By late afternoon, the poolside dog scene stops looking decorative and starts working. The light drops, the deep greens go richer, and the pool blue keeps a bit of daylight in the room. Hung in a living room or kitchen, it gives the wall something to talk about without shouting. Put it above a sideboard, a low bench or a run of kitchen cabinets where people stand about with a drink. Rattan, cane, painted green joinery, striped cushions and terracotta pots all sit happily with it. Keep the wall behind it plain and warm off-white. Don’t crowd it with other busy scenes or competing patterns one strong picture and quiet neighbours is the whole trick. As a canvas the painted texture reads softly from across the room.