GP & J Baker | Ramayana Velvet

Ramayana Velvet takes its name and its narrative, scenic quality from the great Indian epic, and the design is cut as velvet at a genuinely large scale: the repeat is 122 by 133 centimetres, very close to the cloth's full width, so a single scene fills most of a chair back or a generous cushion. It is a velvet meant to be read as a picture rather than an all-over texture, with the pile adding real depth to the figures and landscape within it.

The ground is 44 per cent linen and 56 per cent cotton, a firm, natural-fibre blend that gives the pile good structure without excess sheen. It is 133 centimetres wide, with a 122 centimetre vertical and 133 centimetre horizontal repeat, and GP & J Baker tested it to 6,000 Wyzenbeek rubs, a figure suited to occasional rather than the heaviest daily use. Two colourways, Indigo/Red and Emerald/Sand; Indigo/Red is the more dramatic option, Emerald/Sand the gentler of the two.

We would use it for a single statement chair or a headboard where the full scene has room to unfold, rather than a run of dining chairs where the repeat would be cut up awkwardly at every seam. Pair it with a plain linen or wool in one of its underlying tones, and keep the rest of the room quiet so the scene carries the space. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

Because the repeat is so large, plan pattern placement with your upholsterer before cutting, checking exactly which part of the scene will show on the finished piece. Keep pile direction consistent across all sections, and have curtains steamed rather than pressed. At 6,000 rubs, keep it to occasional seating rather than daily family use.

• Composition: 44% linen, 56% cotton
• Width: 133 cm (52 in)
• Pattern repeat: 122 cm vertical, 133 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 6,000 rubs (Wyzenbeek)
• Suitable for: Upholstery, Curtains
• Care: Dry clean professionally; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Coromandel, GP & J Baker
• Colourways: 2 (Indigo/Red, Emerald/Sand)