I am generally sceptical about herringbone on walls, particularly in traditional interiors.

Café Praline on Edinburgh's Leith Walk seems almost designed to prove the point. An elaborate original cornice runs immediately above a large wall covered entirely in herringbone. There is ornament above, strong geometry below and hundreds of grout lines.

The tiles vary quite noticeably in colour from piece to piece. Ordinarily, that variation, combined with the herringbone geometry and visible grout joints, could produce a very busy wall.

Edwardian ornament meets modern tilework. A recipe for disaster.

Instead, the wall is surprisingly quiet.

The reason, I think, is colour. The tiles vary, but within a restrained family of greys and taupes already present in the room. There is variation, but surprisingly little new colour information.

The grout colour makes the herringbone legible without turning it into a graphic pattern. The geometry remains strong but not dominant. And almost the same colour appears on the ceiling.

Perhaps that is why something that ought to look busy doesn't.