Mulberry Home | Halcyon Stripe

Halcyon Stripe is the woven, textural companion to Mulberry's Rossini Velvets, a fine self-stripe worked into a viscose and linen cloth so the ribs catch the light in bands rather than sitting flat. It has a soft sheen rather than a true pile, closer to an ottoman weave than a velvet, and it is a useful, quiet cloth for a scheme that already has pattern elsewhere. The name suits it: it is a calm, settled cloth rather than an eye-catching one.

The composition is 72 per cent viscose, 23 per cent linen and 5 per cent polyamide, which gives the cloth its characteristic soft lustre and firm hand. It is 137 centimetres wide, and tested to 35,000 rubs on the Martindale scale, so it is rated for upholstery as well as curtains. It is recommended for curtains, loose and fixed upholstery and bedspreads. There are two colourways: Chocolate, a rich, dark neutral, and Green/Grape, a deep green shot through with a plum undertone.

We would put it on a pair of armchairs, a sofa that needs to read as a plain from across the room, or as curtains in a study or a dining room where the ribbed texture catches candlelight. It pairs easily with a floral or a check, since the self-stripe reads as a texture rather than a competing pattern, and it is a good choice for a room that will live with several patterns at once. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

A making-up note: cut all pieces with the ribs running in the same direction, since a woven self-stripe shows any inconsistency readily. The viscose content gives the cloth its sheen but means it should be steamed rather than pressed. It must be dry cleaned professionally and never tumble dried.

• Composition: 72% viscose, 23% linen, 5% polyamide
• Width: 137 cm (54 in)
• Abrasion resistance: 35,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Suitable for: Curtains, loose upholstery, fixed upholstery, bedspreads
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, tumble dry, bleach or iron
• Collection: Rossini Velvet, Mulberry Home
• Colourways: 2 (Chocolate, Green/Grape)