Bought a painting in Montreal — now I need to choose the wall colour
Anonymous user 05/10/2026 - 2.28 PM
I’m in the middle of redecorating my living room and could use some advice on the walls.
I was visiting Montreal recently and ended up buying a painting from L’Original, which I really liked and couldn’t resist bringing home. Now I’m trying to work out what colour to paint the room around it.
At the moment the walls are a fairly boring off-white, so I have a blank canvas to work with. The painting has quite a few colours in it, though, and I’m worried that choosing one of them for the walls could end up making the room feel too busy.
For anyone who has decorated a room around a painting, would you stick with a warm neutral or actually pick out one of the less obvious colours from the artwork?
Also, would you paint the room before hanging the painting, or get the painting positioned first and use that as the starting point?
Would be interested to hear what has worked for others.
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
I would recommend positioning the painting first and using it as the starting point for the room. Rather than choosing one of the strongest colours from the artwork, I’d pick a softer, less dominant shade or a warm neutral that complements it. This will help the painting stand out without making the room feel too busy. I’d also test a few colour samples on the walls first, as natural and artificial lighting can make colours look very different throughout the day.
Answered5 October 2026
0
Anonymous user
For a painting with several colours, I’d usually recommend starting with a warm neutral rather than matching one of the stronger colours directly. Something like a soft warm white, light beige, greige, or very pale taupe can make the artwork the focal point without competing with it.
A good approach is to:
* Look at the less dominant colours in the painting and use one as an accent elsewhere in the room.
* Avoid choosing a wall colour that is too close to the painting’s strongest colour—it can make the room feel overly coordinated.
* Position the painting roughly where it will hang and use it to judge paint samples in the actual lighting.
* Choose the colour first, then paint, and hang the artwork once the walls are finished. If possible, test a few large sample patches before committing
As a professional Painter & Decorator, I would personally start with the painting rather than trying to match one of the stronger colours from the artwork.
If the painting has several colours, I’d usually choose a warm, muted neutral that complements the artwork without competing with it. This allows the painting to remain the focal point while still making the room feel considered and cohesive.
I’d also recommend choosing a few colour samples and testing them directly on the wall at different times of the day, as natural and artificial lighting can change how a colour looks significantly.
Once the colour is chosen, I would paint the room first and then position the artwork afterwards. The painting should complement the room rather than dictate the entire colour scheme.
If the artwork is particularly bold, keeping the walls slightly softer and more neutral usually gives a much more sophisticated, timeless finish.
