Threads | Skarn

Skarn is a plain linen weave from the Threads Quintessential Naturals collection, a group of relaxed cloths built for curtains and blinds rather than upholstery. There is no repeat or motif, only the natural, slightly uneven grain of good linen, which gives a curtain a relaxed, unstudied fall. It is the sort of quiet plain we use to let a room's architecture, or its other fabrics, do the talking.

The cloth is 100 per cent linen, 137 centimetres wide, with no pattern repeat. The collection is designed for curtains and blinds rather than upholstery, and there is no published rub count, so we keep it away from seating entirely. It comes in two colourways, Ivory and Linen: Ivory is the paler, cooler of the two, while Linen is a warmer, slightly deeper natural that sits close to raw flax.

We tend to use Skarn for full-length curtains in a bedroom or living room, where the plain linen lets a patterned cushion or a piece of art carry the interest, and for Roman blinds in a kitchen or bathroom where a flat panel shows the weave at its best. Pair it with one of the Faraway prints on cushions or an occasional chair to keep the room from feeling flat. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

With no repeat, quantities are simply drop times width, but linen shows its natural slubs and any small variation along the roll, so cut all the pieces for one window from the same bolt of cloth. Line and interline the curtains for weight and to protect the linen from strong sun, allow a generous hem for natural movement, and dry clean only.

• 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, Linen)