GP & J Baker | Shalimar

Shalimar is a printed design from the Caspian collection, a substantial motif set at a 55 by 45 centimetre repeat on a cotton-linen ground. The scale sits between Caspian's larger repeat and a more everyday print, giving it real presence without needing quite as much room to play out across a piece of furniture.

The cloth is 90 per cent cotton and 10 per cent linen, a blend that takes the printed colour with real depth while keeping a firm, stable hand. It is 135 centimetres wide, with a 55 centimetre vertical and 45 centimetre horizontal repeat, and Martindale rubs of 30,000 mean it is rated for upholstery as well as curtains. Three colourways: Indigo/Red, Teal and Aqua; Teal and Aqua are the cooler, easiest options to build a scheme around, Indigo/Red the deeper and more dramatic of the three.

We use it for a pair of curtains in a sitting room or a generous armchair where the repeat has room to read properly, and it makes a striking cushion or headboard in a room built around a plainer scheme elsewhere. Pair Teal or Aqua with white-painted woodwork, and Indigo/Red with cream and warm timber. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

Allow a full 55 centimetre repeat per drop and match the print carefully across widths so the motif continues cleanly at every seam. Line curtains as standard, and interline for a bright room to protect the printed colour from fading in strong sun. At 30,000 Martindale rubs, it will stand up to a chair or headboard in regular use, though a family sofa is better served by a heavier weight.

• Composition: 90% cotton, 10% linen
• Width: 135 cm (53 in)
• Pattern repeat: 55 cm vertical, 45 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 30,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Suitable for: Upholstery, Curtains
• Care: Dry clean professionally; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Caspian, GP & J Baker
• Colourways: 3 (Indigo/Red, Teal, Aqua)