Color spec
| Brand | Farrow & Ball |
| Name | Strong White |
| SKU | No. 2001 |
| Hex | #E5E0CE |
| RGB | 229, 224, 206 |
| HSL | 47°, 31%, 85% |
| LRV | 81 |
| Undertone | warm yellow tone |
| Family | Neutral |
What Color Is Strong White, Really?
Strong White is a soft, warm off-white from Farrow & Ball. Its hex is #E5E0CE and its LRV of 81 sits near the top of the light scale, so it bounces plenty of light and helps small or dim rooms feel more open. The base is warm and yellow-leaning, with enough pigment that the warmth is real rather than imaginary, yet at this brightness it still reads as a calm off-white, not a yellow.
That balance is why it is popular. Farrow & Ball treats it as a flagship white-with-bones, meaning it holds its own in a room instead of disappearing, and it has become a staple of American Tudor restorations where a stark bright white would look wrong.
It suits older and character homes that want warmth without going cream, and it works just as well in modern spaces looking for a quiet, light backdrop rather than a clinical white.
Strong White leans warm and yellow. Its measured hue of 47 falls in the yellow band, and a saturation of 31 percent means the warmth is genuine, not a trace. What keeps it from looking yellow is the light itself: at LRV 81, that pigment is heavily diluted, so on the wall you see a soft off-white with a warm, faintly earthy base rather than a color.
The undertone shows most on large uninterrupted walls, in cooler north light, and directly next to a crisp bright white. In those spots Strong White can look slightly grey-green as the warmth settles down. Against cream it swings the other way and reads cleaner.
To judge it, paint a large sample board and stand it next to a true white card and a brighter Farrow & Ball white. That side by side comparison is the fastest way to see the warm shift before you commit.
Best Rooms and Uses for Strong White
An LRV of 81 makes Strong White a whole-home light color rather than a statement. It is built to run wall to wall through hallways, landings, and open-plan spaces where you want one calm color to carry the whole floor, and it noticeably broadens small or narrow rooms.
Because it is warm and soft, it also works on ceilings and trim to create a gentle, wrapped envelope with no harsh white edges. On kitchen cabinets it reads as a warm off-white that feels less clinical than a bright white, pairing well with wood counters and aged brass.
Outside, it suits traditional and Tudor-style bodies and trim. What it is not is a front door color, since it is far too light to hold a door. Save the contrast for a dark accent and let Strong White be the quiet backdrop.
How Lighting Changes Strong White
With an LRV of 81, Strong White reflects a lot of light and rarely looks dull, so most of the change you see is in temperature rather than depth.
In a north-facing room the light is cooler and the warm base steadies the color, though it can read a touch grey-green. South-facing rooms flood it with warm light and it glows soft, almost creamy. East rooms feel warm in the morning and flatter by afternoon, while west rooms warm up again in the evening.
Bulbs matter too. Warm 2700K lamps push it creamier, which is welcome in a bedroom or living room. Cooler 4000K lamps keep it crisper and can pull it slightly grey. The main risk is a south room under warm bulbs, where it can tip a little too yellow, so always test a board in the actual room across the day.
Most complaints about Strong White 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 →Strong White vs Similar Colors
Slipper Satin No. 2004 (LRV 75) is the closest sibling. It is a little deeper and creamier, so it feels cozier and warmer on the wall. Choose Slipper Satin when you want more softness, and Strong White when you want a lighter, slightly cooler and greyer off-white.
School House White No. 291 (LRV 73) reads deeper still and more openly creamy-yellow. It is a good pick for a snug or a low-light room where you want visible warmth, whereas Strong White stays closer to a true light white.
Ammonite No. 274 (LRV 56) is not really a white at all. It is a warm grey greige and markedly darker, so walls read as a soft color rather than an off-white. Reach for Ammonite when you want the walls to have presence, and Strong White when you want a light, near-white envelope.
Colors That Go With Strong White
For trim, step up to a brighter white so the woodwork reads crisp against the softer walls. All White No. 2005 (LRV 84) is cleaner and lighter than Strong White, which gives trim and ceilings a subtle lift.
For a second wall color, Cornforth White No. 228 (LRV 60) is a soft greige that grounds adjoining rooms or the space below a chair rail without fighting the warmth. Elephant's Breath No. 229 (LRV 50) does a similar job with a touch more depth.
For contrast, Hague Blue No. 30 (LRV 6) is a deep teal-blue that looks strong on a door, cabinetry, or a feature wall. If you want a warm companion instead of a cool one, Setting Plaster No. 231 (LRV 56) adds a soft pink-plaster note. Natural oak or walnut and aged brass or bronze all sit comfortably alongside.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Farrow & Ball No. 2001 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 Strong White 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 #E5E0CE in HSL space. Pair Strong White 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.
The Questions Everyone Asks
Is Strong White warm or cool, and does it read gray or yellow?
Strong White is warm. Its base is yellow-leaning, with a measured hue of 47 and moderate saturation, so the warmth is real rather than faint. On the wall at LRV 81 it does not look yellow; it reads as a soft warm off-white. In cool north light or beside a bright white it can pick up a slight grey-green cast.
What trim white pairs with Strong White?
All White No. 2005 (LRV 84) is a good trim partner. It is cleaner and brighter than Strong White, so painting trim, doors, and ceilings in it gives the woodwork a crisp lift against the softer, warmer walls. Keeping both whites within the Farrow & Ball range also keeps the warmth consistent from wall to trim.
Does Strong White work on kitchen cabinets and exteriors?
Yes to both. On cabinets it reads as a warm off-white that feels softer and less clinical than a bright white, and it pairs well with wood counters and brass hardware. Outside, its warm base and durability suit traditional and Tudor-style bodies and trim, which is one reason it is a common choice on period restorations.
What does an LRV of 81 mean for Strong White?
LRV, or light reflectance value, runs from 0 (black) to 100 (pure white). At 81, Strong White sits near the top, so it reflects a large amount of light and helps small, narrow, or dim rooms feel more open. It rarely looks dull, and the main thing that shifts with light is its warmth rather than its depth.
How is Strong White different from Ammonite?
They are not in the same category. Strong White (LRV 81) is a light warm off-white, while Ammonite No. 274 (LRV 56) is a warm grey greige and much darker. On Ammonite the walls read as a soft color with real presence; on Strong White they read as a near-white envelope. Choose by how much color you want on the wall.
Should I sample Strong White before painting?
Yes. Because its warm yellow base can shift toward grey-green in north light or toward cream in a south room under warm bulbs, paint a large sample board and view it in the actual room across the day. Stand it next to your trim white and a plain white card so you can see the warm lean before committing.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Strong White behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY STRONG WHITE ON YOUR ROOM →Ask a Question
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