Farrow & Ball does not publish LRV; this value is estimated from the color’s hex using standard relative-luminance calculation. The matte estate finish typically reads lower.
Hog Plum is one of those colors that surprises people. The name suggests something plummy and muted, but what you actually get is a lively yellow-green, almost chartreuse, with a distinctly fresh, acidic quality. Think of unripe pears or the inside of a green grape. It reads lighter and brighter than you might expect from a swatch.
In person, this is not a quiet neutral. It has real presence on a wall, especially in rooms with good natural light, where it can glow with an almost electric warmth. On overcast days or in north-facing rooms, the green in it becomes more apparent, pulling it away from pure yellow toward something more complex and botanical.
The finish matters here. In Estate Emulsion, the chalky matte surface softens some of the intensity and lets the golden warmth come forward. In a higher sheen, the green-yellow side gets amplified and it can read surprisingly punchy.
The dominant undertone is yellow, but it is not a simple butter yellow. There is a strong golden-green component running through Hog Plum that gives it its distinctive chartreuse character. In warm afternoon light, the golden quality takes over and it feels rich and sunny. Under cooler, diffused light, the green undertone asserts itself more clearly.
This dual nature is part of what makes it interesting and also what can trip people up. If your room gets mostly cool northern light, expect Hog Plum to lean noticeably greener. In south-facing spaces bathed in warm light, it mellows into something closer to a warm golden yellow. Either way, it stays lively.
There is no pink, no gray, no blue hiding in this color. It is firmly in the warm, golden-green family, and it will always read that way regardless of what you put next to it.
Hog Plum does its best work in rooms where you want energy and freshness without going full saturated. It is a natural fit for kitchens and dining rooms where you want the walls to feel alive, especially spaces that get decent daylight. The color rewards light. In a dim hallway, it can look a little flat and oddly green, so save it for rooms with windows.
It also works well as a feature wall in a living room or bedroom when you want to introduce color without heaviness. Because it sits in a lighter register, it keeps a room feeling open and airy even as it adds real visual interest. Pair it with white trim and the effect is clean and modern.
Bathrooms are another strong option, particularly if you have white fixtures and natural materials. The yellow-green reads as spa-like and organic in smaller tiled spaces. Just be careful with artificial lighting. Warm-toned bulbs will push it more golden, while cool LEDs can make it look unexpectedly green.
Use Hog Plum on all four walls for a room that feels bright and welcoming. Ground it with warm wood furniture and trim in Au Lait. The color keeps the space lively during the day and turns pleasantly golden in evening lamplight.
This is where Hog Plum really shines. The warm yellow-green flatters skin tones under candlelight and creates an energetic backdrop for meals. Pair with darker accents like Cardamom on a sideboard or lower wainscoting to add depth.
Consider Hog Plum as a feature wall behind the headboard rather than a full room wrap. It brings morning freshness without overwhelming a space meant for rest. Keep bedding and curtains in soft neutrals to let the color do the talking.
In a bathroom with white tile and natural wood, Hog Plum creates a clean, organic feel. The yellow-green reads as fresh and slightly spa-like. Use it above a tile line or on all walls in a powder room for maximum impact.
Hog Plum's yellow-green energy needs grounding, and its coordinating palette does that well. Au Lait brings a warm, creamy off-white to trim and ceilings that feels much more natural alongside Hog Plum than a stark white would. All White works when you want crisp contrast. Green Blue on trim is a bold, unexpected move that leans into the green in Hog Plum and creates a layered, botanical scheme.
For accent colors, Beverly adds a rich, earthy warmth that balances the acidity of Hog Plum, while Cardamom deepens the palette with a spiced, golden-brown tone. Together these pairings keep the overall feeling warm and intentional rather than random.
Cool purple tones fight the warm yellow-green base of Hog Plum and make both colors look slightly sickly, creating an uncomfortable contrast that reads as unresolved.
Saturated warm tones like coral compete with Hog Plum for attention and push the room toward a tropical palette that can feel unintentional and chaotic.
A steely blue-gray on trim or furniture makes Hog Plum's green undertone look acidic and harsh. The temperature mismatch flattens both colors.
Hog Plum has yellow, warm, and golden undertones with a noticeable green-leaning quality that gives it a chartreuse character. In warm light it reads more golden. In cooler light the green becomes more prominent.
It is firmly warm. The yellow and golden base keeps it on the warm side of the spectrum, though the green component can make it feel slightly fresher than a pure warm yellow. It never reads cool.
Au Lait works beautifully as a trim white, adding creamy warmth. Beverly and Cardamom provide rich, earthy accents. Green Blue is a bolder trim option that plays off the green in Hog Plum. All White gives crisp, clean contrast on ceilings and moldings.
Estate Emulsion is the best choice for walls. Its chalky, flat finish softens the intensity and lets the golden warmth come through naturally. For trim paired with Hog Plum walls, Estate Eggshell gives a subtle sheen. Avoid high gloss on large wall areas, as it will amplify the green-yellow and can look overly bright.
Hog Plum is Farrow & Ball No. CB1. Its hex value is #E0E39A and its LRV is 73.1, placing it in the lighter range. It reflects a good amount of light, which helps keep rooms feeling open and bright.
It can, but know that the green undertone will be more pronounced in cooler northern light. If you want it to read warmer and more golden, a south or west-facing room is a better fit. In north-facing spaces, pair it with warm-toned lighting and warm trim like Au Lait to counterbalance the cooler light.
