DEDAR | Melusine

Melusine is an embroidered cushion in which a compact fringe traces branching, curling forms across Minima Mirabilia, a linen panama weave. The embroidery is worked in velvet stitch from the back of the cloth, giving raised, three-dimensional branches that are soft to the hand rather than wiry. Viscose takes dye with a great many gradations, so the branches shift in tone along their length and set up a quiet argument with the flat, dry materiality of the linen ground beneath them.

Made in Italy. The ground is 44 per cent viscose, 29 per cent cotton and 27 per cent linen; the embroidery is pure viscose. The cloth is rated at 80,000 rubs on the Martindale scale, the highest of this group, and the cushion measures 68 by 90 centimetres. Three colourways: 001 Ivory / Linen / Beige / Brown / Bronze, 002 Black / Ivory and 003 Brown / Bronze / Orange. The first is the tonal one; the last carries real colour.

We use it on a linen sofa in a garden room, on a bedroom chair, or at the end of a bed dressed otherwise in plain cloth. It pairs with oatmeal linen, flat wool, rush matting and pale timber furniture, and we would keep the cushions beside it plain. Sold individually; made to order in Italy, so allow a few weeks.

The branching motif is directional and can be placed upright, turned or off-centre, which is worth deciding at order stage rather than later. A raised fringe collects dust between the branches; a soft brush worked along the direction of the stitching keeps it clean without flattening it. Made to order in Italy and not returnable, so see the colourway against your own cloth first.

• Composition: Ground: 44% viscose, 29% cotton, 27% linen. Embroidery: 100% viscose
• Size: 68 x 90 cm
• Abrasion resistance: 80,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Care: Spot clean; dry clean the cover if removable
• Origin: Made in Italy
• Collection: Dedar
• Colourways: 3 (001 Ivory / Linen / Beige / Brown / Bronze, 002 Black / Ivory, 003 Brown / Bronze / Orange)