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Brands · answered by Fini

Is there a cheaper alternative to Farrow & Ball Green Smoke?

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Quick answer

Yes — Crown Fern Canopy is the closest match at ΔE 1.3, very close and hard to tell apart on the wall. COAT Retrograde at ΔE 1.5 is the other standout if you want a quick-drying water-based option.

Green Smoke is one of those F&B colours people fall hard for — a deep, dusky blue-green that sits beautifully in low light and reads almost grey on a north wall. The good news is you don't have to pay F&B money to get it.

The pick of the bunch is Crown Fern Canopy (LRV 18.6). It lands at ΔE 1.3 from the original — inside the "very close" band, only a whisker off imperceptible. Put the two side by side and you'd struggle to call it. Crown's trade emulsion is a genuinely good paint, and you'll save a fair bit per tin.

If you'd rather a modern water-based formula that dries fast and lays off cleanly, COAT Retrograde (LRV 18.6) is right there at ΔE 1.5 — still a very close match. COAT's eggshell and emulsion are low-VOC and recoatable in a couple of hours, which is handy if you're decorating around a weekend.

I'd steer you away from Dulux Mouse Tail (LRV 21.3) for this one. At ΔE 4 it's in the same family but noticeably lighter and a touch greyer — close, but you'd see it next to a Green Smoke door or skirting. If it's the only one you can lay hands on locally it's a serviceable approximation, but it isn't a true dupe.

One thing to flag, mate: with deep greens like this, the finish and sheen affect the read as much as the colour. A flat matt will swallow the depth and look almost charcoal in shade; an eggshell or modern emulsion holds the green-blue better. Whichever you choose, get a proper sample pot, paint two coats on a bit of lining paper and move it round the room over a day. North light, evening lamps — it shifts. At ΔE 1.3 Fern Canopy will behave just like Green Smoke would, so once it's up you can stop fretting and crack on.

Colours from the answer

LRV 19
Farrow & Ball
Green Smoke
LRV 21.3
Dulux
Mouse Tail
LRV 18.6
Crown
Fern Canopy
LRV 18.6
COAT
Retrograde

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