A thangka works best in a room when it is given some space of its own. These scroll paintings are very detailed, so a busy wall full of frames and shelves makes them hard to read. A plain wall in a soft colour such as off-white, warm grey or pale clay lets the reds, blues and gold of the painting stand out, and a simple wooden bench or low table below it is often enough to turn the spot into a calm reading or meditation corner.

Lighting matters more than people think. Warm, indirect light from a side lamp shows the gold detail nicely, while strong sunlight or a bright downlight right above it will fade the colours over the years. Buy authentic thangka painting for a specific wall only after measuring the space, and leave at least a hand's width of empty wall on each side so the brocade mounting has room to breathe.

Keep the corner away from the kitchen, the bathroom door and any heater, since smoke, steam and dry heat are the main things that damage the cotton canvas.