de Le Cuona | Vienna Velvet – Flamenco

Vienna Velvet in Flamenco is a plain cotton velvet with a dense, close pile and a soft, slightly matt surface. It has the weight to sit well in a chair and the drape to hang properly at a window. Because it is a single colour with no pattern, the interest is all in the surface: the pile catches the light differently as you move around it, so a large piece of furniture or a pair of curtains shifts subtly through the day. Flamenco is a warm, saturated tone that gives a room a focal point without needing a print beside it.

It is 100% cotton and 140 cm wide, and it is rated at 100,000 Martindale rubs, which puts it comfortably in the range of hard use for upholstery as well as curtains. We sell it by the half metre, with 0.5m as the minimum cut, which makes it easy to order a small amount for cushions or a stool alongside a larger quantity for a sofa. The SKU is VIE9. As it is a plain velvet there is no pattern repeat to calculate, though we would still treat the pile direction with care.

We would use Flamenco on a deep-seated sofa or an armchair in a library or snug, where the colour can feel intentional and enveloping. At the window it makes a rich pair of curtains for a dining room, hung full to a floor-length finish. For pairing, we like a warm velvet like this against plain natural linen, dark timber and a wall painted in a muted, chalky colour, so the red feels grounded rather than loud. A few cushions in the same cloth can pull a colour through a room.

Velvet needs a little thought in the workroom. Ask your upholsterer or curtain maker to cut every piece with the pile running in the same direction, normally down, so the colour reads evenly across a pair of curtains or a set of cushions. Railroading is not advisable, so allow for the seams. Lining and interlining help the curtains hang heavily and protect the cotton from sun. Keep the cloth away from damp and strong light, and have it professionally cleaned rather than washing it.