It’s never as easy as you think to find the paint shade you have in your mind’s eye is it? I recently decided to give my house a paint refresh. I wanted to find a warm, neutral grey that would contrast nicely with white. Far too many tester pots later, my walls were blotchy and I was more confused if anything.
Discover Skimming Stone Farrow and Ball paint – the perfect pale milky grey with warm stone undertones.
Key takeways before we start
1 Skimming Stone is a pale milky grey with warm stone undertones that bridges the gap between cool greys and warmer whites.
2 The paint colour performs differently in various lighting conditions, appearing almost white in bright natural light whilst showing definite stone tones in lower light environments.
3 Farrow & Ball Skimming Stone works as a colour bridge between cool grey slate floors and warm dark brown wooden floorboards.
4 The shade pairs effectively with Elephant’s Breath for a mid-tone grey contrast and Strong White for a crisp white accent.
It’s so true that you can find the exact colour you’re looking for when you look at in one corner of your home and then, when you try it in another corner, where the light is different, you often find yourself looking at a totally different shade. I started out looking for a soft plaster colour in estate emulsion but they all looked too pinky in my room. I knew I wanted a soft, contemporary look on my interior walls, but it took way too many sample pots before I got anywhere. Sunny afternoons would give cold shades a softer look, even on something like darker elephant’s breath. But on a darker day, this was too dark and I wanted a lighter strong white.
Looking for stony off-white…
Contemporary neutrals are a bit of a rabbit hole, I’m not going to lie. I knew I wanted a chalky matt finish, but not too much so, without verging on an overly smooth silk finish. Farrow & Ball modern emulsion is a practical, perfect choice for me. The estate eggshell was my choice for interior wood (it’s a modern eggshell with a soft sheen rather than a full gloss. I decided to go for similar shades for the walls and woodwork, and wanted to carry the exterior eggshell in the same shade to the outside of the windows too. Stony off-white was the look I wanted, light tones to work with natural materials in a neutral tone. I found the perfect shade: my pick of all the neutral shades, cooler and more stony than Wimborne White, but warmer and softer than a crisp white. Something that captures the way a skimming stone shines as it hops across the surface of the sea…
Skimming Stone is a milky grey off-white neutral with warm stone undertones
Having driven myself slightly demented with tester blotches in all the different light conditions, I finally narrowed everything down and arrived at a decision. The element to make it onto my new soft, natural palette is Skimming Stone Farrow and Ball paint. It has a milky quality that I love. I have low ceilings and small windows in my old Hampshire cottage and all of the cooler greys felt too dark and gloomy. Because of its warm stone, almost pinky undertones, Skimming Stone feels so much more cheerful, whilst still definitely sitting comfortably among the greys. The other reason Skimming Stone will work so well in my cottage is that I have both grey slate floors and old dark brown wooden floorboards. Skimming Stone works beautifully with both, providing a colour bridge between the warm brown and cool grey.
The perfect neutral
Farrow & Ball’s Skimming Stone is perfect for adding a soft, neutral touch to exterior walls, exterior masonry, kitchen cabinets, bedroom schemes, exterior wood, you name it. Combining complementary white paint colours is a sophisticated choice and sure to create an inviting atmosphere. Combine with a rich colour feature wall (London Clay works well if you like a darker statement scheme) for a unique look. If it’s a totally matt look that you’re after, try the Farrow & Ball Dead Flat finish paint. It’s a multi-surface, ultra matt finish for walls, woodwork and metal, with added toughness built in. A good choice for kitchen cupboards or high traffic areas. The estate emulsion is a versatile finish, and exceptionally durable for a wall paint. Skimming Stone takes its name from a 19th-century skim, or plaster colour, reminiscent of childhood afternoons skimming stones. I’d not heard of 19th century skim before, but I can see the inspiration.
I’ve put together a moodboard of how I’m seeing my new colour scheme coming together. I’m loving the idea of bringing in textural linens and ceramics as well as soft pink terracotta and fresh whites. It’s such an uplifting yet still very understated colour scheme don’t you think? Choosing new paint colours is an ideal way to freshen up your living space. Add some accents with natural textures and one or two interesting furniture pieces and it’s an effective way to breathe a whole new lease of life into your interior.
I see that you can book a one-to-one colour consultancy with Patrick O’Donnell which might be worth knowing about if you’re well and truly stuck down a rabbit hole. I hope my ideas with Skimming Stone help a little…
Skimming Stone Farrow and Ball moodboard
Featured in my moodboard: Plant pots from The Future Kept; textural linens from Peony & Sage; farm flowers from The Real Flower Company; Linen apron from Swedish House at Home; Teapot from Pottery West.
Buy Farrow and Ball paint online
Skimming Stone Farrow and Ball paint
Elephant’s Breath Farrow and Ball paint
Strong White Farrow and Ball paint
Skimming Stone Farrow and Ball paint
These lovely photos are from the Farrow & Ball inspiration gallery on the Skimming Stone online shop page… worth checking out the other images there. It’s interesting how different paint can look in different lighting conditions isn’t it? The shade can seem almost white and yet in the bathroom above it’s a definite stone shade. Just goes to prove how important it is to test out shades on your actual walls and in specific lighting conditions before going all in…
How to Test Paint Colours by Light Direction
Most people test paint in random spots, but there’s a systematic approach that eliminates confusion and saves money on tester pots.
The Directional Testing Grid
Rather than painting blotchy patches everywhere, create a strategic testing grid:
North-Facing Walls (Coolest Light)
Test here first—if a warm neutral like Skimming Stone still feels cheerful on a north wall, it will work throughout your home. Cool greys that look lovely in the shop often turn depressingly flat here.
South-Facing Walls (Warmest Light)
Your danger zone for warm neutrals potentially looking too yellow or pink. If Skimming Stone’s stone undertones don’t overwhelm in southern light, you’ve found a balanced neutral.
East & West Walls (Changing Light)
Paint a 60cm square that you can observe at different times: morning light (cooler, bluer) versus evening light (warmer, golden). Skimming Stone’s milky quality means it adapts rather than fights the changing light.
The 3-Day Rule
Live with your test squares for three days, observing them in morning natural light, overcast midday conditions, and artificial evening light. Take photos at each stage—what your eye adjusts to in person often looks dramatically different in photos.
Floor Material
Always extend your test square down to touch your flooring material. A neutral that clashes with your grey slate or dark wood floors will never look right.
Skimming Stone goes well with…
Elephant’s Breath and Strong White (a cool white with light grey undertones). I’ve added both shades to my moodboard and really like how they work on there… Perfect for kitchen cupboards, especially if you choose a water-resistant formula.
5 things to remember
#1 Skimming Stone functions as a colour bridge between warm brown wooden floors and cool grey slate. This makes it really versatile for homes with mixed flooring materials.
#2 The paint’s milky quality with warm stone undertones prevents the gloomy effect that cooler greys create in rooms with low ceilings and small windows.
#3 Testing paint colours in different lighting conditions is essential because Skimming Stone can appear almost white in bright light whilst showing definite stone tones in lower light areas.
#4 Farrow & Ball Modern Emulsion finish offers practical durability with a chalky matt appearance that avoids both overly flat dead finishes and glossy silk sheens.
#5 Pairing Skimming Stone with Elephant’s Breath and Strong White creates a sophisticated three-tone neutral scheme that works across walls, woodwork, and exterior applications.
Other blog posts you might enjoy if you’re into creative home decoration:
How to decorate with Pantone Colour of the Year 2019 ‘Living Coral’
The perfect antidote to the ubiquitous grey shades we’ve surrounded ourselves with in recent years, Living Coral is a sunshiney, happy colour and I’ve shared some creative ways to bring it into your home, including paint mixing with Annie Sloan, Wallpaper ideas and beautiful accessories.
I love relaxed, simply beautiful modern rustic interiors and I’ve shared some inspiring ideas and tips for getting the look in your own home.
How to decorate with green paint colours
How to decorate with green paint colours Discover the new Green paint colours by Little Greene in collaboration with the National Trust and also some beautiful olive green paints by Annie Sloan
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