Brinjal

Brinjal takes its name from the aubergine, but Farrow & Ball's own writers place it 'somewhere between purple and red – a nuanced, wine-like tone reminiscent of a ripe Pinot Noir'. Patrick O'Donnell, the brand's ambassador, says the same thing another way: 'It's not quite purple, and it's not quite red, but it always mirrors some of those characteristics.'

The red is what shows in warm light. In golden afternoon sun, the brand's Chromologist says, 'its red undertones gently emerge', and in strong natural light it 'positively glows'. On cloudy days 'its richer purple character takes center stage'.

In a north-facing room the red works for you: the Chromologist says 'its red undertones introduce welcome warmth', which is why it is one of the dark Farrow & Ball colors that designers use happily in small and north-facing rooms. O'Donnell says it looks 'so beautiful, especially in a bathroom, when you've got candle lights on'.

Brinjal is a color for commitment. Farrow & Ball recommends it on walls and woodwork, drenched, and on cabinetry and kitchen islands, and notes it is 'particularly magnificent in Full Gloss'. The Chromologist's advice: 'Brinjal is undeniably bold – and that's part of its charm. The key is commitment.'

Designers have followed that advice. Brynn Whitfield used it in Full Gloss on closet built-ins, ceiling and trim with Dead Flat on the walls; Thomas Mach Interiors put it on mudroom cabinetry with brass; Alison Haltom on kitchen cabinets, island and range hood with marble and brass; Heidi Caillier in a bathroom for Kendall Jenner; and designer Bambi A'Lynn Bratton likes it on a front door.

Farrow & Ball specifies its Dark Tones primer and undercoat beneath it. Whitfield notes that the undertones read differently between finishes, so if you are mixing gloss and flat in one room, sample both.

Farrow & Ball names Skimming Stone No. 241 as Brinjal's complementary white and shows it with Elephant's Breath No. 229, Charleston Gray No. 243, Dove Tale No. 267, All White No. 2005 and Strong White No. 2001, among others. The Chromologist adds School House White as a warm neutral partner.

Burnt orange, says the brand, 'works particularly well alongside plum tones', and 'antique or unlacquered brass hardware is also a natural partner' — which is what the designers above all used. Marble and brass against Brinjal cabinets is now something of a signature.

Its neighbors in the range, as Farrow & Ball shows them, are Pelt No. 254, Brassica No. 271 and Imperial Purple No. W40.

It can fail as a half-measure. Farrow & Ball notes it is often used as a feature wall against Skimming Stone, but the Chromologist's advice is commitment, and the rooms that convince are drenched or anchored by Brinjal cabinetry.

It fails beside dark greens. The Chromologist's warning is specific: 'Steer clear of darker greens, which can tip the scheme into something overly gothic.'

And it will surprise anyone who expected a purple. On cloudy days it is a plum; in warm light it is a wine, and under some bulbs it is nearly a brown-red. If you want a true purple, Brinjal is not it.