What Colours Go With Elephant’s Breath?

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Nicole Sage
elephant's breath farrow and ball swatches in bedroom and in a bathroom

Elephant’s Breath is one of the most popular contemporary grey’s in the Farrow & Ball paint collection. This warm mid grey is an inviting alternative to a bright white or magnolia shade in an interior.

If you’re looking for the perfect pairings in your interior, this Farrow & Ball Elephant’s Breath Colour Scheme explores all of the best combinations and what colours go well with Elephant’s Breath for a cohesive, and well styled interior.

Elephant’s Breath Colour Scheme – What Colours Go With Elephant’s Breath?

Neutral Combinations

Elephant’s Breath has beige and grey undertones, and pairing with similar tonal and neutral combinations creates a beautiful and soft colour scheme.

If you’re looking to use Elephant’s Breath on the walls, F&B suggest using All White on areas such as skirting boards and architraves, and Strong White as an accent colour.

Through my design experience, I personally prefer to carry through the wall colour you use on the skirtings too, especially in small spaces as it instantly draws the eye up. If you start using different colours on the skirtings to what you do on the walls it can cause instant chaos as you’re trying to take in the different colours as you enter a room. 

I think choosing one colour also helps with cohesion and flow in the room, so if you’re using Elephant’s Breath on the walls, I’d use it on the skirtings and architraves too.

elephant's breath combinations farrow and ball shown with all white and strong white

Defining Accent Combination

When you’re using a neutral in an interior like Elephant’s Breath you should always work to introduce a darker shade into your colour scheme. 

Using a darker accent colour like F&B London Clay or Charleston Gray will add a defining colour to the room which will help to frame and ground the space.

If you’re looking to achieve this with paint, there’s plenty of other ways this can be achieved with different paint colours, Railings is a popular choice or you could opt for a standard matte black paint.

elephant's breath combinations shown with London clay and Charleston gray by Farrow and Ball

Warm, Colourful Combinations

Neutral combinations are one of the most popular Elephant’s Breath Colour Schemes, but incorporating some warmer shades into the mix can create an inviting and welcoming space.

Introduce a daring, wild card shade such as Bamboozle for a touch of rouge. Then ground the room with Wine Dark, a beautiful inky blue that will add definition to a room.

Farrow and Ball elephant's breath combinations shown with wine dark and bamboozle paint colours

Elephant’s Breath & Cream

Warm greys like Elephant’s Breath tend to pair well with warm, creamy whites that have a similar undertone. For example, a cream with a yellow or beige undertone could complement Elephant’s Breath nicely.

If you’re adding half wall paneling to a bedroom or living room, use Elephant’s Breath on the bottom half to ground the space, lightening and elevating the room with cream on the upper half.

elephant's breath half wall panelling in bedroom with bright white above it and white bed frame
Image Credit: @the_skylark_home

Elephant’s Breath & Black

If you want to create a transitional interior, a black accent will go a long way in pulling an interior together and bringing that all important defining detail to a room.

It contrasts beautifully with Elephant’s Breath for a touch of modernity. A few simple details like a cabinet, light fitting or door hardware is all you need. You’ll then want to incorporate another colour into the equation for some depth and colour in the space – green, brown and brass details are great choices.

half wall paneling elephant's breath living room with bright white above it, frames on the wall with black console table and mirror above it
Image credit: @ourcosynest

Elephant’s Breath & Wooden Tones

Wooden tones continue to grow in popularity through interiors, they give a nod to the natural world outside and an earthy, rustic feel that pairs beautifully with a shade like Elephant’s Breath.

Use one key wooden piece of furniture to work out from, and don’t forget some well placed black accents to pull the room together.

half wall paneling with elephants breath living room with grey sofa and wooden console table with black lantern with candle in it
Image Credit: @reynoldsresidence

Elephant’s Breath & Grey

Elephant’s Breath is naturally a warm grey/beige with grey undertones so layering with other shades of grey within an interior will build depth and texture. 

Opt for a darker grey for a defining edge such as on a bed frame, and do layer with differing shades of grey for further visual interest. This creates a really neutral, yet warm and exciting interior. Think about texture too, differing materials in grey will create that warm, cosy and interesting feel.

elephants breath half wall paneling on bedroom wall with grey bed frame in front of it
Image Credit: @house.number20

Elephant’s Breath & Green

Be it forest green for some added definition or a soft touch of sage green, green makes for a perfect pairing with this warm grey, creating a really earthy, neutral interior.

Use green as an accent colour within the space with furnishings, textiles such as cushions and throws or decorative accessories. If you don’t want to go all in, a really simple way to introduce green is with fake or real plants.

elephant's breath on wall in living room with olive green sofa in front of it with real olive plant next to it
Image Credit: @amymayeart

Elephant’s Breath & Bright White

Crisp white half wall panelling like this creates a fresh, modern look when paired with Elephant’s Breath on the upper half. This creates a timeless look that works well in any room. 

With this warm grey a continuation after the panelling, it helps to draw the eye up as you enter the room too. Add some touches of green or black for a subtle defining accent in the room. I just love this laid back yet ultra stylish use of colours in this bedroom.

[lasso ref=”amzn-dulux-5268164-light-space-tester-watercolour-paint-absolute-white-30-millliliters” id=”15797″ link_id=”5704″]
white half wall panelling with elephants breath above it with green bed frame in front of it and wooden beside table
Image Credit: @new_build_forever_home

Elephant’s Breath is one of the most flawless base colours to work with in an interior, it gives a beautiful soft and creamy finish and can be paired with both neutral and bold, statement making shades with ease.

Be it a traditional or modern interior, this mid grey paint colour is a firm favourite!

Before You Go…

Still looking for the perfect F&B warm neutral for your interior? A close contender is Skimming Stone, another warm neutral with both grey and beige undertones. Take a look at the below post for some inspiration on how it could look in your interior…

Skimming Stone Colour Scheme

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Author

Nicole Sage

Nicole Sage is the founder of Sleek-chic Interiors and is a highly experienced interiors writer and skilled home renovator who has a passion for all things design. She has been featured as an authority at Pinterest, Ideal Home, Daily Mail and in countless other interviews. For 8 years, Nicole has written, observed key interior trends, renovated and undertaken interior short courses at the renown KLC school where she has gained her grounding interior design principles. With a keen eye for detail and a love of creativity, she shares her expertise on the latest interior trends, practical DIY tutorials, and styling inspiration to help others transform their homes into stunning spaces. With a commitment to delivering informative and engaging content, Nicole inspires and empowers readers to explore their own unique sense of style and create beautiful, personalised interiors. Contact her at hello@sleek-chic.co.uk for interiors advice, colour questions and any commentary.

16 thoughts on “What Colours Go With Elephant’s Breath?”

  1. Thank you for your information.
    Could you help me please.
    My sitting room is Elephant’s breath.
    I have a very old cottage full of old junk but it all seems to look right.
    My kitchen is immediately next to the sitting room. It is painted Skimming stone.
    What do you think if I repaint the walls here in Elephant’s breath too?
    I have lovely old beams holding up my home.
    What would you paint the floor in the kitchen?
    Again.
    Thank you.
    Elizabeth

    Reply

    • Hi Elizabeth, glad you found it useful. Unless your two rooms flow straight through without an architrave or door I would be inclined to keep the two rooms a separate colour for visual interest. However, if the rooms really flow straight into one another, painting in the same colour can help with creating a cohesive flow through the interior. The beams sound gorgeous! If you’re painting the floorboards, I would opt for something that is going to ground and deliver definition in the space, either a black, dark grey or charcoal shade. White is a popular choice but I find it requires a lot of maintenance and up-keep, hope that helps! Nicole x

      Reply

  2. HI, thank you for the excellent information on Elephants Breath, can I ask you do you think Elephants Breath would go with Cashmere . Just replaced kitchen units , the colour is Cashmere and its open plan dinning , I was looking at painting walls with Elephants Breath .Thank you ,
    Gillian

    Reply

    • Hi Gillian, thanks for your comment! Depending on the shade of the cashmere, Elephant’s Breath is slightly darker in tone so it should offset it and complement the kitchen units, I would just recommend a tester pot first to ensure this is the case. If the shades are too similar it will make the space feel flat, as long as it’s slightly more darker and defined against it, it will work well. Hope that helps! Nicole x

      Reply

  3. Hi,
    my bedroom furniture is described as being the same shade as elephants breath. I am trying to pick a neutral shade for the walls to go with this and am torn between dimity and possibly tailor tack. Do you have any advice or recommendations?

    Reply

    • Hi Nicola, thanks for your comment. Tailor Tack has a slightly pinker tone than Dimity, it also depends the orientation of your room, if it’s North, East or West facing it can be a great choice for bringing in some warmth against Elephant’s Breath which is typically grey toned. Grab a tester pot of each and paint onto a sheet of A4 white paper so you can move around the room and see how they look in different lights. Nicole x

      Reply

    • Good morning Sharon, it is a contemporary grey so it has cooler undertones which can make a small hallway feel darker. Skimming Stone is a similar neutral but warmer undertones, I’d get a tester pot of each and see how they sit in your space, if you have light that comes in from other rooms though Elephant’s Breath will be workable, Nicole x

      Reply

  5. I am thinking of painting my kitchen cabinets in Elephants Breath or Shaded White.
    Grey metal knobs to be added to the units
    Walls are terracotta, tiles are white and surfaces are mid grey stone with blue/orange and mauve undertones.
    Kitchen is North/East facing but does have a window on each aspect.
    I like Elephants Breath but don’t want to create too dark a feel.

    Reply

    • Thanks for your comment, I love both the colours. Based on what you have said without seeing it visually, I would stick with Shaded White. Elephant’s Breath is a gorgeous colour and it would add definition but it veers on the cold grey side which can be in an issue in North/East facing spaces. Shaded White is a great complement to terracotta. What I would say is if you are still unsure, get a tester of each and paint an entire A4 sheet of paper and sit with them in the space, moving the paper around to all aspects of where the cabinets are so you can see how the light affects it. Nicole x

      Reply

  6. Hi I’m painting one wall in my living room in elephants breath. Will the rest of the walls painted in off white colour work
    Thankyou
    Amanda

    Reply

    • Hi Amanda, thanks for your comment! Yes, absolutely – depending on the undertone of the off-white I would just check with a tester that they both suit in the same space, but generally speaking elephant’s breath does work with most off-whites because of its darker pigment so it contrasts well. Hope that helps, Nicole x

      Reply

  7. Hi Nicole

    Loving your material, I have got Egpytian cotton on my walls in my living room. I just got panel boxes on one whole wall. Do you think Elephants breath will go with egyption cotton ?

    Thanks

    Reply

    • Hi Tauqeer, thanks! Elephants Breath is only a touch darker than Egyptian Cotton, but in practice it should work as it’s a slightly darker shade, so if you want a neutral feel throughout, go for it! Definitely still worth grabbing a tester first to see how it feels sitting next to the Egyptian Cotton. Thanks, Nicole

      Reply

  8. Hi
    I’ve painted a large sitting room with elephants breath , north facing .
    Looks lovely.
    I’ve always had a cream sofa , but I replaced it with dark grey covers . I’ve dark wood floor .
    I’m not sure what colour curtains to go for and what colour rug ..
    thank you

    Reply

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