Rising Waves by Kamisaka Sekka Canvas Print

Three things it does fast: ground deep navy, sharpen pale oak, wake a quiet bedroom. The piece carries that calm Japanese sense of space a lot of room around very little, with a few sweeping lines doing all the work. On the wall it slows a room down. Hang it above a low headboard, a writing desk or a console in a hallway, with plenty of breathing space either side. Pair it with paper shades, raw linen, stoneware in cream and stone, and pale ash or oak. Skip the busy florals, the loud gallery walls and anything heavy and ornate this one needs quiet around it to do its job.