Shopfront: The Natural Interior - next door to the Sofa Factory in Dublin -has plenty of great fabrics but most luxurious of the lot may be some Indian silks called Malabar.
Don't consider these if you're planning a rustic country look: this is super fine stuff.
The two most striking lines are Taprobane (sapphire blue with embroidered kingfisher feathers and silvery leaf prints) and Kafila (oriental-style flowers on taffeta and organza). "They're usually used for curtaining," says Nicola Pollard of The Natural Interior, "because some are so fine it's best to interline them with a blanket lining to give a fuller look."
Unfortunately, the lushness and unusual quality of these fabrics is reflected in their price: expect to pay up to €160 per metre. The Natural Interior, Mill House, Mill Street, Dublin 8. Tel: 01-4737444.
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