Baker Lifestyle | Opera Stripe

Opera Stripe is a printed stripe from Baker Lifestyle's Opera Garden book, narrow and regular rather than wide and architectural: the repeat is 3 centimetres down and 34 across, so the stripes themselves are fine and the spacing between them is generous. Printed on plain cotton, it has a crisp, dry hand with no added finish. The narrow gauge means it can double as a ticking-style stripe in a more relaxed room.

The composition is 93 per cent cotton and 7 per cent linen, 137 centimetres wide, with a 3 centimetre vertical and 34 centimetre horizontal repeat. No Martindale figure is published, and Baker Lifestyle rate it for curtains, loose and fixed upholstery and bedspreads. One colourway, Red/Gold, a warm, theatrical combination that lives up to the Opera Garden name.

A fine stripe like this reads well at almost any scale, so we use it for full-length curtains, a Roman blind, or a striped headboard where the room wants some formality without a full pattern. It also makes confident piping or a contrast band on a plain sofa, or works well as a simple lampshade trim where a fine line matters. Pair it with a deep plain velvet in the red or a warm cream linen. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

Match the stripe carefully at every seam, particularly on a pair of curtains, where an unmatched join is the first thing the eye finds; allow one extra repeat per drop for this. Because the stripe runs vertically, railroading is not usually appropriate for upholstery, so keep it running the traditional way up the piece unless you have a specific reason to turn it. Dry clean only.

• Composition: 93% cotton, 7% linen
• Width: 137 cm (54 in)
• Pattern repeat: 3 cm vertical, 34 cm horizontal
• Suitable for: Curtains, blinds, loose and fixed upholstery
• Care: Professional dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Opera Garden, Baker Lifestyle
• Colourways: 1 (Red/Gold)