Jonquil from Edward Bulmer is a gentle blush plaster-pink, and the single most important rule with it is this: keep all your whites warm. A creamy off-white on the woodwork holds that lovely blush. The moment you put a cool, blue-leaning white next to it, Jonquil tips mauve and looks dirty — that grubby washed-out pink nobody wants. So no brilliant whites on the trim, ever.
For partners, I'd pull in three directions.
For depth and a bit of drama, Dulux Sapphire Springs 1 (LRV 6.4) is a proper inky near-black blue. Used on a fireplace, a panelled wall, or even joinery in the same room, it grounds the pink and stops it feeling sugary. Pink and deep blue is a classic pairing for a reason.
For a softer, more lived-in scheme, reach for a muted green like Mylands Artichoke BH.13 (LRV 27.6). That dusty olive sits beautifully against blush — think old plaster and faded foliage. It's the natural-history-museum look, calm and a touch old-world.
And if you want to lighten things up on a ceiling or a secondary wall, Paint & Paper Library Slate IV (LRV 67.5) is a soft, airy grey-blue that reads almost neutral but keeps the pink fresh rather than flat.
The "but what about" question: *can I do an all-over Jonquil room?* Yes — and it's gorgeous in a north-facing bedroom or snug, where the warmth fights off the cool light. Just layer texture rather than contrast: linen, limed oak, antique brass fittings. Those tones give you the soft plaster-pink glow without needing a loud accent colour.
Practically: paint a sample of Jonquil and your chosen white side by side, large, and look at them at dusk and under your evening lamps. That's when a cool white will betray itself. Get the white right first, and everything else falls into place.