Three things it does fast: ground soft blue-grey, sharpen walnut, wake living room. The room stops feeling arranged and starts feeling lived in. Colours in the painting are already in most homes cream, warm brown, a dark green throw, one small hit of terracotta so it settles quickly rather than shouting for attention. Hang it above a low sideboard, beside a reading chair, or on the wall a sofa faces, at eye level so the loose brushwork reads properly. Pair it with linen, worn wood, a wool throw and simple white china. Don’t crowd it with sharp graphic prints or heavy black-and-white photography; the soft edges need a little breathing room. On canvas the thick paint marks read as real texture, which suits the painterly subject well.