Mulberry Home | Forest Ducks Velvet

Forest Ducks Velvet takes the woodland duck design and sets it onto a cotton velvet ground, so the birds and foliage gain real depth and the pile shifts tone as the light crosses it. It is a warmer, more substantial version of the print, suited to a piece of furniture you want to feel as good as it looks. The velvet ground softens the drawing slightly, which gives it a gentler character than the linen version, closer to dusk than midday.

The composition is 83 per cent cotton and 17 per cent polyester, 132 centimetres wide, with a 53 centimetre vertical repeat and a 66 centimetre horizontal one. It is recommended for curtains and both loose and fixed upholstery. There are two colourways: Teal, cool and woodland-toned, and Emerald, a richer, deeper green. Both work well against old oak, a stone floor or a worn leather chair nearby.

We would use this on a wing chair, a footstool, or a headboard, where the velvet's depth of colour has room to be appreciated, or as curtains in a study or a hall. It is a good deal of pattern, so we would keep the rest of the room in plains or a small check, and let the velvet carry the interest. 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 a piece, so tell your maker before you order and mark the direction clearly on every cut length. With a 53 centimetre repeat, allow one extra repeat per drop for curtains, or a little extra yardage for a chair. Dry clean only, and press only from the reverse.

• Composition: 83% cotton, 17% polyester
• Width: 132 cm (52 in)
• Pattern repeat: 53 cm vertical, 66 cm horizontal
• Suitable for: Curtains, loose upholstery, fixed upholstery
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Country Walk, Mulberry Home
• Colourways: 2 (Teal, Emerald)