Colour of the month

Unlike Marmite, purple boasts rich, mulberry jam-y, amethyst-y hues that work splendidly with deep reds, blues and oranges. Its opulence can create drama and turn a study or guest WC into a statement room. Equally, it can provide a dark and soothing backdrop to furniture inside a snug.

Curios, art and even books look sharply defined and eye-catching against it. It’s also robust enough to be sidelined to skirtings and doorframes and still pack a punch.