GP & J Baker | Lexham

Lexham is a semi-plain with a 6 centimetre horizontal step and almost no vertical movement, so the cloth reads as a broad, soft banding rather than a stripe. The viscose and linen give it a dry face with a slight lustre where the light catches the step, and it is one of those weaves that changes character with the colourway: pale, it is a texture; dark, as here, it is closer to a shot cloth.

The blend is 48 per cent viscose, 24 per cent linen, 20 per cent polyester and 8 per cent cotton, woven 135 centimetres wide and tested to 27,000 rubs, which the supplier rates for curtains, loose and fixed upholstery and bedspreads. Indigo is the colourway, a deep blue with a good deal of black in it that stays blue rather than turning navy under warm light, and it holds its depth at night.

We would use Lexham for curtains in a study or a dining room, on a pair of chairs against a pale wall, or as the dark note on a window seat in an otherwise neutral room. It is good with brass, walnut and cream, and it takes a cream or ochre piping well. On cushions it gives a plain sofa a strong edge without pattern. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

Match the horizontal banding across every seam, and on a pair of curtains set the bands at the same height on both leading edges. At 135 centimetres this is a narrow cloth, so check your width calculations before ordering. Deep colours show wear on arms and seat fronts sooner than mid tones, so consider loose arm caps on a chair that will be used daily.

• Composition: 48% viscose, 24% linen, 20% polyester, 8% cotton
• Width: 135 cm (53 in)
• Pattern repeat: 2 cm vertical, 6 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 27,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Essential Colour III, GP & J Baker
• Colourways: 1 (Indigo)