished and familiar, so will be welcoming for all visitors using the kitchen,” says Joa. “Our Modern Eggshell and Modern Emulsion retain that special Farrow & Ball look with its unsurpassed depth of colour, while being suitable for use in kitchens and busy areas where it demonstrates excellent scrub and stain resistance.”

We also brought our signature colours to the Lunch Room – using an eclectic and welcoming palette of Duck Green, Vardo, Dix Blue and India Yellow – and the Georgian Room, newly decorated with Dead Salmon.

Along with the kitchen, these spaces are all set to extend a warm welcome to the Museum’s many visitors, inviting them to gather around the family-style wooden tables donated by our friends at The Farmhouse Table Company – to sit, share, and discover the stories of homes through time.

“We are thrilled with the paints kindly donated by Farrow & Ball,” says Director of Partnerships Lucy Littlewood, “which have transformed three vital events spaces – our Georgian Room, Kitchen and Lunch Room – into wonderful areas to be enjoyed by our local community, visitors and schools.”