Upholstery fabrics
Fabrics chosen for how they wear as much as how they look, cut and applied by hand in our Broadway workshop since 1942.
How we choose fabric
Start with fibre. Wool, linen and cotton each behave differently on a sofa: wool resists crushing and hides marks in its texture, linen relaxes and softens with use, cotton takes colour evenly and adds strength in a blend. The fibre decides how a fabric feels in year five, not just in week one.
Then check durability. The Martindale rub count measures how a weave stands up to use: 20,000 rubs and above suits a family sofa, occasional chairs can sit lower, and hall benches and window seats that work hard should sit higher. We check the rating before we recommend anything, because a beautiful fabric with the wrong rub count is money wasted.
Match the pattern to the frame. A large repeat needs a generous three-seater where it has room to read; on a compact chair it looks cropped. Small checks and tickings do the opposite, bringing quiet interest to smaller pieces. We plan placement before cutting so the pattern runs unbroken across seat, back and arms.
Finally, look at the colour where it will live. North light cools a colour, lamplight warms it, and a shade that sings in the showroom can fall flat in a dark sitting room. Take samples home and look at them morning and evening before you commit. If you would like help narrowing it down, book a consultation and we will work through it with you.
Plains
Our plain upholstery range runs to fourteen colours, from pale neutrals through greens and blues to near-black. All are woven for everyday seating and available on any piece we make or recover.
- Alabaster
- Ash
- Denim
- Eucalyptus
- Flint
- Graphite
- Indigo
- Ink
- Mineral
- Parchment
- Sand
- Shell
- Sky
- Stone
Checks, stripes and tickings
Four woven designs, each in the same ten colourways. The shared palette means a check on the sofa, a stripe on a chair and a ticking on the cushions will sit together without effort.
Audley check
Brodsworth stripe
Darwin stripe
Witley ticking
Colourways: Adriatic, Cajun, Ivy, Linen, Lovage, Sakura, Serandite, Silver, Sunflower, Twilight.
Ask for them by design and colour: Audley check in Ivy, Darwin stripe in Twilight, Witley ticking in Linen.
Natural fibres
Most of what we upholster is wool, linen or cotton. Wool is the hardest wearing of the three and stays warm to the touch on a stone-floored Cotswold room. Linen softens with use and takes dye in muted, chalky tones. Cotton adds strength to blends and washes well in loose covers.
Natural fibres age rather than deteriorate, which is why we reach for them first. For the long read on how each one behaves and where it suits, see our guide to natural upholstery fabrics.
See the fabrics on furniture
Every fabric on this page can be ordered on a finished piece from our workshop. Browse the collections, or talk to us about a commission.