GP & J Baker | Oriental Bird Signature

Oriental Bird is the GP & J Baker archive print most people recognise: exotic birds perched among flowering branches, drawn in the chinoiserie manner and printed with the fine detail of the original document. The Signature version reissues it in updated colours. It is a large, open design with a 79 centimetre vertical repeat, and it gives a room a sense of occasion without shouting.

The cloth is 85 per cent viscose and 15 per cent linen, a smooth, lustrous ground that takes fine printing well and drapes softly. It is 137 centimetres wide with a 79 centimetre vertical and 46 centimetre horizontal repeat, rated at 25,000 rubs on the Martindale test and specified for curtains, loose and fixed upholstery and bedspreads. Five colourways: Blush, Mole, Soft Blue, Eau De Nil and Teal. Blush and Eau De Nil are the softest; Mole is a grey-brown ground for a moodier room; Soft Blue and Teal are the classic readings.

We use it for full-length curtains in a drawing room or dining room, and on a pair of armchairs where the birds can be centred on the backs. A single width on a headboard is another favourite. Pair with a plain velvet in a colour lifted from the birds and Moreton Trellis for a chair. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

Plan the pattern before cutting: with a 79 centimetre repeat you need a full repeat per drop and it is worth deciding which bird sits at eye level. For upholstery, ask your upholsterer to centre a bird on each inside back. Line and interline curtains. Dry clean only. Order a little extra for a pair of chairs so the pattern can be centred on each.

• Composition: 85% viscose, 15% linen
• Width: 137 cm (54 in)
• Pattern repeat: 79 cm vertical, 46 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 25,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Signature Prints, GP & J Baker
• Colourways: 5 (Blush, Mole, Soft Blue, Eau De Nil, Teal)