GP & J Baker | Curzon

Curzon is a semi-plain with a wide horizontal movement, 7 centimetres across and 2 up, which gives the cloth a soft banded rhythm without ever resolving into a stripe. The viscose and linen carry most of the weight and the surface stays matt, so the banding shows as a change of shade rather than of sheen. It is a quiet design that gives a large piece of furniture some life.

The blend is 46 per cent viscose, 24 per cent cotton, 20 per cent linen and 10 per cent polyester, woven 140 centimetres wide and tested to 28,000 rubs, rated by the supplier for curtains, loose and fixed upholstery and bedspreads. Two colourways: Soft Red/Green, where a faded red and a soft green sit together as a warm neutral, and Emerald, which is a clear deep green and much the stronger of the two.

We would put Soft Red/Green on a sofa or a pair of armchairs in a sitting room and keep Emerald for a single chair, a stool or a run of curtains in a room that can take a strong colour. Both go with oak, brass and cream plaster; Emerald in particular looks well against a panelled wall. Cushions in the other colourway tie the two together. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

Line the 7 centimetre banding up across every seam and on both leading edges of a pair of curtains, and expect to lose a little cloth doing it: add a repeat to each drop. For a sofa, run the banding horizontally on the inside back and the seat rather than turning it, and centre it on the cushions so the eye reads a continuous line across the piece.

• Composition: 46% viscose, 24% cotton, 20% linen, 10% polyester
• Width: 140 cm (55 in)
• Pattern repeat: 2 cm vertical, 7 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 28,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Essential Colour III, GP & J Baker
• Colourways: 2 (Soft Red/Green, Emerald)