Rooms go quieter when olive green is this sure of itself. The background here does the heavy lifting, and the brown checks and cream stripes sit on top of it without shouting. Put it up and the wall stops being background. Warm wood, cream walls and a bit of cane suddenly look deliberate rather than accidental. It earns a proper spot: above a sofa, over a sideboard, or at the far end of a hallway where you see it head-on. Pair it with soft, plain textiles and one or two stoneware pieces in earthy colours. What not to do is crowd it with other busy patterns on the same wall, or hang it above a boldly patterned rug. On canvas the brushy, hand-painted surface comes through.