Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283 Estate Emulsion tin and open lid

Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283 in a room setting

Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283 Dead Flat tin and open lid

Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283 Paint AT A GLANCE

Colour

No.283

FamilyNeutral / Greige

CollectionTimeless Neutrals

PrimerMid Tones

Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283 Paint AT A GLANCE

Colour

No.283

FamilyNeutral / Greige

CollectionTimeless Neutrals

PrimerMid Tones

SKU: 5029496011739

Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283 Paint

Name: Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283 Paint
Brand: Farrow & Ball
SKU: 5029496011739
Price: 34.0 GBP
Availability: InStock

£34.00 Inc VAT

£28.33 Exc VAT

Drop Cloth is a gentle mid grey beige from Farrow & Ball's Timeless Neutrals, neither too yellow nor too grey. Farrow & Ball pair it with Shaded White and Shadow White for an easy trio of colours. Read More

Current Size selected: 750ml

750ml

2.5L

5L

Quantity

FREE Delivery Over £60*

(Subject to T&Cs)

Shipping & Returns FAQs

Secure Payment

No card details are stored.

Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283 Paint AT A GLANCE

Colour

No.283

FamilyNeutral / Greige

CollectionTimeless Neutrals

PrimerMid Tones

Product Description

Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283 is a gentle mid grey beige that Farrow & Ball say is neither too yellow nor too grey. It is named after the painter's dust sheet, a nod to the decorators who use their paint.

Farrow & Ball pair Drop Cloth with School House White as its complementary white, and it is one of their Timeless Neutrals. They describe it as the perfect contrast to the slightly lighter Shaded White and Shadow White, forming a trio that suits modern and traditional homes of any size. Their suggested schemes combine it with Light Gray and Blue Gray, Lichen and Vert de Terre, or Shaded White and Shadow White.

What colour is Drop Cloth?

Drop Cloth is a gentle mid grey beige. Farrow & Ball describe it as a muted colour that is neither too yellow nor too grey.

Where to use Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283

Farrow & Ball suggest using Drop Cloth with the lighter Shaded White and Shadow White, a trio of colours they say sits easily together in both modern and traditional homes, large and small.

Choose Estate Emulsion or Modern Emulsion for walls and ceilings, Dead Flat for a completely flat look across walls and woodwork, and Flat Eggshell, Modern Eggshell or Full Gloss for woodwork and cabinets. For exteriors, choose Exterior Masonry or Exterior Eggshell for breathable, weather-resistant performance. Casein Distemper and Limewash are also available in this colour.

Colours that go with Drop Cloth

School House White is the complementary white Farrow & Ball pair with Drop Cloth for ceilings and trim. Their suggested colour schemes combine it with:

Suggested scheme

Drop Cloth No.283 Light Gray No.17Accent colour

Blue Gray No.91Trim colour

Suggested scheme

Drop Cloth No.283 Lichen No.19Accent colour

Vert de Terre No.234Trim colour

Suggested scheme

Drop Cloth No.283 Shaded White No.201Accent colour

Shadow White No.282Trim colour

Colours similar to Drop Cloth

If Drop Cloth isn't quite right, Farrow & Ball's colour experts suggest sampling Shadow White and Shaded White for a lighter shade, or Elephant's Breath and Light Gray for a deeper one. Comparing sample pots side by side on your own walls is the most reliable way to choose.

Buy Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283 from Rabart

Rabart is an authorised Farrow & Ball stockist, with decorating centres across Wales and the South West of England. All our stores have Farrow & Ball paint mixing machines, so you can usually have Drop Cloth mixed in your chosen finish and ready to take home the same day, subject to availability of your chosen finish. Alternatively, order online in a range of finishes and sizes from 750ml to 5L, or try a Farrow & Ball sample pot first.

Specifications by finish

Coverage and recoat times vary by finish. The figures below are from Farrow & Ball's product data sheets for normal conditions; cooler or more humid environments may extend drying times, and darker shades may need an additional coat.

Finish	Best for	Sheen	Coverage per litre	Touch dry	Recoat	Application
Interior Performance Finishes
Dead Flat	Walls & ceilings, woodwork & metal	2%	Up to 12 m²	2 hours	4 hours	Brush, roller or airless spray
Modern Emulsion	Walls & ceilings	7%	Up to 12 m²	2 hours	4 hours	Brush, roller or airless spray
Flat Eggshell	Wood, metal, concrete floors, kitchen & bathroom cabinets	20%	Up to 12 m²	2 hours	4 hours	Brush, roller, airless or HVLP spray
Modern Eggshell	Wood, metal, concrete floors, kitchen & bathroom cabinets	40%	Up to 12 m²	2 hours	4 hours	Brush, roller, airless or HVLP spray
Full Gloss	Interior & exterior wood and metal, front doors, skirting boards	95%	Up to 12 m²	2 hours	4 hours	Brush or roller, airless or HVLP spray (roller not recommended on large areas such as walls)
Exterior Performance Finishes
Exterior Masonry	Brick, render, concrete, terracotta	2%	Up to 8 m²	2 hours	5 hours	Brush, roller or airless spray
Exterior Eggshell	Exterior wood and metal, front doors, cladding, fences	20%	Up to 13 m²	2 hours	4 hours	Brush, roller, airless or HVLP spray
Full Gloss	Interior & exterior wood and metal, front doors, skirting boards	95%	Up to 12 m²	2 hours	4 hours	Brush or roller, airless or HVLP spray (roller not recommended on large areas such as walls)
The Estate Range
Estate Emulsion	Walls & ceilings in low-traffic areas	2%	Up to 14 m²	2 hours	2 hours	Brush, roller or airless spray
Casein Distemper	Walls & ceilings in low-traffic areas, historic homes, surfaces that need to breathe	2%	Up to 13 m²	2 hours	4 hours	Brush (not suitable for spraying; roller not recommended on large areas)
Limewash	Lime-rendered exterior and interior walls (not suitable for gypsum plaster)	2%	Varies with conditions	3 hours	12 hours	Long-haired or masonry brush (not suitable for spraying)

Dead Flat

Key Information

CoverageUp to 12 m² per litre
Touch dry2 hours
Recoat4 hours
Application methodBrush, roller or airless spray
Clean-upWarm soapy water
Finish2% sheen (dead flat matt)

Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283

Colour story

Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283 in real homes

See how Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth No.283 looks across interior walls, woodwork, exterior facades and more. Click any image to view full size.

Choosing the right Farrow & Ball finish

Every Farrow & Ball colour is available in a range of finishes. The right choice depends on the surface you're painting and how much wear it'll see.

Estate Emulsion

2% sheen

The classic chalky, very matt finish for walls and ceilings in low-traffic rooms.

Modern Emulsion

7% sheen

Washable and mould-resistant, ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and family rooms.

Dead Flat

2% sheen

Same matt depth as Estate Emulsion but scrubbable and scuff-resistant. Suitable for walls, woodwork and metal.

Flat Eggshell

20% sheen

F&B's tough new low-sheen finish for interior wood, metal and concrete, including kitchen cabinets, skirtings and floors.

Modern Eggshell

40% sheen

A harder-wearing mid-sheen for woodwork, cabinetry and floors.

Full Gloss

95% sheen

A high-shine finish for interior and exterior wood and metal, including front doors.

Exterior Eggshell

20% sheen

Protects exterior wood and metal with added algae and fungal protection.

Exterior Masonry

2% sheen

A highly breathable matt finish for brick, render and concrete.

Casein Distemper

2% sheen

A breathable, traditional distemper for heritage interiors. Ideal for lime plaster walls and ceilings in low-traffic rooms.

Soft Distemper

2% sheen

A soft, powdery traditional finish. Particularly suited to detailed interior plasterwork and period mouldings.

Limewash

2% sheen

A traditional breathable finish for solid lime render exterior walls, and interior walls and ceilings.

Not sure which to choose? Order a sample pot first to test the colour in your own space and light.

Shop Sample Pots

Product Specifications

Brand	Farrow & Ball
Type	Designer Paint
Suitable for	Brush or roller for most finishes. Limewash by brush. Full Gloss and Casein Distemper are not recommended by roller on large areas
Base	Water-based
Key features	Low odour, low VOC, A+ indoor air quality rating, toy-safe (EN 71-3), 100% water-based
Thinning	Ready to use. On new or bare plaster, Farrow & Ball recommend a 25% diluted coat of the emulsion or Wall & Ceiling Primer & Undercoat first
Number of coats	2 coats recommended (Limewash 4). Darker colours may need more
SKU
GTIN / Barcode

Frequently asked questions

What colour is Drop Cloth by Farrow & Ball?

Drop Cloth is a gentle mid grey beige. Farrow & Ball describe it as neither too yellow nor too grey.

Is Farrow & Ball Drop Cloth warm or cool?

Farrow & Ball do not describe it in those terms. They call Drop Cloth a muted mid grey beige that is neither too yellow nor too grey.

What colour goes with Drop Cloth?

Farrow & Ball suggest pairing Drop Cloth with Light Gray and Blue Gray, Lichen and Vert de Terre, or Shaded White and Shadow White. Its complementary white is School House White.

What colour is closest to Drop Cloth?

For a lighter shade, Farrow & Ball's colour experts suggest sampling Shadow White and Shaded White. For something deeper, try Elephant's Breath and Light Gray.

Which primer should I use with Drop Cloth No.283?

Farrow & Ball recommend their Mid Tones Primer & Undercoat for Drop Cloth. Choose the Wall & Ceiling, Wood or Metal version to suit the surface.