Color spec
| Brand | Farrow & Ball |
| Name | Olive |
| SKU | No. 72 |
| Hex | #665F37 |
| RGB | 102, 95, 55 |
| HSL | 51°, 30%, 31% |
| LRV | 13 |
| Undertone | warm yellow tone |
| Family | Green |
What Color Is Olive, Really?
Olive reads as a warm yellow tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Farrow & Ball No. 72 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Olive
Olive works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Greens bridge indoors and out, so they suit living rooms, kitchens and sunrooms.
How Lighting Changes Olive
With an LRV of 13, Olive is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its yellow undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Most complaints about Olive are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
TEST IT IN YOUR LIGHT →Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Farrow & Ball No. 72 directly — but if you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches:
Similar Farrow & Ball colors
closest in the Farrow & Ball deckThe nearest shades to Olive within Farrow & Ball's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #665F37 in HSL space. Pair Olive with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Olive behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY OLIVE ON YOUR ROOM →Ask a Question
Not sure about Olive in your room?
Ask Jessica below — every question gets a real reply, usually within a day.