The five fabrics every Bath house actually needs.

I have been thinking about which fabrics I would recommend if someone walked into my workshop tomorrow and said "I have a Georgian townhouse in Bath, recommend me five cloths and we will go from there." After twenty-three years I have a clear answer, and the answer surprises most clients because four of the five are not silks.

The five: an unlined Belgian linen in flax for the kitchen and morning rooms. A medium-weight wool challis in a heritage colour for drawing rooms. A heavy cotton velvet, brushed not crushed, for bedrooms that face west. A jacquard in a small all-over pattern for dining rooms. And yes, one silk - but only in dupioni weight, only in a window that does not face direct sun. Silk is a beautiful fabric and a fragile one. Most clients ask for it for the wrong rooms.