The Cutting Table · a common question
Is the dark stripe in your striped fabric black, charcoal or navy?
Also asked as:Beige background with black stripes?Is that stripe charcoal or blue?
Stripes keep secrets in low light. The dark one you are calling black is, more often than not, a navy with ambitions.
The quick answer
The dark stripe in most of the striped fabrics is navy, not black: N28, HM-23 and N-08 read as deep blue up close, even though they pass for black across a room. For a true black-and-cream stripe, choose N09. N29 is a denser navy-black with thinner stripes. When the tone must be certain, order a sample first.
SaveKey facts
- The dark stripes in N28 and HM-23 are dark blue, though they can look black from a distance.
- N-08 pairs a very deep navy stripe with natural cream and has a slightly braided texture.
- N09 is the true black stripe option.
- N28 and N29 are deep navy-black stripes; N29's thinner stripes make a denser pattern.
- N02 is a beige stripe; 131 is a deep navy velvet for piping.
- A sample is recommended whenever a tone must be certain.
- The striped fabrics are 100% cotton (one chart is 98% cotton and 2% polyester) and are made for indoor use.
- Stripe widths vary by code, from about ¼ in to about 2¼ in (0.7–6 cm).
- A fabric swatch is roughly palm-sized, about 4 x 4 to 6 x 6 in (10 x 10 to 15 x 15 cm).
Have it made
Have Élodie’s workshop cut this for you
Color is easier to settle in a conversation than on a screen. Tell the workshop about the room and the light it gets, and the fabric choice follows. — Élodie
Leave your details and the workshop will call you to confirm measurements, fabric, foam and piping. No prices, dates or payment on this page: it is a request, not an order.
The dark stripes, code by code
| Code | Dark stripe reads as | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| N09 | True black | The one to choose for black and cream |
| N-08 | Very deep navy, nearly black | Natural cream light stripe, slightly braided texture |
| N28 | Deep navy-black | Dark blue up close, black from a distance |
| N29 | Deep navy-black | Thinner stripes, so the pattern looks denser |
| HM-23 | Dark blue | Can look black from a distance |
| N02 | Beige stripe | Pairs with navy piping such as 131 or 907 |
Beige stripe, blue trim
For a beige stripe with a blue edge, N02 is the closest body. Trim it with piping from the Velvet and Soft charts: 131 is a deep navy velvet, and 907 is the other blue the workshop suggests. The piping line does the talking and the stripe stays calm. More pairings live in the striped cotton and ticking library and among the navy ticking stripe sketches.
What is your stripe meant to echo: a black iron bench, or a navy front door?
Why a swatch settles it
Daylight never lies; your screen sometimes does. The workshop sends close-ups and photos of finished pieces, and they narrow the choice. When the tone must be certain, a swatch in your own light, beside the wood and metal it will live with, has the final word. The swatch Pattern explains how to order one.
Black and cream striped fabric is rarely what it seems: N-08 is a very deep navy beside natural cream, and only N09 carries a true black stripe.
Élodie
Buyer questions
- A common question
Is the dark stripe black, charcoal or blue? I can't tell from the photo.
The workshop's answerThe darker stripes in the striped lines, such as N28 and HM-23, read as dark blue rather than charcoal or black, though they can look black from a distance. The shop can send close-ups and finished-piece photos; for certainty, order a sample.
- A common question
Which stripe is the darker navy, and what goes with a beige stripe and blue trim?
The workshop's answerN28 and N29 are the deeper navy-black stripes; N29's thinner stripes make the pattern look denser. For a beige stripe body, N02 is closest, with blue piping such as 131 deep navy velvet or 907.
- A common question
Is the black and cream stripe really black?
The workshop's answerN-08's dark stripe is a very deep navy that reads almost black, and the light stripe is natural cream, not bright white, with a slightly braided texture. For a true black stripe, choose N09.
- A common question
I can't tell what color one of the numbers on your chart is. Can you tell me?
The workshop's answerYes. Ask, and the workshop names the color behind any number, sends its full chart and close-ups, and confirms the number with you before production. If chart and listing numbering differ, the color you picked on the chart wins.
Questions buyers ask next
Is the light stripe on N-08 white or cream?
Cream. N-08 pairs its very deep navy stripe with a natural cream rather than a bright white, so the contrast is softer than a black-and-white stripe. Beside bright white trim, the cream reads warmer.
Which striped code gives the busiest-looking pattern?
N29. Its stripes are thinner than N28's, so more lines cross the cushion and the pattern reads denser. Both are deep navy-black, so the choice is about rhythm rather than color.
Will a navy stripe look black on an outdoor bench?
From a distance it can. N28 and HM-23 read as dark blue up close but pass for black across a patio. If the bench sits near black iron or black cushions, order a sample and see them together.
