--- title: "See Cushion Fabrics in Person: No Showroom, Samples by Mail" url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/fabric-showroom-alternative-samples-by-post/" section: "The Cutting Table" author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans" author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/" published: "2026-04-24" updated: "2026-09-24" keywords: "see cushion fabrics in person, cushion fabric samples by mail, fabric swatches no showroom, how long do fabric samples take, order cushion fabric samples" --- # Is there a showroom where I can see the cushion fabrics in person? *There is no showroom, and I have stopped missing one. Fabric belongs in the light it will live in, and a showroom's light is never yours.* Also asked as: Is there somewhere local where we could see them?; How many days for samples to arrive? > **The quick answer:** No, there is no showroom anywhere, so the way to see the cushion fabrics in person is to order samples by mail. Buy the fabric-sample option, which covers shipping only, then list the colors you want, from a few shades to a whole range. Ask how long the samples will take, and request close-up photos in the chat meanwhile. ![Peacock teal woven L-shaped banquette cushions with light gray piping on white benches in a sage green kitchen](https://cushionguide.com/media/l-shaped-cushions/peacock-teal-l-shape-kitchen-banquette-sage-cabinets-1600.webp "A bright teal weave lifts a sage kitchen corner and wraps a round oak table.") ## Key facts - There is no showroom anywhere. - Fabric samples are mailed instead of a showroom visit. - The sample option carries a shipping-only fee. - As many sample colors as you need are sent, up to every color in a range. - Ask the workshop when samples will go out and how long shipping usually takes. - Busy periods can slow sample dispatch, so ask for the send date before you plan around it. - Close-up photos of specific codes can be requested in the chat. ## “Is there somewhere local where we could see them?” No, my friends. There is no showroom anywhere. What the workshop does instead is mail the fabric to you, and I would argue that is the better deal: you see a velvet's sheen or a linen's slub at your own window in the late afternoon, not under a store's ceiling lights. ## “How do I order the samples?” Buy the fabric-sample option on a listing; the fee covers shipping only. Then message the colors: a few shades such as beige, brown or olive in [linen](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/linen-and-cotton-linen/) or [corduroy](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/corduroy/), or every color in a range. Codes can be changed or added until the sample order ships. The [swatch pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/) shows how to pick codes that actually decide it. ## “How many days until they arrive?” Ask the workshop when your samples will leave and when to expect them. In busy periods sending alone can take longer, so leave a margin before any date that matters. If you can't wait, ask for close-up photos of the codes in the chat. They cost nothing, though a phone photo can shift a tone slightly; the [screen vs daylight pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-color-screen-vs-daylight/) explains why. ## “Can a few swatches ride along with my cushion?” Yes. Send the codes before your cushion order ships and a few swatches can travel free inside the same parcel, handy when you plan matching pillows later. Which color are you trying to see in your own light? > **Tailor's margin:** Cushion fabric samples by mail can take longer in busy periods, because dispatch alone slows down, so ask for the send date. > If you can't see a cushion fabric in a showroom, see it at your own window: mailed samples cover every shade you list for one shipping-only fee. > > — Élodie ## Buyer questions **A common question:** How long do samples take, and is there a showroom to see the fabrics? **The workshop's answer:** There's no showroom anywhere. In busy periods it can take a while just to get samples out the door, so ask the workshop when yours will leave and allow a margin. **A common question:** Do you send fabric samples so I can see the colors in my own light? **The workshop's answer:** Yes. With no showroom, samples are mailed instead. Order the fabric-sample option, which covers shipping, then message the colors you want, such as beige, brown or olive in linen or corduroy. The workshop sends as many as you need, or all of them. **A common question:** Are the samples themselves free? **The workshop's answer:** The swatches are free; you pay one small flat fee for shipping, per sample order rather than per swatch. It has often been deducted from a later cushion or sofa order, and close-up photos in the chat cost nothing. **A common question:** Why is the cheapest price on the listing so low? **The workshop's answer:** The lowest price is the fabric sample only, not a cushion or sofa. Choose a real size to see the actual price; sample-only orders are confirmed before they're sent. ## Questions buyers ask next ### Can I swap a code on my sample order after paying? Yes. Sample codes can be changed, or new ones added, until the sample order ships. Send the final list in one message before dispatch so nothing gets missed. ### Is a close-up photo good enough to choose a cushion color? Use it as a first filter. Close-ups of specific codes are free on request, but they are phone photos, so tones can shift slightly. A physical sample in your own daylight is the surest check. ### Can I get a sample of every color in one fabric range? Yes. The workshop sends as many sample colors as you ask for, up to every color in a range, so you can lay a whole linen or corduroy family side by side at home. ## Related at the atelier - [How long do fabric samples take to arrive?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/how-long-fabric-samples-take-to-arrive/): Fabric samples run on two clocks, preparation at the workshop and transit with the courier, and both change with the season, so ask the workshop for current times when you order. - [Can I add swatches to my cushion order, or change my sample codes?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/add-swatches-to-existing-order/): Yes: sample codes can be changed or added until the sample order ships, and a few swatches can often travel inside your cushion parcel if the codes arrive before dispatch. - [Can I order fabric swatches before I buy a cushion?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/order-fabric-swatches-before-buying-cushion/): Yes, you can order fabric swatches before buying a cushion: buy the Fabric Sample option once, from the top of a cushion listing's size menu or the fabric-samples listing, and write the exact codes… - [Custom cushions across New York State, from Long Island to the lakes](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-new-york/): Custom cushions in New York State depend on where the house sits. - [Custom Bench Cushion in Heathered Navy with Burgundy Piping](https://cushionguide.com/readings/heathered-navy-cushion-burgundy-piping-labeled/): To order a two-fabric custom bench cushion right the first time, name the body fabric and the piping fabric separately, by code, in one final message, and order the exact size of the bench as… - [Custom Bench Cushion in Teal Velvet: Spend Here, Save There](https://cushionguide.com/readings/hand-on-teal-green-velvet-cushion-pile-texture/): On a custom bench cushion, spend on the parts you touch and measure: a durable fabric, correct dimensions and back foam at least 2 in (5 cm) thick. - [How to order fabric swatches that actually settle the decision](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/) - [From your drawing to your doorstep: how a custom cushion is made](https://cushionguide.com/guides/how-custom-cushions-are-made/) *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-showroom-alternative-samples-by-post/