<p>No, the mustard yellow doesn't soften the room. It defines it. Hang this in a kitchen and the whole corner picks up warmth — the bright red pot and striped cup give you a shot of colour that pale cabinets and stone worktops badly need. It works above a breakfast table, on a narrow wall beside the fridge, or over a low sideboard in a dining room. Pair it with pale wood, black metal handles, stoneware mugs and simple linen. Keep the wall behind it plain — off-white or warm clay. What not to do: crowd it with fussy florals, small framed recipe prints or anything with competing red. It wants elbow room and one clear wall. As a canvas the colour sits slightly softer and the edges go right to the wall with no glazing reflection.</p>