GP & J Baker | Menagerie Velvet

Menagerie Velvet is a printed animal design from the Cosmopolitan collection, set on a cotton-rich velvet ground rather than a flat cloth, so the pattern has the depth and softness of a pile fabric behind it. The design is set out in a generous 100 by 137 centimetre repeat, large enough that a single drop can carry the pattern without excessive repetition, and the velvet base gives the motifs a slightly soft, absorbed edge rather than the crisp line of a print on linen.

The cloth is 88 per cent cotton and 12 per cent polyester, 137 centimetres wide, with a 100 centimetre vertical and 137 centimetre horizontal repeat. It is rated at 30,000 rubs on the Martindale test, so it is rated for upholstery as well as curtains. GP & J Baker specify it for curtains, loose and fixed upholstery and bedspreads. The one colourway, Parchment, is a warm, pale neutral ground that keeps the animal motifs legible without the print reading too dark for a light room.

We use it for a chair or a section of a sofa where a plush, patterned velvet can be the focal point of a room, and for curtains in a scheme with enough plain elsewhere to support a large-scale print. Because there is only the one colourway, it works best as the statement piece in a room, paired with plain linens or velvets in a matching neutral. Order a sample to see the pile and print in your own light.

Allow one full repeat per drop, and centre the motif carefully on a cushion front or chair back, since the pattern is large enough that a poorly placed cut will be noticeable. For upholstery, ask your maker about railroading on a wide sofa and about pile direction, since a printed velvet should be cut with the pile running consistently as well as the pattern matching. Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron it.

• Composition: 88% cotton, 12% polyester
• Width: 137 cm (54 in)
• Pattern repeat: 100 cm vertical, 137 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 30,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Cosmopolitan, GP & J Baker
• Colourways: 1 (Parchment)