Pigeon is that lovely sage-to-grey chameleon — it shifts green in good light and reads more grey in dim north-facing rooms. The trick is to commit to its warmth rather than fight it, because the moment you pair it with cool, blue-toned greys it goes flat and a bit dishwater.
Start with the woodwork and ceiling. You want a chalky warm off-white that lets Pigeon breathe without going stark. Farrow & Ball Au Lait (LRV 80) is a cracking match — soft, creamy and bright enough to frame the walls beautifully. If you want something marginally cooler but still gentle, Paper III from Paint & Paper Library (LRV 75.3) does the same job with a touch more clarity. Either keeps the scheme calm rather than contrasty.
Now ground it. Pigeon on its own can drift, so anchor the room with something deep and smoky — think old leather, smoked oak floors, a dark skirting or a piece of joinery. Mylands Cigar BH.20 (LRV 11.8) is your colour here: a rich tobacco brown that gives the sage real backbone. Use it sparingly on a console, a door or below a dado.
For a bit of life, a dusky pink is gorgeous against sage. Dulux Fuchsia Falls 2 (LRV 29.8) brings just enough warmth and contrast to stop the scheme feeling worthy — perfect as a cushion, a feature chair or an adjoining room glimpsed through a doorway.
The one rule I'd hammer home: antique brass, not nickel or chrome. Cool metals turn Pigeon cold and slightly municipal. Brass, aged bronze and warm timber are what make it sing.
Practical tip — sample Pigeon on a board and move it round the room across the day. In a bright south-facing space it'll lean properly green; in a darker room it'll read soft grey. Decide which version you're getting before you commit the whole scheme.