Test it this way: if the hallway feels safe, size up. This is a painted grey heron in sage green, pink and dark green, with loose brushwork and a green checked panel that keeps things lively. Once it goes up, a quiet wall gets a focal point and a bit of humour, and the greens in the room suddenly look deliberate rather than accidental. Hang it at eye level in a hallway, above a console, or on a narrow dining wall where people pass close and can see the brushstrokes. Pair it with linen, dark wood, rattan and glazed stoneware. Skip busy patterned wallpaper directly behind it, and don’t crowd it with other strong pattern pieces. As canvas, the paint-like surface reads as a real painting from across the room.