Here’s the trick: let the cityscape cut through all that linen. A warm orange Italian Riviera scene with a tall bell tower, sailing boats on soft blue water, and a tangle of harbour plants in the foreground. Hang it and the room stops feeling beige. The orange does the lifting; the blue water keeps it calm. It earns its keep above a sideboard, console or sofa, and holds a hallway wall on its own. Pair with oak, linen, rattan and terracotta pots. Brass lamps and stoneware help the warmth land. Avoid clashing it with another strong holiday scene or a busy patterned wallpaper let this one be the view. The canvas weave softens the orange and reads well from across a room.