Dove Samples

Choosing a fabric is really a process of elimination. Order the Dove swatch alongside two or three others, lay them out on the bed you already have, and the shortlist tends to sort itself out inside a couple of days. One will look tired next to the rest, one will quietly fight the carpet, and one will keep looking right every time you walk past the door.

Give it that time. Fabric behaves differently at eight in the morning and nine at night, and the colour you fall for under a warm bulb can look thin in daylight. Drape the swatch rather than laying it flat, too — cloth that is falling in soft folds shows a different depth of colour to the same piece pressed against a table.

All of which matters more than usual with a made-to-order bed. Your Langham is upholstered from its own roll of cloth once you order, so a slight shift between the swatch in your hand and the finished piece is part of how a handmade bed works; the tolerance we quote is in the specifications below.

• Take a few days over the decision rather than choosing from a photograph
• Compare Dove directly against other swatches, side by side
• Check it against carpet, curtains and paint before you order
• Inexpensive insurance ahead of a bed built to order