Our house has polished pine flooring throughout. Which wall and furniture colours would work best with this to create a modern look?

I'm assuming your floor is cypress pine, one of the most common types of timber flooring. This is heavily knotted and slightly yellow in tone, two characteristics that can make it tricky to fit into a decorating scheme. Avoid using orange, terracotta and yellow-based whites and creams. Instead, tone things down with walls in a cool white such as Dulux White On White or Wattyl Classic White, plus accents (and perhaps a feature wall) in a steely blue or blue-based raspberry red. Select a coffee table and dining furniture in glossy white and polished chrome, with seating in black or charcoal leather. Add a rug in a plain colour with an emphasis on texture rather than pattern.