A bedroom this pared back can take one serious dark blue. A black cat stretched over an open newspaper, drawn in soft blue, grey and warm beige, adds a slow Sunday-morning mood to a quiet room. Hang it above the bed, over a low chest of drawers, or on the wall beside a reading chair where you'd naturally look. It sits well with linen bedding, striped cotton, pale wood and brass lamps, and lifts a room with plaster, off-white or soft grey walls. Skip it if the room is already full of busy pet portraits or bright cartoon prints — this one wants a bit of space around it to read properly. As a canvas, the soft strokes feel painterly and warm up the wall.