GP & J Baker | Molton

Molton is a semi-plain with a small woven texture, a 2 by 2.5 centimetre repeat that behaves as a grain rather than a pattern. From a few paces it is simply a colour; close to, there is a faint grid that stops the surface going dead under a downlight. The viscose majority gives it a soft fall and a low sheen, and the cotton and linen underneath keep it substantial enough to upholster properly.

The cloth runs 47 per cent viscose, 30 per cent cotton, 15 per cent linen and 8 per cent polyester, woven 139 centimetres wide and tested to 32,000 rubs, a comfortable domestic upholstery figure that takes it through curtains, loose covers, fixed seating and bedspreads. Olive is the colourway: a muted, slightly grey-green that sits well with brown and stone and avoids the sharpness brighter greens bring into a room.

We would use Molton on a deep armchair or a window seat, on the outside back of a sofa fronted in something more expensive, or as full-length curtains in a study. It pairs well with dark timber, aged brass and an off-white or clay-coloured wall. In a bedroom it makes a good headboard under a plain white bedcover, with the same cloth carried onto a bolster. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

The repeat is small enough that you can treat it as a plain for quantities, but do keep the weave running the same way on every panel, since reversed pieces read as a slightly different colour under artificial light. An armchair takes about 6 to 7 metres and a headboard for a 150 centimetre bed around 4. For curtains, a cotton interlining gives the viscose the weight it needs to hang straight.

• Composition: 47% viscose, 30% cotton, 15% linen, 8% polyester
• Width: 139 cm (55 in)
• Pattern repeat: 2 cm vertical, 2.5 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 32,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Essential Colour III, GP & J Baker
• Colourways: 1 (Olive)