---
title: "Custom Color Corduroy Sofa? Missing Shades Come in Velvet"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/sofa-custom-color-velvet-instead-of-corduroy/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-06-25"
updated: "2026-06-25"
keywords: "custom color corduroy sofa, corduroy sofa colors, velvet floor sofa colors, olive green velvet sofa, cherry red velvet sofa"
---

# Can you make the corduroy sofa in a color you don't list, like olive or cherry red?

*Corduroy keeps a short list of colors, my friends. Velvet keeps a long one, and that is where most of the missing shades are waiting.*

Also asked as: Could you do cobalt or cherry red?; Can I customize the color to moss green?

> **The quick answer:** The corduroy sofa can't be made in an unlisted corduroy color, because corduroy comes only in its listed shades, but many missing colors can be made in plain velvet or linen from a larger chart. Cherry red was velvet #67, and olive green and maroon exist in velvet but not corduroy. Order normally and type the velvet number in your order note.

![Cream velvet floor sofa with rust orange end panels and bolster arm on a jute rug, by pampas grass and a wicker box](https://cushionguide.com/media/modular-floor-sofas/cream-rust-velvet-floor-sofa-pampas-jute-rug-1600.webp "Rust ends and a jute rug give the modular floor sofa a warm, earthy boho setting.")

## Key facts

- Corduroy comes only in its listed colors.
- Colors missing from corduroy can often be made in velvet or linen.
- Cherry red was matched to velvet #67.
- The standard corduroy green is water green.
- Moss green corduroy was available but is slightly stiffer than standard.
- Some colors, such as apple green, weren't available at all.
- Another brand's exact shade can't be copied.
- Sofa corduroy comes in about 9-10 colors; the darkest are anthracite and brown.
- Each seat mattress is about 79 x 39 x 6.5 in (200 x 100 x 17 cm), whichever fabric covers it.
- Velvet swatches run about 4 x 4 to 6 x 6 in (10 x 10 to 15 x 15 cm), so a shade can be checked before the sofa is cut.

## Your color, and where it lives

| The color you asked for | In corduroy? | The route |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry red | No | Velvet #67 |
| Olive green | No | Velvet |
| Maroon or burgundy | No | Velvet or linen |
| A particular pink | No | Velvet from the chart (no. 15 was suggested for one pink) |
| Water green | Yes, the standard corduroy green | Corduroy |
| Moss green | Yes, slightly stiffer than standard | Corduroy; other greens in velvet or linen |
| A new gray not yet photographed | Yes, on request | Pick any color and write it in the order notes |
| Apple green | No | Not available at all |
| Another brand's exact shade | No | Can't be copied; choose the nearest chart color |

## Why corduroy keeps a short list

[Corduroy](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/corduroy/) arrives in a fixed palette, and dyeing it afterward isn't recommended. So the colors on the listing are the colors there are, give or take a new gray waiting for its photograph.

[Velvet](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/velvet/) is a different story. Its chart runs long, and the shades corduroy never learned, a deep olive, a true cherry, a wine-dark maroon, are often sitting there. The trade is texture: corduroy reads in fine lines, velvet in one smooth sheen that catches the lamp. Linen is the quiet third road, matte and dry to the hand, on the same [modular floor sofa](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/modular-floor-sofas/).

## Ordering a velvet shade on the sofa

1. **Ask for the velvet chart**: The shop sends its larger velvet color chart, and linen if you want a matte finish.
2. **Look at it by a window**: Daylight never lies; your screen sometimes does. The [screen vs daylight Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-color-screen-vs-daylight/) explains why.
3. **Order the sofa as usual**: Place the order normally; the color is settled in writing, not by the listing dropdown.
4. **Type the number in the note**: Write the velvet number, such as #67 for cherry red, in the customization note. Charts get renumbered (an older pink 15 now reads 119), so match it to the chart you were sent.

> **Tailor's margin:** A corduroy sofa comes only in its listed colors; olive, maroon and cherry red are made in velvet, with the number typed in the order note.

> Water green is the standard corduroy green; moss green corduroy exists too, but that fabric is slightly stiffer than standard.
>
> — Élodie

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Can the sofa be made in a color you don't list, like cherry red, cobalt or olive green?

**The workshop's answer:** Corduroy only comes in the listed colors. For other colors the shop uses a plain velvet with a larger chart: cherry red was velvet #67, and olive green exists in velvet but not corduroy. Order normally and put the color number in the note. Another brand's exact shade can't be copied.

**A common question:** Could the corduroy sofa come in moss green, sage or gray?

**The workshop's answer:** The standard corduroy green is water green. A moss green was available, but it is slightly stiffer than standard corduroy; other greens come in velvet or linen. A new gray, not yet photographed, could be ordered by picking any color and writing the request in the order notes.

**A common question:** Is burgundy or a bright pink possible in corduroy?

**The workshop's answer:** Not every shade exists in corduroy. For maroon or a particular pink the shop offers velvet or linen and sends the velvet chart; velvet no. 15 was suggested for a pink. Some colors, such as apple green, weren't available at all.

**A common question:** Why does my velvet or corduroy sofa look like two different shades?

**The workshop's answer:** Velvet and corduroy have a directional pile, so the same fabric reads lighter or darker with brushing direction, viewing angle and light. Brush it the other way and check in daylight; if pieces still clearly differ, send photos.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Can I see the velvet shade properly before ordering?

Ask for the velvet chart and photos, and compare them in daylight rather than on a screen. Neighboring codes can differ only in tone, so when two look close, ask the shop for a photo of each under natural light.

### Does choosing velvet instead of corduroy change how I order?

No. You order the sofa as normal and type the velvet color number in the customization note. Colors agreed in writing override the default listing fields, and the shop confirms color at the start of production.

### What if the color I want isn't in velvet either?

Some shades simply aren't available; apple green was one. Ask for the nearest option on the velvet or linen chart instead, since another brand's exact shade can't be copied, only approached.

## Related at the atelier

- [Does the corduroy floor sofa come in black?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/black-corduroy-sofa-option/): No, the corduroy floor sofa isn't made in black; the darkest corduroy shades are dark anthracite and brown.
- [What colors does the corduroy teddy sofa come in, and can I get a custom color?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/corduroy-teddy-sofa-color-options/): The corduroy teddy sofa comes in 10 colors: green, brick, mustard, beige, dark brown, anthracite, off-white, dark blue, indigo and silver gray, all normally in stock.
- [Why does my velvet or corduroy cushion look like two different shades?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/velvet-corduroy-pile-shade-difference/): Velvet and corduroy look like two shades because their pile is directional: the same fabric reads lighter, darker or warmer depending on how it is brushed, the angle you view it from and the light.
- [Modular Floor Sofa in Dusty Rose Velvet for a Reading Corner](https://cushionguide.com/readings/dusty-rose-floor-sofa-pothos-shelf-reading-corner/): A modular floor sofa works as a reading corner when it borrows the patio's habits and keeps indoor fabric.
- [Modular Floor Sofa in Cobalt Velvet: A White Room All Year](https://cushionguide.com/readings/cobalt-floor-sofa-white-scandinavian-room/): A cobalt and cream velvet modular floor sofa in a white room needs no seasonal redecorating: only the light, the washing and the guest calendar change through the year.
- [Modular Floor Sofa in Navy and Cream Velvet by a Brass Lamp](https://cushionguide.com/readings/navy-cream-velvet-floor-sofa-brass-floor-lamp/): On a modular floor sofa, the metal support bars do one job: they stop each backrest sliding backward when you lean on it.
- [Corduroy modular floor sofas and cushions: wale size, nap direction, why no piping](https://cushionguide.com/guides/corduroy-cushions-wale-nap-direction/)
- [Replacement covers for a floor sofa: fit, color change and single pieces](https://cushionguide.com/guides/floor-sofa-replacement-covers/)

*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/sofa-custom-color-velvet-instead-of-corduroy/