Mat colour selection problems

I've long struggled with the artistic side of creating mats when framing. I'm comfortable with the mechanics of it, but deciding what colour mat I need is very difficult.

There seem to be lots of on-line articles explaining the mechanics of cutting them, but none I've found that talk about choosing suitable colours.

Any guidance would be very much appreciated.

Currently I either go for some vaguely "complimentary" colour and the image "disappears" into the frame, or a contrasting colour from which the image stands out from. Each way has its advantages and disadvantages or so it seems to me.

White.

Tim,

But White gets very boring if its on every image. I'm looking at a framed shot of Vallentino Rossi at Donnington as I type and I have used an Ivory mat which is fine for that shot, but on the wall over the printer I have hung a pano of the South Dorset coast where I've used a grey mat which I just don't like full stop.

I find any type of off white works best regardless of image.coloured mats i find look ok at first but then you quickly dislike them.

White. Or slightly off white. If you must, black, if it's a funeral.