Swallows and Wisteria by Ohara Koson Canvas Print

Swallows and Wisteria by Ohara Koson Canvas PrintNo, the soft purple doesn't soften the room. It defines it. A 1926 Ohara Koson woodblock two swallows among trailing wisteria quietly takes charge of a wall. The cream ground reads almost as light, so the room feels taller and lighter the moment it goes up. The purple flowers and dark green leaves pull a thread of colour through everything else you've put in the room. It sits beautifully in a calm bedroom above a low headboard, in a hallway between

The deep red base and yellow sun give the room a lift without shouting

open shelving and stoneware mugs all flatter it

with the gold flecks catching the light beautifully under a frame

a reading chair or a hallway console — and the warmth carries through the day

Skip it if your kitchen is strictly moody and industrial — this one wants morning light

and the hand-lettered line gives the room a wink

or on the wall behind a desk

and a small ceramic lamp

Skip anything too earnest beside it — heavy moody landscapes or formal portraits make it feel like the only one in on the joke

or if you want a quiet

a bell tower and palms

A rainy New York afternoon