Blue Crane or Heron by John James Audubon Art Print expressionist painting or on a pinboard wall

or on a pinboard wall in a family kitchen

Strong patterns or loud colours nearby will fight the stripes and flatten the mood

and the room stops being polite

a deep clay or sage wall makes the pinks and yellows sing

Blue Crane or Heron by John James Audubon Art Print expressionist painting or on a pinboard wallHere's the trick: let the heron cut through all that linen. The deep blue bird does the heavy lifting against a warm cream sky, and your room doesn't have to argue with it. Hang it up and the whole wall gets quieter and more grown up. The cream background reads almost like plaster, which is why it sits so easily next to neutral sofas and natural wood. Works above a console in a hallway, behind a desk in a study, or above a low sideboard in a living