GP & J Baker | Swanbourne

Swanbourne is an Essential Weaves design in viscose, polyester and cotton, woven to a fine, close ground with no repeat to speak of, in a single warm neutral colourway. It sits at the plainer end of the collection, useful wherever a scheme wants a dependable, unpatterned base rather than a texture with visible grain, and at 50,000 rubs it is one of the hardest-wearing plains in the whole Essential range, on a par with the true velvets in the house's upholstery offering.

Composition is 64 per cent viscose, 19 per cent cotton and 17 per cent polyester. It is 138 centimetres wide, with a 3 centimetre vertical and 4.5 centimetre horizontal repeat, tested to 50,000 rubs on the Martindale, which is comfortably rated for upholstery. GP & J Baker specify it for curtains and both loose and fixed upholstery. There is one colourway, Mink, a warm taupe.

We use Swanbourne on a sofa or a pair of armchairs where a dependable neutral is wanted, and equally as curtains in the same tone to unify a scheme. It is a good choice for a hallway bench or window seat that sees regular use, and a dining chair covered in Mink wears well in a busy family kitchen. Pair it with a documentary print or an embroidery for contrast. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

At 50,000 rubs this is a genuinely hard-wearing upholstery weight, suitable for daily use. There is essentially no pattern to match, so order on drop and width alone; for curtains, line as usual. Ask your upholsterer about railroading on a wide sofa run given the 138 centimetre width, which keeps a long seat cushion free of a centre seam.

• Composition: 64% viscose, 19% cotton, 17% polyester
• Width: 138 cm (54 in)
• Pattern repeat: 3 cm vertical, 4.5 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 50,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Suitable for: Curtains, loose and fixed upholstery
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron.
• Collection: Essential Colours II, GP & J Baker
• Colourways: 1 (Mink)