---
title: "Ordered the Wrong Sofa Option? Backrest-Only Orders, Fixed"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/ordered-backrest-only-instead-of-sofa/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Margaret Holloway, The Piping Queen of Newport"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/"
published: "2026-08-06"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "ordered wrong sofa option, cancel floor sofa order, backrest only order mistake, floor sofa refund time, swap sofa model after ordering"
---

# I ordered only the backrest instead of the whole floor sofa. Can you fix it?

*Right, then. It happens more than you'd think, and it's one of the easier mix-ups to undo.*

Also asked as: I wanted the whole sofa, not just the backrest.; I must have selected that option incorrectly.

> **The quick answer:** Yes: when an order holds only a backrest, the workshop messages you to confirm before making it, and if it was a mistake it cancels and refunds so you can buy the full floor sofa. The refund goes back to your original payment method. Ordered the wrong model instead? In one past case the workshop sent the right model and refunded the price difference.

![Cream velvet floor sofa with cobalt blue ends in a white room with a shaggy rug, framed print and plant in a terracotta pot](https://cushionguide.com/media/modular-floor-sofas/cobalt-floor-sofa-white-scandinavian-room-1600.webp "A pared-back Scandinavian setting where cobalt velvet is the only strong color.")

## Key facts

- The workshop confirms backrest-only orders with the buyer before making them.
- Mistaken orders are cancelled and refunded.
- Refunds go back to the original payment method; the bank sets how fast they show.
- After one mix-up over the listing variations, a discount coupon toward the full sofa was offered.
- The full sofa, with an open or closed corner, is chosen in the same listing's options.
- A buyer who ordered the larger corner sofa by mistake was sent the L-shaped one, with the difference refunded.

## Why a lone backrest gets a phone call, so to speak

A backrest on its own is a real product; people add one to extend a set. It's also easy to pick by accident, because it sits in the same list of variations as the full sofa. One buyer found those variations unclear, and since then an order holding only a backrest gets a message before anything is made.

Answer that message quickly, dear. If it was a slip, the order is cancelled and refunded and you buy the right item. After that first mix-up, the workshop also offered a discount coupon toward the full sofa or loveseat. I've mis-clicked my share of dropdowns, so nobody here is judging.

## Four mix-ups and how each was fixed

| What was ordered | What was wanted | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| An L-shaped backrest only | The whole floor sofa | Confirmed with the buyer, cancelled and refunded; a coupon toward the full sofa was offered |
| The ottoman only | A sofa | Cancelled so the right item could be bought; refunded to the original payment method |
| The larger corner sofa | The L-shaped sofa | L-shaped sofa sent instead; price difference refunded |
| A custom shape on the rectangle listing | A custom-shape cushion | Reordered on the custom-shape listing; rectangle order cancelled and fully refunded |

## Before you press buy on a floor sofa

- ✓ Pick the full sofa in the listing options, not the backrest variation.
- ✓ Choose an open or closed corner in that same menu.
- ✓ Read the variation name back to yourself: backrest means backrest.
- ✓ Unsure which is which? Message before you pay; it's faster than a refund.
- ✓ Spotted a slip? Ask straight away: changes and cancellation are possible before production starts.

## When the mix-up is the model, not the piece

Swaps work too. A buyer who ordered the larger corner sofa by mistake was sent the L-shaped one instead, and the price difference came back. The [modular floor sofa](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/modular-floor-sofas/) atlas and the [floor sofa layouts Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/modular-floor-sofa-layouts/) show which piece is which before you choose, and a stand-alone back for an existing bench lives under [backrest cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/backrest-cushions/). Which corner did you mean to order, open or closed?

> **Tailor's margin:** A floor sofa order holding only a backrest gets a message from the workshop before it is made, so reply to that message quickly.

> A floor sofa ordered as backrest-only by mistake is cancelled and refunded so the full set can be bought instead.
>
> — Maggie

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** I accidentally ordered only the L-shaped backrest, not the whole sofa. Can I cancel?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. When an order has only one backrest, the workshop messages to confirm before making it. If it's a mistake, the order is cancelled and refunded, and after one early mix-up a discount coupon toward the full sofa or loveseat was offered. The full sofa, with an open or closed corner, is chosen in the same listing's options.

**A common question:** I ordered just the ottoman, or the wrong sofa. Can you cancel or swap it?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. The workshop cancels so you can buy the right item, and the refund goes back to your original payment method. When a buyer ordered the larger corner sofa by mistake, the L-shaped one was sent instead and the price difference refunded.

**A common question:** I ordered my custom-shape cushion on the rectangle listing. What now?

**The workshop's answer:** Reorder on the custom-shape listing, which asks for your drawing and exact measurements, and the rectangle order is cancelled and fully refunded. The rectangle listing skips the sketch upload, which risks mistakes.

**A common question:** How long do I have to cancel, and when does the refund arrive?

**The workshop's answer:** Before production starts; once an order has shipped it can't be cancelled, so message the workshop as soon as you spot the mistake. Refunds go back to the original payment method, and your bank sets how fast they show.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Can I change the shipping address after ordering?

Yes. Send the new address and it's updated before dispatch. After dispatch, the workshop asks the carrier to redirect the parcel and sends you a new tracking number.

### Can my order be held until I've moved or measured?

Yes. Production can be paused until you confirm a color or send final measurements, and shipping can be held until you move. Measurements can be updated any time before the fabric is cut.

### Where do I choose an open or closed corner?

In the options on the floor sofa listing itself, alongside the full sofa. If the variation names leave you unsure, message the workshop before paying; a backrest-only order will be checked with you anyway.

## Related at the atelier

- [Can I wash the whole cushion, or only the cover?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/wash-cushion-filling-or-cover-only/): Wash the cushion cover, not the whole cushion: fillings sit in their own inner liner, so the outer cover unzips and machine washes at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle any time, while the insert is…
- [Do you make slipcovers, headboards, bed frames or tablecloths?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/slipcovers-headboards-bed-frames-not-made/): No, the workshop makes foam cushions and covers only, not fitted slipcovers with skirts for upholstered chairs, rigid headboard panels, bed frames, tablecloths or canopies.
- [The floor sofa seat is too low. How can I make it higher?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/raise-floor-sofa-seat-height/): A floor sofa seat that feels too low can be raised by stacking an extra seat cushion or a pair of flat base mattresses, or by adding a custom 4-5 in (10-13 cm) layer.
- [How to keep back cushions upright on benches and banquettes](https://cushionguide.com/guides/back-cushions-staying-upright/): To keep back cushions in place, match the fix to what's behind them: ties for slats or a rail, a non-slip backing for a flat wall, a wedge shape for a lean.
- [Bench Seat and Back Cushion in Jacquard and Terracotta Bouclé](https://cushionguide.com/readings/geometric-backrest-terracotta-boucle-seat-closeup/): For a bench seat and back cushion in two fabrics, put the forgiving cloth on the seat and the pattern on the back.
- [Outdoor Back Cushion Proportion: Amber on a Gray Patio Sofa](https://cushionguide.com/readings/amber-outdoor-back-cushion-gray-garden-sofa/): A patio back cushion should come close to the thickness of the seat cushion below it, because that proportion props the sitter upright the way the sofa was designed.
- [Replacement sofa and couch cushions: measuring, foam and covers](https://cushionguide.com/guides/replacement-sofa-seat-cushions/)
- [How tall should a back cushion be? Sizing backrests to your seat](https://cushionguide.com/guides/back-cushion-height-sizing/)

*Stitch straight — Maggie*

---

Written by Margaret Holloway (https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/) 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/ordered-backrest-only-instead-of-sofa/