Threads | Pumice

Pumice is a textured linen plain from the Threads Quintessential Naturals collection, named after a stone and woven to look like one: an open, slightly irregular surface with the natural slubs of the linen yarn showing through, so the cloth has depth without any pattern at all. It is matte, dry to the touch and heavy enough to hang in deep, easy folds, which is what we want from a linen curtain in a room that is built on texture.

The cloth is 100 per cent linen, 137 centimetres wide, with no pattern repeat. The page lists it for curtains, and the collection is designed for curtains and blinds; there is no rub count, so it is not a seating cloth. It comes in two colourways, Ivory and Parchment: Ivory is the cleaner, cooler white for rooms with grey or pale blue walls, while Parchment is the warmer off-white that suits plaster, cream and timber.

We tend to use Pumice for full-length curtains in a living room or bedroom where texture rather than colour carries the scheme, and for Roman blinds in a kitchen or bathroom where a flat panel shows the weave properly. It pairs well with a heavier textured weave on the sofa and with a printed cushion from the Faraway or Nala Prints collections. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

There is no repeat to match, but linen can shade slightly along the roll, so cut all the drops for one window from a single bolt and keep the direction of the weave consistent across widths. Line and interline the curtains to give them weight and to protect the linen from sun, allow a generous hem for natural movement, and dry clean rather than wash to avoid shrinkage.

• Composition: 100% linen
• Width: 137 cm (54 in)
• Suitable for: Curtains, blinds
• Care: Do not wash; dry clean professionally, do not bleach and do not iron
• Collection: Quintessential Naturals, Threads
• Colourways: 2 (Ivory, Parchment)