GP & J Baker | Keswick Velvet

Keswick Velvet is GP & J Baker's plain velvet, woven with the depth and light-catching pile the house's Keswick range is built around. There is no printed or woven pattern to read; the interest is entirely in the pile itself, which shifts in tone as you move past it or run a hand across the nap. It is a genuinely substantial cloth, meant for furniture rather than windows.

Composition is 52 per cent viscose, 26 per cent cotton and 22 per cent polyester, a blend chosen for the depth and durability of the pile. It is 140 centimetres wide, tested to 50,000 rubs on the Martindale, which is comfortably rated for upholstery, and GP & J Baker specify it for loose and fixed upholstery only. Two colourways: Indigo, a deep ink blue, and Aqua, a cooler blue-green; both are single, saturated tones.

We use Keswick Velvet on a sofa, a pair of armchairs, or a headboard, where the pile can be seen properly and the colour reads as a solid block against plainer walls. It is also good on dining chairs, where a velvet seat lifts an otherwise plain room, and a small stool or ottoman covered in it makes a useful spot of colour in a hallway or landing. Pair it with brass, aged oak and a warm neutral wall. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

Velvet needs a maker who works with pile: cut all pieces running the same direction so the nap catches light consistently, and avoid pins in the finished face. At 50,000 rubs it is genuinely upholstery grade and will take daily use. It is not specified for curtains, so keep it to furniture rather than windows, and ask your upholsterer to steam rather than press any crease that appears in transit.

• Composition: 52% viscose, 26% cotton, 22% polyester
• Width: 140 cm (55 in)
• Abrasion resistance: 50,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Suitable for: loose and fixed upholstery
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron.
• Collection: Keswick Velvets, GP & J Baker
• Colourways: 2 (Indigo, Aqua)