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Brands · answered by Fini

Is there a cheaper alternative to Farrow & Ball Pigeon?

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Quick answer

Dulux Highland Mist is the closest cheaper match to Farrow & Ball Pigeon at ΔE 1.1 — near enough imperceptible. COAT's Sonder is a hair behind at ΔE 1.4 if you want a low-VOC option.

Yes, and you've got two genuinely good ones. Pigeon is that soft, greyed-green that sits beautifully on woodwork and panelling — a proper grown-up colour — and you don't have to pay F&B money to get it.

The pick of the bunch is Dulux Highland Mist (LRV 35.3), which comes in at ΔE 1.1 from Pigeon. Anything under ΔE 1 is imperceptible to the human eye, so at 1.1 you'd struggle to tell them apart on a wall, let alone across a room. Dulux is widely stocked, takes well to walls and you can get it tinted at most trade counters — easy win.

If you'd rather a modern, low-VOC paint with a chunkier feel, COAT Sonder (LRV 33.6) sits at ΔE 1.4 — still very close, well inside the "you won't notice" range. COAT's matt emulsion is hard-wearing and the brand's whole pitch is being kinder than the heritage names on both price and chemistry.

What I'd steer you away from is Crown Olive (LRV 27.1). It gets thrown about as a Pigeon alternative but it's ΔE 5.6 off — noticeably greener and a good bit darker. That's a different colour, not a match. Fine if you want something with more depth, but don't buy it thinking it's Pigeon on the cheap.

One thing worth saying: Pigeon shifts a lot with light. North-facing it leans cooler and greyer; in warm afternoon sun the green comes forward. Highland Mist and Sonder track that behaviour closely because the ΔE is so tight, but always sample. Whack a big patch on the wall — ideally two coats on lining paper you can move around — and live with it for a couple of days before you commit. Order the testers from both, look at them morning and evening, then buy the cheaper one with a clear conscience.

Colours from the answer

LRV 34
Farrow & Ball
Pigeon
LRV 35.3
Dulux
Highland Mist
LRV 27.1
Crown
Olive
LRV 33.6
COAT
Sonder

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