Lelievre | Instant

Instant is a semi-plain from Lelièvre's Empreintes collection, a faux uni woven from viscose, cotton, linen and polyester with a fine, close repeat that gives it a soft, irregular texture rather than a flat, even surface. It reads as a plain from across a room, but up close there is a gentle, woven movement to the cloth that plain-dyed fabrics do not have, which is what makes it such a useful workhorse alongside the more decorative pieces in the collection.

Composition is viscose 55 per cent, cotton 22 per cent, linen 16 per cent and polyester 7 per cent, at a width of 140 centimetres, with an 11 by 23 centimetre repeat. It is tested to 40,000 Martindale rubs, suitable for heavy domestic upholstery, and rated to EN1021 parts 1 and 2 for cigarette and match ignition. There are fifteen colourways in total; we would start with Ecru, Naturel, Camel, Ecaille and Grenat as representative of the range, which runs from pale neutrals through browns to deeper jewel tones such as Grenat and Jade.

Because it behaves like a plain but has more texture in the hand, we use Instant as the main upholstery fabric in a scheme, on a sofa or a pair of chairs, and as curtains where a calm, tactile backdrop is wanted rather than a pattern. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light, as the texture shows differently depending on how the light falls across the weave. It pairs easily with a patterned jacquard or an embroidery from elsewhere in the range.

The repeat is small enough that pattern matching is straightforward on both curtains and upholstery. We would still ask the maker to check the direction of the weave across a large piece such as a sofa run, so the texture reads consistently from cushion to arm to back.

• Composition: Viscose 55%, Cotton 22%, Linen 16%, Polyester 7%
• Width: 140 cm (55 in)
• Pattern repeat: 11 cm vertical, 23 cm horizontal
• Suitable for: Upholstery, curtains, cushions
• Care: Do not wash or bleach; if ironing is needed, use a low heat and keep the iron away from any water, as slight shrinkage can occur. Dry clean using perchlorethylene.
• Collection: Empreintes, Lelièvre Paris
• Colourways: 15 (Ecru, Naturel, Camel, Ecaille, Grenat and 10 more)