Mulberry Home | Floral Pompadour Velvet

Floral Pompadour Velvet takes the same formal, rococo-inspired bloom as the linen print and sets it onto a cotton velvet ground instead, so the pattern gains real depth and the pile shifts tone as the light moves across it. It is a richer, more evening version of the design, suited to a room that wants a single, generous gesture rather than a lot of pattern, and it has real presence on a piece of furniture that catches the light.

The composition is 88 per cent cotton and 12 per cent polyester, 134 centimetres wide, with an 82 centimetre vertical repeat and a horizontal repeat of 134 centimetres, the full cloth width. Tested to 50,000 rubs on the Martindale scale, it is rated for upholstery as well as curtains. There are three colourways: Sage, a soft, muted green; Spice, warm and burnt orange; and Red/Plum, the deepest and most formal of the three, which is the one we return to most often for a formal dining chair.

We would put this on a single wing chair or a headboard, or hang it as curtains in a dining room where the pile will catch candlelight well. It is a lot of pattern for a whole sofa, so we tend to keep it to one generous piece and plains everywhere else, letting the velvet carry the room on its own. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

A making-up note: velvet must be cut with the pile running one way throughout, and with an 82 centimetre repeat you should allow a full extra repeat per drop for curtains, or extra yardage for an upholstered piece. Dry clean only, and never press directly on the pile, brushing it instead to lift the nap once it has dried.

• Composition: 88% cotton, 12% polyester
• Width: 134 cm (53 in)
• Pattern repeat: 82 cm vertical, 134 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 50,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Suitable for: Curtains, loose upholstery, fixed upholstery
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Modern Country Velvets, Mulberry Home
• Colourways: 3 (Sage, Spice, Red/Plum)