The Cutting Table · a question, worked through
Is this velvet mustard or yellow, and how do I tell similar shades apart?
Mustard is yellow that has sat by the stove a while: warmer, deeper, quieter. On a screen the difference can all but vanish, so let the numbers do the talking.
Pinned by Élodie
The quick answer
On the floor-cushion velvet chart, 12 is mustard yellow, 18 is a brighter golden yellow and 14 is amber, close to burnt orange. Tobacco and orange are different shades, and the workshop sends photos of both on real cushions. Screens shift these colors, so ask for the numbers side by side, or simply write 'mustard' in the note and it will be matched.
Key facts
- Velvet 12 is mustard yellow.
- Velvet 18 is a brighter golden yellow.
- Velvet 14 is amber, close to burnt orange.
- Linen 4 is a dark yellow.
- Tobacco and orange are different shades.
- Velvet 26 is a dusty old rose and 27 a light pink; the purples are 46 and 47, with 28 and 45 as other options.
- These numbers belong to the floor-cushion charts, and screens can change how they look.
- Palm-sized swatches, about 4 x 4 to 6 x 6 in, are the safest way to see 12, 14 and 18 side by side.
- Velvet covers wash at up to 86°F (30°C), inside out on a gentle cycle.
- Tufted French floor cushions made from this chart are normally 4-5 in thick.
Have it made
Have Élodie’s workshop cut this for you
A fabric reads one way at noon and another at dusk. Mention your light, and the workshop will weigh it with you. — 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 warm yellows, number by number
| Chart number | Shade | How it sits beside the others |
|---|---|---|
| Velvet 12 | Mustard yellow | The true mustard of the three |
| Velvet 18 | Brighter golden yellow | Lighter and sunnier than 12 |
| Velvet 14 | Amber, close to burnt orange | The warmest of the three |
| Linen 4 | Dark yellow | A matte, woven cousin of the velvets |
Follow-up: is it orange, or is it tobacco?
They are two different shades, and a phone will happily blur them into one. The workshop sends photos of both on real cushions, which is worth more than any swatch on a screen. Daylight never lies; your screen sometimes does.
If you know you want mustard and nothing else, you can simply write 'mustard' in the note and it will be matched. One honest caution: replies have not always described 18 the same way, so if 18 is your pick, confirm it by photo before you order.
For the long version, read screen color vs daylight and ordering fabric swatches, and see the full velvet family.
Follow-up: the pinks and purples
| Chart number | Shade |
|---|---|
| Velvet 26 | Dusty old rose |
| Velvet 27 | Light pink |
| Velvet 46 and 47 | The purples |
| Velvet 28 and 45 | Other purple choices |
The light pink that arrived looking lilac
A buyer in the US ordered velvet 27, light pink on the chart, and wrote that it looked lilac once it arrived. Light pink and lilac sit close together, and a monitor can move them nearer or further apart than the cloth ever will. The lesson was simple: ask for the neighboring numbers side by side before choosing. Which way does your window face, my friends?
Mustard vs yellow velvet comes down to two numbers: 12 is the mustard, 18 the brighter golden yellow. Ask to see them side by side in daylight.
Élodie Marchand
Buyer questions
- A common question
Is this one mustard or yellow? And is that orange, tobacco or burnt orange?
The workshop's answerIn velvet, 12 is mustard, 18 is yellow and 14 is amber or burnt orange. Tobacco and orange are different shades, and the shop sends photos of both on real cushions. If in doubt, write 'mustard' in the note and it will be matched.
- A common question
How can I tell mustard from golden yellow, or light pink from lilac?
The workshop's answerAsk for the numbers side by side. In velvet, 12 is mustard yellow and 18 a brighter golden yellow; 26 is a dusty old rose and 27 light pink. Monitors change these shades, which is why one buyer's 27 looked lilac on arrival.
- A common question
Is the brick color rust, orange or terracotta?
The workshop's answerBrick is a warm rust-orange, closer to burnt orange than to red terracotta, and it's the same across the pouf, couch and sofa listings. Warm tones are hard to judge on screen, so order a sample if the shade matters.
- A common question
The color options only show numbers. Where's the chart?
The workshop's answerThe numbered chart sits in the listing photos, often the second, third or last image, and the workshop will message it to you. Each fabric type has its own chart; ask for close-ups of any number.
Questions buyers ask next
Does a color number mean the same shade in every fabric?
No. Each fabric type has its own numbered chart, so a number only means something next to its fabric name. The shades named here come from the floor-cushion velvet chart; linen 4, for instance, is a dark yellow on the linen chart.
Which floor-cushion fabric is closest to a true white?
Velvet 11 is the pick for a true white. On the linen chart, 19 is a cream close to white and 1 reads white-cream; both look darker on the chart than they do in person.
Can I describe the shade I want instead of picking a number?
For mustard, yes: writing 'mustard' in the note is enough, and it will be matched. For finer calls, such as golden yellow against mustard, ask for both numbers photographed side by side before you order.
