GP & J Baker | Balfour

Balfour is a small-scale print from the Chifu collection, a neat botanical motif set at a compact 17 by 11 centimetre repeat that reads as texture from across a room. It has a quieter, more restrained character than the collection's large archive prints, making it useful as a companion pattern rather than the room's single statement piece, and easy to live with over time.

The cloth is 82 per cent viscose and 18 per cent linen, which gives the print a soft sheen over a linen-textured ground rather than a flat, matte finish. It is 137 centimetres wide, with a 17 centimetre vertical and 11 centimetre horizontal repeat, and GP & J Baker tested it to 25,000 Martindale rubs, a figure that suits curtains and light upholstery rather than the heaviest daily use. Three colourways: Soft Blue, Teal and Red/Green; Soft Blue and Teal are the cooler, most versatile options for a mixed room.

We use it for curtains in a bedroom or sitting room, and it covers a small chair or footstool well where the tight repeat holds up to close inspection. Pair it with a larger companion print such as Chifu or Hydrangea Bird from the same collection, or keep it as the only pattern in an otherwise quiet room. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

The small repeat wastes little fabric; allow around 17 centimetres per drop for matching across widths. Line curtains as standard, and interline for a bright room to protect the printed colour from fading in strong sun. At 25,000 rubs, keep upholstery to lightly used chairs rather than a family sofa in daily use.

• Composition: 82% viscose, 18% linen
• Width: 137 cm (54 in)
• Pattern repeat: 17 cm vertical, 11 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 25,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Suitable for: Upholstery, Curtains
• Care: Dry clean professionally; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Chifu, GP & J Baker
• Colourways: 3 (Soft Blue, Teal, Red/Green)