de Le Cuona | Cashmere Velvet – Quartz

Cashmere Velvet is a plain velvet with a short, even pile and a soft, slightly brushed surface, closer in feel to a fine knit than to a glossy, theatrical velvet. Quartz is a muted, mineral neutral that moves between pale grey and warm stone as the light changes. The pile catches light softly and shows gentle shading where it is touched, which gives a plain colour real depth without any pattern. In a room it behaves like a calm, tactile surface, one that rewards being close to it.

The composition is 78% cotton, 11% polyester and 11% wool, and the cloth is 145 cm wide. It carries a Martindale rating of 100,000 rubs, which is a very robust figure and well beyond what an ordinary household sofa will ask of it. There is no pattern repeat to calculate, as the design is a plain velvet. The reference is CVE4, and we sell it by the half metre, so you can order exactly the length you need and add to it later if the project grows.

We use Quartz for upholstery that is going to be lived on every day: a family sofa, a pair of deep armchairs, a window seat with plenty of use. It is just as good as a heavy curtain, where the weight lets it hang in full, quiet folds. We would pair it with a loose-woven linen or a flat wool, and keep the other colours close in tone, so the velvet's depth is allowed to show without competition from anything louder.

For making up, velvet needs a careful hand. Pile has a direction, so ask your workroom to cut every piece with the pile running the same way, usually downwards on a sofa back and curtain. We would line and interline curtains to give the cloth its proper weight, and ask for a generous return and hem. Avoid pressing the face directly, and use a steam-only approach on the reverse instead. Order enough in one go for the whole job.