The Chromologist (Farrow & Ball)
Explore every episode of The Chromologist
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09 Mar 2024 | The Chromologist: Preview | 00:02:10 | |
If you had to choose four key colours that have shaped your life, what would they be? Colour expert for Farrow & Ball, Patrick O’Donnell, explores how colour works in our homes but also how it works in our heads, our hearts, our identities. He joins creatives, designers and performers who reveal their stories through colour, guided by the Farrow and Ball colour chart. Guests include Mary Portas, Tan France and Cerys Matthews. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 11 Mar 2024 | The Chromologist: Mary Portas | 00:30:07 | |
Mary Portas, creative trailblazer and retail revolutionary, invites Patrick O’Donnell into her London home to talk about the colours that have guided her through her life. ‘The world is colourful’ she says, ‘I always see my life in colour’. Together they delve into the way colours open a door onto chapters of our lives. ‘Orange has always been a great friend to me - through my hair, my fashion, my business - it’s a very powerful sensual colour.’ Mary also shares her penchant for matching the colour of her specs to different coloured rooms in her home. ‘I wear pink in my living room and neutral in my bedroom’, she says. And Patrick gets a peek into Mary’s glorious bright orange powder room. Learn more about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Mary's life here Find the We Are Portas website here Sign up to our newsletter for weekly inspiration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 11 Mar 2024 | The Chromologist: Tan France | 00:28:11 | |
Queer Eye TV show star and fashion guru, Tan France, offers Patrick a glimpse of his Utah home, which he shares with his husband Rob and two young children. Together they explore the colours that have shaped Tan over his lifetime, from the bright red of his cousin’s wedding dress to the rich greens of the mountains he looks onto each morning over a noisy family breakfast in Utah. ‘I live in colour’ he says, ‘I’ve always embraced it and I love to wear it.’ He also takes Patrick on a mini tour of his shimmering blue wardrobe. Learn more about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Tan's life here See Tan and Rob's Utah home on Architectural Digest here Sign up to our newsletter for weekly inspiration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 11 Mar 2024 | The Chromologist: Kassia St Clair | 00:28:22 | |
Colour historian and author of The Secret Lives of Colour, Kassia St Clair, leads Patrick through her pink front door to share her lifetime love of colour. From the beige her father was obsessed with to the bright pink of her mother’s florist shop, she shares colours that connect the different chapters of her life. She also offers up some of her own fascinating colour tales, including the extraordinary story of mummy brown. At her request, Patrick also offers ideas for her yet-to-be decorated family home. Learn more about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Kassia's life here Sign up to our newsletter for weekly inspiration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 18 Mar 2024 | The Chromologist: Cerys Matthews | 00:30:50 | |
Singer, author and broadcaster Cerys Matthews brings Patrick into her River home in this special episode of The Chromologist. It’s a joyous first meeting and the two discover they share a great love of mud colours, conch shells and the rich greens of the Welsh countryside. Cerys also shares the deep red colour of her Catatonia years. ‘It was a wide old word. A fiery red is always what I think about when I think of my youth,’ she says, ‘And dark saturated red was also the colour of the St Fagan museum in Cardiff where I used to go for comfort in those years.’ Cerys also shares her passion for the writing of Dylan Thomas and she gives Patrick a special narration of Under Milk Wood. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Cerys's life here Sign up to our newsletter for weekly inspiration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 01 Apr 2024 | The Chromologist: Skye Gyngell | 00:29:47 | |
Australian, Michelin-starred chef and former food editor for Vogue, Skye Gyngell, invites Patrick into her beautiful restaurant, Spring, at Somerset House in London. Together they savour the story of Skye’s upbringing through her choice of deep, dark greens and bright, bold yellows. She says: ‘If you’ve grown up in a country like Australia, the majesty of nature is so huge, the skies are so vast, the seas are so strong, the earth is so red, it gets into your DNA.’ Skye also describes her passion for soft pink, which is the colour of Spring restaurant and of where she feels her life is now. ‘A lot of my life has been about trying to define who I am. I really wanted Spring to feel female, delicate and soft and to celebrate that it’s a restaurant headed up by a woman.’ Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Skye's life here Sign up to our weekly newsletter for inspiration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 25 Mar 2024 | The Chromologist: Christopher John Rogers | 00:22:12 | |
American fashion designer and luminary Christopher John Rogers talks to Patrick about the colours of his life, from his studio in Manhattan. Christopher recently collaborated with Farrow & Ball on the Carte Blanche collection - a capsule collection of paint and paper inspired by childhood memories of food and family. In this conversation he shares four colours from that collection. From the rich shallot pink of his early childhood in Louisiana, which makes him think of his mother’s wedding day, to the colour of his life right now which he sees as the rich brown of Cardamom. ‘For me this earth colour is enveloping and sexy and sophisticated and I feel it’s about me being more centred and more grounded in my life.’ Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Christopher's life here Follow Christopher on Instagram here Sign up to our weekly newsletter for inspiration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 08 Apr 2024 | The Chromologist: Eric Underwood | 00:23:40 | |
Former Royal Ballet dancer and model, Eric Underwood, welcomes Patrick into the rambling Chiltern farmhouse he’s recently moved to. In the cosiness of Eric’s library snug they talk about his deep bond with his mother which he likens to the expansive blue of the colour Borrowed Light, about his childhood growing up in Washington D.C as a gifted dancer and about his experiences as one of the few professional black ballet dancers. Eric also tells the story of how he came to create ballet shoes for people of colour. ‘The colour of "ballet white" I’ve always seen as quite challenging if you aren’t white. I wanted to change that.’ Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Eric's life here Sign up to our weekly newsletter for inspiration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 15 Apr 2024 | The Chromologist: Lucinda Chambers | 00:27:21 | |
Lucinda Chambers is one of fashion’s most influential figures. She’s former director for Vogue and the founder of boutique online retail outlets Collagerie and Colville. In this episode, she invites Patrick into her West London home to share her life in colour – from the coral of her mother’s creativity and her childhood homes to the traditional deep blue of French workwear, which for her symbolises summer, freedom and play. ‘I think a lot of people are terrified of colour. But I always say start with creeping colour. A pop of lipstick, or green eye shadow, or some amazing lilac earrings.’ Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Lucinda's life here Follow Lucinda on Instagram here Sign up to our weekly newsletter for inspiration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 17 Jun 2024 | The Chromologist: Glyn Fussell | 00:33:15 | |
Glyn Fussell, activist and creative who describes himself as ‘the party starter who changed the scene forever’ invites Patrick O’Donnell into his newly painted Essex home deep in Epping forest. Glyn is the wild mind behind the trailblazing queer party Sink the Pink and the co-creator of one of the UK’s biggest pop music festivals, Mighty Hoopla. This special conversation marks PRIDE month and Farrow & Ball have been lucky enough to collaborate with Glyn on their ‘Paint with PRIDE’ project which celebrates the positive power of colour and light. Together with Patrick, Glyn shares the colours of his life from the deep velvet brown of his childhood growing up in Bristol to the sky blue of his coming out in Perth, Australia and the bright pink of the decade that followed. ‘I’ve always been a dreamer’, he says ‘and my dreams have always been bright and multicoloured.’ Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Glyn's life here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 12 Sep 2024 | The Chromologist: Michelle Dockery | 00:28:19 | |
Actress Michelle Dockery is best known for starring as the brilliant and brutally honest Lady Mary Crawley in the TV series Downton Abbey, for which she’s won a number of awards. In this first episode of a new series of The Chromologist she invites Patrick O’Donnell into her London home to talk about the colours which have shaped her life. Together they discuss the deep green of her indie youth, the fiery red of her Downton Abbey decade and the rich blue of her life now and her emergence more recently as a singer. ‘The last few years I’ve really fallen in love with blue and particularly Inchyra blue,’ she says ‘I find it a really calming colour and I think it reminds me of some of the amazing places I’ve filmed in over the years – those beautiful old estates.’ Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Michelle's life here Follow Michelle on Instagram here Follow Michelle on Substack here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 16 Sep 2024 | The Chromologist: Sean Anthony Pritchard | 00:31:59 | |
Gardener and landscape designer Sean Anthony Pritchard takes Patrick O’Donnell through his garden gate and into his Somerset cottage in the Mendip Hills. From the crimson red of his grandfather’s sweet peas, to the green of his years travelling the London underground on the district line, he shares colours that connect the different chapters of his life. And he takes Paddy into his glorious rose garden to show him the blush apricot rose petals he makes potpourri with. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Sean's life here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 23 Sep 2024 | The Chromologist: Christine Van Der Hurd | 00:25:55 | |
Textile designer Christine Van Der Hurd invites Patrick O’Donnell into her home in London’s Notting Hill Gate. For more than three decades Christine has been designing for textile collections with Cappellini, Liberty London and Louis Vuitton among others as well as museums including the V &A in London. She describes the deep aubergine of her early childhood growing up surrounded by her father’s antique collections and the bright zingy yellow of her lofty New York years and she unpicks why she’s developed a love for the many shades of white. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Christine's life here Follow Christine on Instagram here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 30 Sep 2024 | The Chromologist: Alyssa Nitchun | 00:25:05 | |
Alyssa Nitchun, Director of the Leslie-Lohman Museum of art in New York, talks to Patrick O’Donnell about the colours of her life from her New York apartment. She shares tales of her candyfloss pink childhood passion for dressing up, her pitch black youth as a goth and she describes the bright red of her defining decade as a queer DJ and advocate for queer art and expression. She says, ‘I chose red for my defining decade because I think I was hungry for everything. But right now my colour is arsenic green because I’m in a time where I’m kind of harnessing that energy.’ Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Alyssa's life here Follow Alyssa on Instagram here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 10 Oct 2024 | The Chromologist: Momtaz Begum-Hossain | 00:27:37 | |
In this special episode to mark World Mental Health Day, Patrick O’Donnell talks to colour therapist and writer Momtaz Begum-Hossain about the way colour has transformed her life and the way she uses it to support and empower others. She describes the joy of the beautiful droplets of pistachio green food colouring she used to make peppermint creams at school and the balm of re-discovering citron yellow during the pandemic. And she gives Patrick a few colour tips for bringing greater well-being into daily life too. She says, ‘Colour is an instant mood-booster. It can guide decision making and inspire our creativity. If you really welcome it in you can experience it’s full sensory potential.’ Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Momtaz's life here Follow Momtaz on Instagram here You can find the transcript to this episode here : https://www.farrow-ball.com/the-chromologist/episode-thirteen-momtaz-begum-hossain Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 14 Oct 2024 | The Chromologist: Tony Liu | 00:25:16 | |
Tony Liu, entrepreneur and co-founder of cutting edge Instagram account Diet Prada which critiques fashion, pop culture, and current events talks with Patrick O’Donnell from New York. Together they discuss the huge influence of the PRADA colour palette on Tony’s life and work. Tony also recalls his first suit in grey at the age of just four and what it symbolised, his passion for green which he associates with a moment of acute shyness during a school photo shoot and his love of pastel colours and the Impressionist painters. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Tony's Life here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 21 Oct 2024 | The Chromologist: Sarah Winman | 00:31:53 | |
Author of international best-selling novels ‘When God was a Rabbit’ and ‘Still Life’, Sarah Winman invites Patrick O’Donnell into her flat in London. Together they muse on the vibrant green of childhood football matches on newly cut grass, the deep blue of the mediterranean sea she loved in her youth and the soulful grey of her defining decade, moving to London and coming out as a gay woman. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Sarah's life here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 28 Oct 2024 | The Chromologist: Sheila Bridges | 00:21:12 | |
Interior designer Sheila Bridges, also known as Harlem Toile Girl, talks to Patrick O’Donnell from her home in the Hudson Valley. She describes her fascination with toile de jouy printed fabrics and how she decided to create her own toile, depicting scenes from African American life. Together they explore the pink patterned wallpaper of Sheila’s childhood bedroom, the Oval Room Blue of her defining decade when she started to embrace bold colours, and the soothing grey-lilac of the now, which she describes as soft and calm. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Sheila's life here Follow Sheila on Instagram here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 04 Nov 2024 | The Chromologist: Julius Roberts | 00:32:43 | |
Patrick O’Donnell takes a trip to Dorset to meet first generation farmer, cook and author of The Farm Table — Julius Roberts. Together they take a tour of the farm and Julius describes the deep yellow of a childhood spent digging in the garden, raising baby rabbits and watching his grandmother whisk up delicious family meals. He also reflects on the Bamboozle red of a youth spent working long hours in hot, demanding kitchens as a restaurant chef and on the Pea Green of his defining decade when he bought some pigs and started a farm. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Julius's life here Follow Julius on Instagram here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 06 Mar 2025 | The Chromologist: Joa Studholme | 00:30:13 | |
Patrick O’Donnell heads into the heart of Somerset to meet Colour Curator, author and the mind behind many of the most iconic Farrow & Ball colours — Joa Studholme. The two reminisce about their shared time at the company, passion for colour and past forays with floristry. Joa also reflects on the impact of her parents on her colourful career, from her mother’s glamorous nature to her father’s perfectly polished cars, which inspired her love for Full Gloss. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Joa's life here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 06 Apr 2025 | The Chromologist: Willow Crossley | 00:28:36 | |
Patrick O'Donnell visits the Cotswolds to sit down with talented florist and author Willow Crossley in her 17th century home.
Against this backdrop of colour and creativity, including a mural hand painted in Brassica and Cooking Apple Green, the pair explore everything from nature to her mantra of ‘living life well’. Willow shares the emotions behind her colour choices, from Yellow Ground, reflecting her carefree childhood in Wales, to vibrant Bamboozle, a nod to her youthful days in London. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Willow's life here Follow Willow on Instagram here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 14 Apr 2025 | The Chromologist: Patrick Grant | 00:32:47 | |
Patrick O’Donnell heads north to the border of the Yorkshire Dales to meet champion of sustainable fashion and BBC Great British Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant. In his newly painted Farrow & Ball home, the pair discuss their mutual love for Broccoli Brown, childhood memories of muddy adventures and his obsession with nature. They also touch on how fashion has influenced his colour choices, from the Print Room Yellow of ‘80s acid house raves to the blue hues of Savile Row suits. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Patrick's life here Follow Patrick on Instagram here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 22 Apr 2025 | The Chromologist: Jack Harries | 00:42:22 | |
In a special episode to mark Earth Day, Patrick O’Donnell travels to the 200-year-old Cornish mill that’s home to Jack Harries; a documentary filmmaker, producer and environmentalist who is passionate about using his platform to tell the stories that matter.
Joined by his dog Lyla, they explore the journey from his city-living years, YouTube channel JacksGap and subsequent career in filmmaking, to climate change, environmental activism and his recent move to the calming South West. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Jack's Life Here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 28 Apr 2025 | The Chromologist: Emma Burns | 00:29:51 | |
Emma Burns, Managing Director of esteemed interior design studio Sibyl Colefax and John Fowler, is a true doyenne of décor. Known for lending her exceptional eye to crafting spaces that are as stylish as they are functional, she invites Patrick O’Donnell to her converted dovecote home to discover her story through colour, accompanied by her pug Dahlia and novelty plastic pigeons.
Together they delve into a shared love for muddy shades of nature, childhood memories of Devon skies, the importance of curiosity in interior decorating and the beauty of embracing imperfection. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Emma's Life Here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 05 May 2025 | The Chromologist: Candice Brathwaite | 00:41:42 | |
Acclaimed author, journalist, presenter and speaker Candice Brathwaite is no stranger to podcasting. Through her critically acclaimed books, online content and public speaking, she's a passionate advocate for vital discussions of social inclusivity, race and black British motherhood, among many subjects. And her impact encouraging positive change across diversity and representation cannot be understated.
From extraordinary role models in childhood to the impact of racism and grief to the transformative birth experience that inspired her first book, her story is threaded with the empowerment, and setbacks, that stemmed from developing her voice as a storyteller. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Candice's Life Here Follow Candice on Instagram here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 12 May 2025 | The Chromologist: Raymond Blanc | 00:32:10 | |
Raymond Blanc, culinary icon, author and hotelier, passionately champions the art of seasonal cooking and creativity in his revered cuisine. Patrick O’Donnell visits his world-renowned restaurant and hotel Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire, to learn and dine on Raymond’s journey, philosophy, and the power of colour in cooking.
Together they tour the hotel, kitchens, and all-important kitchen gardens, discussing everything from molecular gastronomy to forest sleeping. Along the way, they muse on his mother’s influence in igniting his love for seasonal cooking, his journey from France to England (via a broken jaw!) and how teamwork is an essential ingredient to achieving a vision. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Raymond's Life Here Follow Raymond on Instagram here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 05 Jun 2025 | The Chromologist: Poppy Okotcha | 00:28:49 | |
In a special episode to honour World Environment Day, Patrick travels to the South Devon sanctuary of horticulturalist, regenerative grower, and author Poppy OKotcha, whose passion for conscious living and the natural world is truly infectious. Joined by Tony the Tortoise, they tour her verdant garden and dig into memories of her Grandma’s garden, her youth in South Africa, and her transformative career move from modelling to horticulture. From gardening on a London house-boat to cultivating her own patch in South Devon (via a trip to India!), Poppy shares the colours that define her journey so far. Learn about the colours featured in each episode here See the colours of Poppy's Life Here Follow Poppy on Instagram here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||