Farrow & Ball Green Smoke: Dupes, matches, coordinating colors, and Sarah’s full review

If you’re mulling over green paint colors — perhaps for your kitchen cabinets, bedroom, or house exterior — you’re not alone.

“The interest in green paint spiked during the pandemic,” Sue Wadden, global color director of Sherwin-Williams, told me last month. “During tough times, we tend to turn to healing colors associated with nature.” farrow ball green smoke match

And one of the green paint colors on everyone’s radar is Farrow & Ball Green Smoke.

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke 47 Review

In this blog post novella, we’ll explore Green Smoke’s undertones, discuss coordinating colors, review the best way to sample Green Smoke, look at lots of photos of Green Smoke used in real-life projects, and study the closest dupes and matches to Green Smoke from more accessible paint brands, such as Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, and Behr.

Let’s get into it! farrow ball green smoke match

What Color is Farrow & Ball Green Smoke?

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke is a beautiful medium-dark smoky green. Green Smoke has pronounced blue undertones.

Green Smoke is DARKER than most Farrow & Ball greens, including Cromarty, Mizzle, Pigeon, and Card Room Green.

Green Smoke is LIGHTER than Farrow & Ball Bancha and Studio Green.

(Speaking of Bancha, did you see my round-up of the best olive green paint colors?)

Green Smoke Is Farrow & Ball’s Most Popular Green Paint Color

A decade ago, when blue paint was all the rage, Farrow & Ball Hague Blue was the British paint manufacturer’s most sought-after color.

But in the past several years, as interest in green paint has surged, Green Smoke has emerged as a firm customer and designer favorite. farrow ball green smoke match

In fact, in late 2021, Green Smoke was Farrow & Ball’s most-Googled paint color. Again, it’s plausible the pandemic played a role in the shift to green, as more people embraced the hue for its connection to nature.

And Green Smoke’s popularity hasn’t waned. As of late 2023, the color remains the company’s most popular shade of green, per Farrow & Ball color consultant Patrick O’Donnell.

What are Farrow & Ball’s other most popular green paint colors? These are the top 15, according to recent sales data. I’ve placed them in order from lightest (Cromarty) to darkest (Studio Green):

What Inspired the Color Green Smoke?

While Green Smoke might be trending, the hue certainly isn’t new. Instead, the color was inspired by a shade of green that was popular in late 19th-century interiors.

According to Farrow & Ball, the color Green Smoke evokes “calm and serenity” and an “irresistibly inviting deepness and weathered familiarity.”

Sold! farrow ball green smoke dupe

Why You Might Not Like Farrow & Ball Green Smoke

Just because a paint color is popular doesn’t mean it’s right for you. You might not like Farrow & Ball Green Smoke if:

• You don’t like blue-based greens
• You prefer greens that are essentially neutral, and not overly saturated
• You don’t like “middle ground” colors (and instead prefer colors that are either very light or very dark)

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke Cabinets

You’ll find Green Smoke in living rooms, bathrooms, dining rooms, and, of course, on kitchen cabinets.

Many of my consultation clients request green cabinetry and millwork, and Farrow & Ball Green Smoke is a lovely option.

Below, an English utility room featuring Green Smoke on the cabinets and Farrow & Ball Card Room Green on the walls. The hardware and switches were sourced from Broughtons:

And here’s Green Smoke in a kitchen designed by Oak Design Project. I love how the green cabinets add depth to this serene, minimalist space:

On a side note, Oak Design Project was founded by set designers who work on shows for Netflix and HGTV. Construction skills + design skills — love that.

And here’s an Austin kitchen with Green Smoke-painted cabinets:

Below, Kate Lester chose Green Smoke for the cabinets in this Manhattan Beach, Calif. kitchen:

Fun fact: this house recently sold for $4.7 million!

Here’s a broader view of the kitchen and adjoining living and dining rooms:

Lester used a plaster finish from Portola Paints on the hood. The Limoge pendants are by Visual Comfort, and the faucet is by Waterworks.

Below are a few additional photos from the real estate listing. Notice how different the space looks in these images versus the editorial photos. Lighting and styling make a huge difference.

Below, Atlanta designer Bradley Odom drenched the cabinets of this kitchen in Green Smoke:

Notice that Bradley painted the window mullions, muntins, and trim Green Smoke, as well. When in doubt, paint your kitchen cabinets and trim the same color.

The Green Smoke cabinets look beautiful with the walnut island and Alno unlacquered brass hardware. The Archie pendants are by Ro Sham Beaux. farrow ball green smoke match

Fun fact: Bradley attended SCAD and used to serve as a judge during our design presentations!

Luckily I was never on the receiving end of his often-scathing commentary.

Oh, and if you’re in Atlanta (and have deep pockets), it’s worth visiting Bradley’s shop, which stocks a beautiful selection of Moroccan lamps and Astier de Villatte pieces.

But back to paint. Let’s peek into the butler’s pantry adjacent to the Green Smoke kitchen. I’m betting Bradley used high-gloss Farrow & Ball Studio Green here. Again, notice how he drenched not just the cabinets but the walls, trim, and window casing in the same color.

Let’s head north to Connecticut. That’s where designer Susan Long used Green Smoke in this 1830s farmhouse kitchen. I particularly love the ice box-style cabinetry:

Long paired Green Smoke with an island painted Farrow & Ball Mizzle, shown below. The hardware is by Armac Martin and the island’s quartz countertop is Caesarstone’s rugged concrete.

It’s a lovely kitchen. You can find the pendants here, the linear chandelier (over the table) here, the counter stools here, the throw pillow fabric here, and the floor lamp here. For a warm white paint color similar to the perimeter cabinetry, try this one or this one.

Just north of here, in Massachusetts, designer Lindsey Hanson used Green Smoke in this kitchen:

Hanson used the same linear chandelier over the island as Susan Long did.

Notice the lovely detail of the small flush mounts running along the ceiling beam:

You can find the chandelier over the dining table here.

Finally, let’s head across the pond to this beautiful English utility room:

I applaud the choice to pair Green Smoke walls AND cabinets with brass taps and reclaimed wood countertops. The pendants are by Industville, the accessories are from the Rustic Shack, and the tomato vine candle is from Daylesford Organic.

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke Living Rooms

Green Smoke adds moody depth to living spaces. Below, designer Nicole Hollis deployed Green Smoke in her San Francisco living room to give the space a modern edge:

Below, a Victorian living room painted Green Smoke. Notice how lovely the dusty pink color looks in the adjoining space. One trick I learned when I was a design intern was to mix cool and warm colors to give a palette dimension and depth.

And below, here’s another living room painted Green Smoke. Again, notice the adjacent space is painted a beautiful buttery yellow, and how lovely that warm color looks with Green Smoke.

Need a good yellow paint color? This one, this one, and this one are three of my faves.

Also, in the space above, notice how the owners brought Green Smoke up to the crown molding (not just to the picture rail). I always suggest bringing your wall color ABOVE the picture rail. It makes your ceiling appear higher!

Above, another living room painted Green Smoke. I love the English Cotswold-style dresser. Not to beat a dead horse, but look how GOOD the warmth of that pine dresser looks against the coolness of Green Smoke.

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke Offices

Green Smoke looks wonderful on bookshelves and office walls.

Who wouldn’t want to tippity-type on their laptop here?

Above, Vanessa Macdonald wrapped every inch of this Kensington, London office-slash-conservatory in Green Smoke. The desk is by Julian Chichester and the dashing chair is by Soane. Red and green should always be seen!

Meanwhile, over in Dallas, designer Carrie Hatfield used Green Smoke for the walls, trim, and built-ins in this office:

Hatfield sourced the tubular chrome desk from 1stdibs; the Saarinen chair is by Knoll.

And, zooming back to England, designer Alice Leigh used Green Smoke for the bookshelves in this study. I love how she painted the radiator cover Green Smoke, as well:

The Hans Wegner chair is vintage and the silk Jajim cushion is by Nushka (one of my favorite sources for lampshades). And I love that Robert Kime wallpaper.

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke Bathrooms

Below, in this lovely home in upstate New York, General Assembly used Green Smoke to create a serene retreat:

“We chose Green Smoke in the main bathroom to create an elegant and soothing space to take a bath and meditate while gazing at the outside landscape,” say Sarah and Colin, the designers.

And here’s Green Smoke in a powder room:

And below, another bathroom painted Green Smoke, this time with a beautiful crimson claw-foot tub. Notice how the lovely Robert Kime Field Poppy curtain fabric pulls out the green and red colors in the scheme:

And below, in this powder room, designer Charles Mellersh paired Green Smoke-painted beadboard wainscot with wallpaper by Timorous Beasties. The Liason floor tile is by Kelly Wearstler for Ann Sacks, and I’ll bet the sconces are the Pillar wall light.

And lastly, design world darling Heidi Caillier used Green Smoke on the vanity in this powder room, and paired it with Gracie wallcovering:

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke Dining Rooms

Back when I designed restaurants, we were always looking for ways to incorporate warmth into our palettes, whether through paint colors, finishes, or lighting. Warm colors trigger appetite and are associated with desire. (Here’s a fascinating read on color psychology in restaurant design, if you’re interested.)

Thus green is a somewhat unconventional choice for a dining room — but Green Smoke looks lovely in these spaces:

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke Exteriors

Honey, if you can afford 20-plus gallons of Farrow & Ball paint for your exterior, go for it!

But maybe you just want to paint a few accents, like here, on Fournier Street, in London’s East End:

Or your front door — hubba hubba:

Or a shed or bench?

Just bear in mind that paint colors appear lighter and brighter in exterior applications, especially if your facade receives full sun.

Notice how much lighter Green Smoke appears in this image, below — it looks more like Blue Gray or Vert de Terre.

Need help choosing colors for your exterior? Reach out!

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke Undertones

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke can lean cooler (more blue) or warmer (more yellow), depending on the time of day, lighting conditions, and colors surrounding it.

In natural light, particularly northern light, Green Smoke’s undertones can appear cooler and more blue, while in artificial light, it can appear warmer and more yellow-green.

Notice how BLUE Green Smoke appears in this Halifax, Nova Scotia kitchen:

Green Smoke also looks quite blue in this bedroom:

Design by Andrew Jonathan Griffiths

But Green Smoke appears much more yellowy-olive in these spaces:

Complex paint colors can (and will!) shift depending on the amount of natural light your room receives, and the type of exposure (north, south, east, or west). That’s why it’s essential to sample, sample, sample before you commit.

How to Sample Green Smoke

Which brings me to this resource, which has been a game changer. I’ve been using Samplize for years — I love that their peel-and-stick samples are made with real paint. Also great? They deliver overnight. ‘Cause honey, sometimes your painter is coming in 24 hours and you need to make a DECISION.

Seriously, though, the ability to move samples from wall to wall is crucial, particularly when you’re potentially investing hundreds (or thousands) of dollars in paint.

Another reason I love peel-and-stick samples? They’re more cost-effective than ye olde traditional sample pots and are better for the environment, too. No mess; no wasted paint; no half-empty cans languishing in your basement. It’s a win-win.

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke Coordinating Colors

Green Smoke looks lovely with many colors, including light gray, warm white, creamy taupe, pale gray-green, and very dark blue.

And, as I noted earlier, also try pairing Green Smoke with warm hues, such as pink and yellow.

Save this image to Pinterest so you can easily remember these combinations and ideas:

Links to paint colors: Shaded White, Schoolhouse White, Strong White, Purbeck Stone (read my full review and find dupes), Pointing, Slipper Satin, Stony Ground, and Railings

Hardware sources here, here, here, and here.

How to Use Farrow & Ball Green Smoke

Need even more ideas? Try one of these color combos with Green Smoke:

• In your kitchen: Green Smoke on cabinets, walls, and trim, and Schoolhouse White on ceiling
• In your entry or mudroom: Green Smoke on built-ins or wainscoting, Wimborne White on walls, and Shaded White on trim
• In your office: Green Smoke on walls and Mizzle on trim

You Can Use Green with Green!

Hell, you can do anything you want!

But yes, please do pair Green Smoke with other greens, such as Mizzle, Lichen, and Yeabridge Green.

Exhibit A: this Oklahoma City kitchen, below, where Green Smoke cabinets co-mingle with a Lichen island, Dimity-painted walls, and Stirabout trim:

Design by Building Culture

If you live in Oklahoma and are building a house, check out the portfolio of Building Culture, the firm behind this beautiful masonry home. J’adore brick.

Other details to love here: the reclaimed wood beams, the curved architrave, the brass taps and hardware, and the understated ceramic pendants.

Design by Building Culture

Mizzle, a lighter version of Pigeon and Blue Gray, is a lovely choice for a kitchen island with Green Smoke cabinets, as we saw in this Connecticut home:

Design by S.B. Long Interiors

And check out the BEFORE photo of this kitchen:

Courtesy of S.B. Long Interiors

Quite the transformation.

Lastly, Yeabridge Green is a surprisingly good dance partner for Green Smoke, as seen in this bathroom:

Design by Sawcliffe Manor

Want to sink into that claw-foot tub? You can book a stay at this 400-year-old English manor-turned-inn, which is situated on the site of a Medieval Village.

You Can Use Red with Green!

Pink and red look fantastic with green, as we witnessed at the McCallisters’.

Seriously, though, there’s a reason Christmas colors are so cheery – red and green make a cozy pair.

To wit: in this Danish hotel, the Green Smoke-painted kitchen shelves are lined with Farrow & Ball Eating Room Red, a faded burgundy color:

Green Smoke with Eating Room Red; photo courtesy of Monica The Hotel

This whole hotel is charming — shelves crammed with cookbooks and Emma Bridgewater pottery, rooms brimming with antiques and Svenskt Tenn furniture, and Farrow & Ball colors everywhere you look.

The owner used Eating Room Red on the window casings in the kitchen, as well:

Photo courtesy of Monica The Hotel

And the food! And the garden. And the flowers.

Photos courtesy of Monica The Hotel

You can read more about the hotel here.

Sarah’s Ready-to-Go Kitchen Scheme with Farrow & Ball Green Smoke

I created this scheme to illustrate how you could use Green Smoke on your kitchen cabinets and incorporate warmth via other finishes. Save this image to Pinterest so you can easily remember these ideas:

LINKS TO ALL SOURCES: Sconce | Pendant | Tile | Counter Stool | Faucet | Drawer Pull | Cabinet Knob | Countertop | Runner | Flooring

Using Green Smoke with Other Paint Brands

If you’re using Farrow & Ball Green Smoke with colors from a different paint brand, try one of these combinations:

• Sherwin-Williams: Green Smoke with Sherwin-Williams Oyster Bay, Olympic Range, and Arrowroote
• Behr: Green Smoke with Behr Mink Haze and Swiss Coffee
• Benjamin Moore: Green Smoke with Benjamin Moore Tapestry Beige, Horizon Gray, and Dove Wing

Here’s an image you can save to Pinterest so you can easily remember these combinations:

Materials and Finishes to Use with Green Smoke

Though Green Smoke pairs well with a variety of hues, I encourage you to use it with warm, earthy, natural materials.

For example, consider pairing Green Smoke with terracotta floor tile or hardwood flooring in a warm finish (never gray-toned — never ever, please).

For instance, look how lovely this warm herringbone wood floor looks with Green Smoke:

Green Smoke; design by Jen Rothbury

For hardware, faucets, and light fixtures, explore using finishes such as brass and rattan with Green Smoke. Or pull in a jute rug or mirror with a warm finish.

Green Smoke; design by Nina Pimpe sa Maison

Or, for your countertops or kitchen table, consider butcher block or a warm-toned wood finish.

Green Smoke with Strong White; design by Home by Marie

And if you’re using Green Smoke in a living room or office, consider pulling in WARMER tones for soft furnishings, such as upholstery and pillows. That’s what Otta Design did in this space, with the red Guy Goodfellow fabric:

Green Smoke; design by Otta Design

And Now, Let Us Discuss LRV

What’s LRV? If you’re acronym-averse, don’t panic.

LRV stands for light reflectance value. LRV is the AMOUNT of light a paint color reflects.

Green Smoke bookshelves; design by JH Designs

The LRV spectrum ranges from 0 to 100 — 100 is pure white (reflecting all light), and 0 is pure black (absorbing all light and heat).

If a paint color has an LRV above 50, it REFLECTS more light than it absorbs.

If a color has an LRV below 50, it ABSORBS more light than it reflects.

Green Smoke seen in the background; design by JH Designs

Bear in mind, though, that no paint color has an LRV of 100 or 0.

The highest LRV you’ll find in consumer paint is around 92 (see: Chantilly Lace, High Reflective White, and All White); the lowest averages out around 4 (see: Tricorn Black, Black, and Pitch Black).

For any super nerds out there (my hand is raised), scientists at Purdue recently developed a white paint that reflects 98 percent of light; you can read about that here.

But heed this, friends: high LRV does not necessarily equal WHITER paint.

Warm, creamy paint colors can have HIGH light reflectance values. (See: Cheviot; Wimborne White.)

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke LRV

The LRV of Farrow & Ball Green Smoke is 19.

That means Green Smoke is a medium-dark color. Here’s a comparison of Green Smoke with four other popular Farrow & Ball green paint colors:

If you test a sample of Green Smoke and it feels too DARK, try Farrow & Ball Card Room Green, Treron, or Pigeon.

If you find Green Smoke too LIGHT, consider Farrow & Ball Bancha or Studio Green.

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke Matches and Dupes

Before we dive into dupes, bear in mind that rarely do we unearth exact matches for Farrow & Ball colors from more accessible brands, such as Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore.

In fact, several popular Farrow & Ball colors are notoriously tricky to match.

So if you love Green Smoke, and can stomach the $130-per-gallon price tag, I encourage you to purchase the real thing.

Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, and Behr offer colors similar to Green Smoke, but they aren’t perfect equivalents.

But if you’d rather not break the bank, then read on, fellow paint obsessive, for the closest dupes and matches to Farrow & Ball Green Smoke. And save this image to Pinterest so you remember this post when you’re heading to the paint store!

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke Matched to Behr

Behr, sweetie, you get to go first because you offer a CLOSER match to Green Smoke than either Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore.

Behr Boreal (LRV 20) is the closest match to Green Smoke.

Bravo, Behr. farrow ball green smoke match

You can see how similar these cabinets, below, which are painted Boreal, look to the Green Smoke-painted cabinets in the Kate Lester Manhattan Beach project we looked at earlier:

Behr Boreal; photo via The Grit and the Polish

The next closest Behr matches to Farrow & Ball Green Smoke are Village Green (LRV 23) and Heritage Park (LRV 17).

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke Matched to Sherwin-Williams

But maybe you’re a ride-or-die Sherwin-Williams fan? Then take a look at Taiga 9654, Basil 6194, and Retreat 6207.

A smoky green-gray with blue undertones, Sherwin-Williams Taiga is LIGHTER than Farrow & Ball Green Smoke and reads more neutral, but the two colors are similar.

Sherwin-Williams Taiga; design by Cassandra Design

Sherwin-Williams Basil is DARKER than Farrow & Ball Green Smoke and more saturated.

Sherwin-Williams Basil; design by Shine Interior Design

Sherwin-Williams Retreat is LIGHTER than Farrow & Ball Green Smoke and less saturated.

Sherwin-Williams Retreat cabinets with Acacia Haze trim; design by April Tomlin

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke Matched to Benjamin Moore

I wish I had better news, friends, but Benjamin Moore — despite its catalog of 3,500 paint colors —  doesn’t offer a very close match to Green Smoke.

The closest Benjamin Moore matches to Farrow & Ball Green Smoke are Intrigue 1580, Caldwell Green HC-124, and Lush AF-475. You could also take a look at Cushing Green HC-125.

But here’s the GOOD news: Intrigue, Caldwell Green, and Lush are all beautiful greens, as you’ll see below.

Benjamin Moore Intrigue (LRV 24) is a little LIGHTER and less saturated than Green Smoke.

Below, Intrigue on a bathroom vanity:

Benjamin Moore Intrigue; design by Studio McGee

Benjamin Moore Caldwell Green (LRV 16) is slightly darker than Green Smoke.

Caldwell Green is lovely on cabinets:

Benjamin Moore Caldwell Green; design by Reider + Co

Benjamin Moore Lush (LRV 21) is more saturated and a little lighter than Green Smoke.

Below, Lush on a mantel with Paper Mache on the walls:

Lush with Paper Mache; via Benjamin Moore

Cushing Green (LRV 18) is more saturated and a bit lighter than Farrow & Ball Green Smoke.

Benjamin Moore Cushing Green with Cloud White walls; design by Making It in the Mountains

Farrow & Ball Green Smoke Matched to PPG

The closest PPG match to Green Smoke is Calabash Clash.

PPG is typically available at Home Depot and is often cheaper than Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore paint.

Color Matching at the Paint Store

If none of these matches is your cup of tea, order a peel-and-stick sample of Green Smoke and bring it to the paint store.

It’s likely that your paint retailer, be it Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, Behr, or PPG, already has Green Smoke’s color code saved in its computer. But always bring a sample, just in case.

Purchase a quart of your color match, and paint a swatch at home. Then compare it to the peel-and-stick sample of Green Smoke.

Some paint companies match Farrow & Ball colors better than others, so I always recommend testing a quart sample before buying gallons of your match and facing an unpleasant surprise.

In Conclusion, Dear Reader

(a) Farrow & Ball Green Smoke is a beautiful, medium-dark blue-green paint color, and it’s the company’s best-selling green!

(b) Green Smoke is highly versatile; consider using it on cabinetry, walls, trim, vanities, doors, or shutters

(c) while Green Smoke has close matches from other paint brands, such as Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, and Behr, no one makes an exact dupe

(d) promise me you’ll sample colors before you commit.