Quick answer: Yes, a white room still needs a colour swatch. Your walls might be white, but the couch, cushions, lamps and art around them add more colour. A swatch shows you which colours are really in the room, so you can choose a portrait, a wall and an outfit that all work together.

Where do you start when choosing art for your home?

Before I pick up the camera, I look at your room and your dog’s colouring. Colour comes first. After that we think about space, where the artwork will hang and what kind of collection you’re building.

Artwork can make or break a room. It’s a direct reflection of your personality, so it deserves some planning.

Three reasons your white room still needs a colour swatch

1. Your room has more colour than you think

The walls may be white, but the couch, cushions, lampshades and the art already on your walls are not. Pick one of those colours and bring it into the portrait. It ties everything together and makes the artwork look like it was always meant to be there.

2. The picture has to feel cohesive

Bright, clashing colours in your outfit can overpower the scene around you. Match your palette to the setting. Soft pastels look beautiful on a beach, and a dark forest suits a pop of red or orange.

3. Your dog has a palette

Your dog is the star of the picture, so the colours around them should make them stand out. A golden coat, a black coat and a grey coat each look best against different tones. Once we know their colours, we can choose the ones that suit them.

Should your portrait blend in or stand out?

Once you know your colours, decide how much of a feature you want the portrait to be. Both options look good, and the right one depends on the room.

Blend: The dog’s coat, the background and your outfit all sit close to the room’s palette. A cream-coated dog on a soft sand background suits a calm bedroom or a pale living room. The print feels like part of the space.

Stand out: The portrait uses a colour the room doesn’t already have, which makes it the focal point. A golden retriever against deep forest green looks striking on a white wall. I keep this to one bold colour so the dog still holds all the attention.

Choosing before the shoot means I can plan the backdrop, the location and your wardrobe around the result you want.

Which wall should your portrait hang on?

Not every wall needs art. A single portrait on the right wall has more impact than several pieces competing for attention.

If you want it to be the focal point, choose the wall you see first when you walk into the room, or the one you look at from the couch. When I visit your home before the session, I look at that wall, because it decides the size of the print, the crop of the image and the background colour.

If your home is open plan, pair the portrait with something different nearby, such as a mirror or a ceramic piece, rather than hanging three framed prints in a row. You can always add more later once you’ve lived with the first one.

Does it need to be a portrait you love?

Yes. Colour gets the piece to work in your room, and you still have to love looking at it. If it doesn’t make you happy every time you walk past, it’s the wrong piece, whatever the colours.

How do you use a colour swatch to choose what to wear?

Hold your swatch against the clothes in your wardrobe and pick the ones that sit with your room, your dog and the location we’ve chosen. The colours are already decided, so getting dressed for the session becomes easy.

Frequently asked questions

Do white rooms have colour?
Yes. White paint leans warm or cool, and the furnishings and artwork around it add more colour.

What should I wear for dog portraits?
Choose colours from your room, such as a cushion or lampshade, then check they suit your dog’s coat and the location. Pastels work well at the beach, and a touch of red or orange suits a dark forest.

How do I choose artwork for a white room?
Start with colour, then think about the space, where the piece will hang and whether you want it to blend in or stand out.

Should I hang art on every wall?
No. Choose one main wall for the biggest impact and add more pieces later if you need them.

If you have a white room and a wall waiting for something, we start with the colours. I’ll bring the swatches to you.