Lichen 19 might be the most misunderstood color in the Farrow & Ball lineup. On a chip it looks like a simple sage green. On the wall, you get something far more complex. I painted my kitchen cabinets with it last year, and here’s everything you should know.
What Is Lichen 19?
Lichen is a mid-tone, muted green from Farrow & Ball with an LRV of about 34. That’s solidly in the medium range—it has real presence on a wall without being dark. F&B categorizes it in their green family, but calling it “green” undersells what’s happening.
In reality, it’s a warm olive-sage with a heavy dose of gray built in. The saturation is very low, so it reads more like a tinted neutral than a bold color. Think dried moss or weathered lichen on stone—earthy, layered, and difficult to pin down. It’s the kind of color that makes people walk into a room and say “What color is that?” in the best possible way.
What Are the Undertones?
This is where Lichen gets interesting. The base is green, but it tilts warm through a yellow undertone that gives it an olive quality. There’s also a strong gray component that keeps it grounded and prevents it from reading as a typical sage or mint.
I checked the color on Paintuma against an actual wall render and the olive-yellow warmth really stood out on a large surface. On a small swatch, you see gray-green. On four walls or a full set of cabinets, that warm olive character takes over.
It won’t go blue on you and it won’t go minty. What it might do is lean more khaki or army-green in certain light. If you’re sensitive to yellow undertones, test carefully—the warmth is subtle but persistent.
How Does Lichen 19 Change With Lighting?
Lighting is everything with this color. South-facing rooms bring out the warm olive-green beautifully. Direct sunlight wakes up the yellow undertone and Lichen looks rich and earthy—like the color it was named after.
North-facing rooms pull the gray forward hard. The green fades, the warmth cools down, and Lichen can read almost like an olive-gray. It’s still attractive, but it’s a noticeably different color than what you see in warm light. East-facing rooms are soft and green in the morning, then transition to something quieter and grayer by afternoon. West-facing rooms reverse that pattern.
My kitchen gets solid east light, and I love how it shifts through the day. Morning coffee feels fresh and green. Evening cooking feels warmer and more muted. Both versions work.
Does Lichen Work on Exteriors?
Yes, and it’s one of the better F&B colors for it. Lichen on exterior siding or woodwork reads as a sophisticated, earthy green that blends with natural surroundings instead of competing with them. I’ve seen it on clapboard, shutters, and front doors, and it holds up in all three.
Outdoor light amplifies the warmth, so expect it to lean a bit more olive outside than it does indoors. Pair it with a crisp white trim like F&B Wimborne White or All White and you get clean contrast without the color looking heavy.
One thing to keep in mind: F&B’s Exterior Eggshell finish is designed for this kind of use, but their paint does cost significantly more per gallon. If you’re doing a large exterior, that adds up fast.
How Does Lichen 19 Compare to Treron?
Treron (No. 292) is the other popular F&B green that comes up constantly alongside Lichen, and the two get confused a lot. Both are warm, muted greens, but they’re different depths.
Treron is darker at LRV 25 vs. Lichen’s 34. That 9-point gap is meaningful on a wall—Treron feels more enclosed and moody, while Lichen stays open and airy. Treron also reads a bit more green-forward, while Lichen has more of that gray-olive quality.
If you want a green that cocoons a room—dining room, library, powder room—Treron is the pick. If you want something lighter that still reads as a defined color without darkening a space, Lichen has the edge. They actually pair well in the same house, with Lichen in common areas and Treron in moodier rooms.
What Trim Colors Pair Well With Lichen?
White trim is the natural choice, and it works well. F&B Wimborne White or All White both give you enough contrast to define the edges without fighting the wall color. For something warmer, F&B Pointing adds a soft creaminess that complements the olive undertone.
I tested pairings by sliding Lichen next to different trims using Coloraw Lichen 19 and Pointing was the standout for a relaxed, heritage feel. All White kept things crisper and more modern.
For coordinating accents, Lichen plays well with warm neutrals, deep navy, burnt orange, and dusty pinks. It’s an earthy color that likes other earthy partners. Warm metals—brass, copper, aged gold—look especially good alongside it.
What Are the Closest Matches From Other Brands?
Sherwin-Williams At Ease Soldier SW 9127 is the closest US-brand match I’ve found. It’s slightly darker (LRV 32 vs. 34) and shares the same warm, muted olive-green character. On a wall, most people couldn’t tell them apart. It’s the best option if you want the Lichen look without the F&B price.
Sherwin-Williams Evergreen Fog SW 9130 is in the same neighborhood but reads cooler and more gray-green than Lichen’s warm olive lean. Evergreen Fog was SW’s 2022 Color of the Year, so it’s easier to find samples.
Benjamin Moore Saybrook Sage HC-114 is in the sage-green family too, but it’s lighter (LRV 45) and warmer. Think of it as Lichen’s airier cousin. None of these are exact dupes—F&B’s pigment depth is hard to replicate—but they get you close.
Should You Sample Lichen 19 Before Buying?
Without question. Lichen is a chameleon. The olive-to-gray shift between warm and cool light means it can look like two different colors in the same room depending on where the windows are. F&B offers their own sample pots, and they’re worth the money because their formula produces a different finish than other brands.
Paint out a large test patch—at least two feet square—on two different walls. Check it at every time of day. You can also try paintcolorvisualizer.com, which is free and lets you snap a photo of your room and test the color digitally. It works for both interior and exterior views, which is helpful if you’re considering Lichen for siding or a front door.
Don’t trust the online swatches for this color. The warm olive quality only shows itself at scale.
Bottom line: Lichen 19 is a warm, olive-tinged sage green that leans gray in cool light and earthy in warm light. It works on walls, cabinets, and exteriors. Sample it first—the undertones are well-behaved but they shift, and you need to see that shift in your own space.
