Mulberry Home | Croquet

Croquet is one of the textured weaves in the Long Weekend collection, built for the kind of house where the sitting room opens straight onto the lawn. It is two-thirds viscose to one-third linen, which gives the cloth a soft, faintly lustrous face while the linen keeps the hand dry rather than slippery. From across a room it reads as a plain; only up close does the fine, close-set structure of the weave show itself, which is exactly what a good backing cloth should do.

It is a 33 per cent linen, 67 per cent viscose cloth, 139 centimetres wide, with a 17 centimetre vertical repeat and a 27.5 centimetre horizontal one governing the weave rather than a printed motif. It is recommended for curtains and both loose and fixed upholstery. There are three colourways: Antique, a warm, tea-toned neutral; Teal, the coolest and crispest of the three; and Spice, a burnt orange that warms a room considerably. Antique is the one we reach for first against old wood and brass.

We use Croquet as the plain partner to a bolder Mulberry print or check: a pair of curtains in a study, or a club chair that needs to read as tailored rather than decorative. It also makes a good wide border or a bedhead in a scheme built around Highland Check or Shetland Plaid. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

A making-up note: because the pattern sits in the weave rather than on the surface, there is no motif to match, but the repeat still governs where a seam falls, so ask your maker to keep the weave running true across any join. The viscose content gives good drape for a curtain but will crease if folded, so have it delivered rolled, and have it dry cleaned rather than washed.

• Composition: 33% linen, 67% viscose
• Width: 139 cm (55 in)
• Pattern repeat: 17 cm vertical, 27.5 cm horizontal
• Suitable for: Curtains, loose upholstery, fixed upholstery
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Long Weekend, Mulberry Home
• Colourways: 3 (Antique, Teal, Spice)