Mark Alexander | Reed Wallcovering

Reed is a straightforward grasscloth: fine reed stems laid horizontally onto a paper backing, close enough together to cover the ground evenly but loose enough that the backing shows faintly between them. It has the least drama of anything in the Grasscloth II collection, and that is the point. The texture is even, the relief is shallow, and the horizontal grain gives a room a calm settled feel without asking for any attention at all.

Rolls are 91 centimetres wide and 7.32 metres long, with no repeat to match. Four colourways: Natural, the reed left undyed in straw and oat tones; Seasalt, a pale cool off-white; French Grey, a soft mid grey; and Heath, a muted green that sits well with planting seen through a window. Tone varies from panel to panel and across a single roll, which is inherent to a natural stem and worth planning for.

Reed is the grasscloth we specify when a whole room is being lined rather than a single wall, because the even texture holds together over a large area. It works in bedrooms, studies and dining rooms, and behind fitted joinery where a painted wall would look flat. Natural with oak and rush matting; French Grey with plaster and steel. Order a sample to see it in your own light.

Paste the wall and hang each drop dry, butting the seams rather than overlapping them. Keep paste off the face entirely, as reed stems mark permanently and cannot be washed. Order all the rolls you need in one order and confirm they carry the same batch number. Reverse alternate drops where shading is noticeable, and hold one spare roll back for repairs, because a later batch will not match this one.

• Roll width: 91 cm
• Roll length: 7.32 m
• Pattern repeat: None — free match
• Application: Paste-the-wall
• Care: Wipe gently with a soft, dry cloth
• Collection: Grasscloth II, Mark Alexander
• Colourways: 4 (Natural, Seasalt, French Grey, Heath)