---
title: "Fabric Close-Up Photos Before Ordering a Cushion: Free"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/fabric-close-up-photos-before-ordering/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-04-06"
updated: "2026-04-06"
keywords: "fabric close up photos before ordering cushion, cushion fabric close-up photos, compare fabric codes side by side, off-white vs cream cushion fabric, fabric photos with piping"
---

# Can you send close-up photos of the fabric codes I'm considering before I order?

*A thumbnail flattens velvet into a patch of color. A close-up shows the weave, the nap and the piping that will run beside it.*

Also asked as: Can you send better photos of fabrics 41 and 42?; Do you have photos of taupe vs mushroom taupe?

> **The quick answer:** Yes, the workshop sends free close-up photos of any fabric code you name, side by side if you're comparing and with your piping in the frame. They're phone photos, so tones can shift slightly from daylight; for a color-critical room, order physical samples through the fabric-samples listing.

![Forest green cushion with ivory piping on a light oak bench next to a turntable and vinyl record cabinet](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/green-oak-bench-cushion-record-player-corner-1600.webp "An oak bench in a listening corner gets a slim green pad, a patch of sunlight on the wall and records within reach.")

## Key facts

- Close-up photos of any chart code are sent free on request.
- Close-ups can be side by side and include the piping.
- A fabric can be photographed in different lighting or next to another fabric.
- Product videos and a close-up fabric link are available on request.
- Workshop photos are taken on a phone, so tones can differ slightly from daylight.
- In the Soft range, 909 is a pure white and 910 is a cream.
- Physical samples are sold through the fabric-samples listing.
- Physical swatches are roughly palm-sized, about 4 x 4 to 6 x 6 in, and exactly the codes you order are sent.
- Chart fabrics are heavy-duty upholstery grade, at least about 7.4 oz per square yard (250 g/m2).
- The outdoor range has its own charts, about 150-200 colors, and close-ups are sent for those codes too.

## What to ask for, and what it shows you

| Ask for | What it shows | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| A close-up of one code | Weave, texture and tone up close | Phone photo; tone can shift slightly |
| Two codes side by side | How two near shades differ | Judged in the same frame |
| Fabric with its piping | How the piping line reads against the body | Name both codes |
| Different lighting | How the color moves between warm and cool light | Still seen on your screen |
| Product video or close-up fabric link | Sheen and texture in motion | Screens vary |
| Physical sample | The real fabric in your own light | Ordered through the fabric-samples listing |

## What to put in your request

- ✓ The exact codes, not color names
- ✓ Your piping code, so it's photographed alongside
- ✓ The comparison you want: side by side, in different light, or next to another fabric
- ✓ Whether you'd like photos of finished cushions in that code

## Why 'off-white' needs a number

Cream, ivory, off-white: lovely words, and each one means something different to the person saying it. In the Soft range, 909 is a pure white and 910 is a cream. Write 'off-white' and the workshop has to ask which; write 910 and it's settled. That forest green with ivory piping on the oak bench in the photograph was chosen the same way, by code.

Daylight never lies; your screen sometimes does. The [screen versus daylight Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-color-screen-vs-daylight/) explains why, and [ordering swatches](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/) is the last word for a color-critical room. For a code that isn't on the chart, the workshop sometimes has it in stock and gives you an internal code to write on the order.

Which two codes are you torn between, my friends?

> **Tailor's margin:** Ask for two fabric codes side by side in one close-up: near shades like Soft 909 white and Soft 910 cream are easiest to tell apart together.

> Workshop close-ups are phone photos, so a fabric's tone can shift slightly from daylight; a physical swatch is the surest check for a color-critical room.
>
> — Élodie

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Can you send close-ups of the codes I'm deciding between?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Tell the workshop the codes and it sends close-up photos, side by side if you're comparing and with the piping too. They're taken with a phone, so tones can differ slightly from real daylight. Names like cream or off-white mean different things to different people, which is why close-ups of exact codes are the safest guide.

**A common question:** Can you show me what this fabric color really looks like?

**The workshop's answer:** The workshop sends a real close-up of the actual fabric so you can judge color and texture yourself, since screens show tones a little differently. On request it photographs the fabric in different lighting or next to another fabric, and physical samples can be bought through the fabric-samples listing.

**A common question:** Can I see bigger photos of a few velvet colors before ordering?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. The workshop sends photos of finished cushions in the colors you ask about, such as velvet 13, 18, 19, 26, 34, 35 and 36, plus a close-up fabric link and product videos. When there's no ready photo of a color, it gives you the fabric's reference name instead.

**A common question:** The sofa colors look different in every photo. Can I see real ones?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes, ask for real-life customer photos of any color. In person, brick is a rust orange, the green is fairly deep, the brown quite dark and the white lighter than in the styled photos.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Do close-up photos cost anything?

No. Close-ups of any chart code are sent free on request, side by side or with piping if you ask. Physical swatches are a separate order through the fabric-samples listing, for when a photo on a screen isn't enough.

### Is Soft 909 or Soft 910 the whiter fabric?

Soft 909 is the pure white; Soft 910 is a cream. If you're choosing between them for a room with warm light, ask for both codes side by side in one close-up so the difference is judged in the same frame.

### Can I see a finished cushion in the code, not just the fabric?

Often, yes. Along with close-ups, the workshop shares photos of finished cushions made in the colors you ask about, so you can judge the tone from a distance rather than from a swatch. Ask for them in the same message as your codes.

## Related at the atelier

- [Can you show me my fabric and piping combination together before I order?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/fabric-piping-combination-side-by-side-photo/): The workshop will photograph your chosen body fabric and piping swatches side by side before you order, in as many combinations as you need, with extra shots in different lighting on request.
- [Can I see a finished cushion in my fabric, not just the swatch?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/finished-cushion-photos-in-fabric-color/): Yes, the workshop usually has photos of a finished cushion in your fabric: pieces made for other customers in that code, plus review photos taken in real homes.
- [Why does the same fabric code look different in two of your photos?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/same-fabric-looks-different-in-photos/): The same fabric looks different in two photos because lighting, camera settings, angle and screen brightness all change how its color reads.
- [Outdoor cushions for Greek island terraces, courtyards and built-in benches](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-greece/): Outdoor cushions in Greece need UV-resistant, water-repellent outdoor fabric, ties or a non-slip base for the meltemi, and sizes cut to the built-in masonry benches of terraces and courtyards.
- [Window Seat Cushion in Blue-Gray Stripe: Ties, Grip and Zippers](https://cushionguide.com/readings/blue-gray-stripe-window-seat-cushion-gray-panel-closeup/): A fitted window seat cushion seldom needs ties when walls hold it at the back and both ends; a non-slip base helps on a smooth painted seat, and the zipper belongs on the long back side, facing the…
- [Lumbar Pillow Piping: Why This Blue Stripe Goes Without](https://cushionguide.com/readings/royal-blue-striped-lumbar-powder-blue-bedroom/): A striped lumbar pillow usually looks best with no piping or with self piping cut from the same stripe, because a contrast cord draws a second line around a pattern that is already all lines.
- [How to order fabric swatches that actually settle the decision](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/)
- [What to write in a custom cushion order note: sizes, codes and extras](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-cushion-personalization-note/)

*With color and care — Élodie*

---

Written by Élodie Marchand (https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/answers/fabric-close-up-photos-before-ordering/