Difference Between Velour and Velvet: An Atlanta Designer's Guide

You've seen them. You've touched them. But what's the real story behind velour and velvet?

Here’s the secret: Velvet is woven, and velour is knitted.

That’s it. That one difference in construction creates two completely different fabrics. It dictates their shine, their stretch, their feel—and their perfect place in a beautifully designed home. Understanding this is what separates a good design choice from a great one.

Let's dive in.

The Defining Difference: Velour vs. Velvet

Choosing the right fabric is less about specs and more about purpose. It’s about knowing which textile will bring a formal dining room to life and which will create a cozy, family-proof sanctuary.

Here in our Buckhead showroom, we see designers and homeowners make this choice every day. This isn't just about fabric theory; it’s about how these materials live and breathe in homes from West Paces Ferry to Milton.

The core difference isn’t about quality, but purpose. Velvet is woven for structured elegance and a deep, multi-tonal luster. Velour is knitted for inherent stretch and an approachable, uniform softness.

A Tale of Two Textiles

The soul of each fabric is born from its construction. This foundation dictates how it will drape over a handcrafted Verellen furniture frame or how it will wear after years of family gatherings.

• Velvet: Imagine a special loom, weaving a dense, upright pile. This is what gives velvet its unmatched depth and rich, directional sheen. It’s why light dances across a statement Wesley Hall sofa, creating a dynamic play of color and shadow.
• Velour: Now picture a knitting process, where loops are sheared to form a plush surface. This method gives velour a built-in stretch that velvet’s woven structure simply can’t match, making it a dream for the soft curves of Lee Industries chairs.

This infographic breaks it down perfectly.

See? Everything from structure to stretch comes from that single detail.

Quick Comparison: Velvet vs. Velour

For a quick reference, here’s how these two plush fabrics stack up.

While tables help, the only way to truly appreciate the nuance is to experience it firsthand. We invite you to our Atlanta fabric showroom. Whether you’re an interior designer in our Lewis and Sheron Trade Program or a homeowner curating your dream space in Roswell, feeling the difference is the secret to getting it right.

How Construction Defines Texture, Drape, and Sheen

While fiber content gets a lot of attention, the real difference between velvet and velour is how they’re made. One is woven, the other is knitted. That single distinction changes everything.

True velvet is a marvel. It's woven on a special loom that creates two layers of fabric face-to-face, joined by an extra set of yarns. A blade slices them apart, creating that dense, upright pile.

This meticulous structure gives velvet its deep, directional nap and unmatched luster. The light hits the cut fibers at different angles, creating a dynamic play of highlights and shadows. It’s what makes a Verellen furniture piece look so rich and complex—the color seems to shift as you walk around it.

The Power of the Knit

Velour, on the other hand, is a knitted fabric. It’s formed with a series of interlocking loops, like a sweater. To create its plush surface, the tops of these loops are sheared off.

The magic here is its inherent stretch. A woven fabric like velvet is rigid, but velour has a natural give. This makes it a go-to for upholstering furniture with tricky curves, like a serpentine Ambella furniture settee, because it can be pulled taut without puckering.

The takeaway is simple: velvet is woven for structure and luster. Velour is knitted for stretch and softness. This should drive your design decisions, from a formal sitting room in Buckhead to a cozy family space in East Cobb.

This difference also explains the sheen. Velour’s sheared, knitted surface offers a softer, more consistent glow. It’s less of a dramatic shimmer and more of a warm, ambient light.

Drape and Structure in Practice

How a fabric hangs—its "drape"—is a direct result of its construction. This is critical for window treatments or a skirted piece like a classic Wesley Hall sofa.

• Velvet's Woven Drape: Heavier and with more body, velvet hangs in deep, sculptural folds. It feels substantial. This makes it the undisputed champion for grand, formal draperies that make a statement.

• Velour's Knitted Drape: The knit base gives velour a softer, more fluid drape. It cascades gently, lending a more relaxed and casual feel.

Understanding the basics of woven textiles can transform how you select fabrics. To go deeper, our guide on examples of woven fabrics is an excellent resource.

Ultimately, your choice depends on your goal. For a piece of luxury furniture Atlanta clients will adore, like a sharply tailored Lee Industries chair, velvet’s structure is ideal. But for a custom upholstery project in Forsyth County that demands a soft feel, velour is often the smarter pick. The best way to know for sure? Feel it for yourself in our Atlanta fabric showroom.

The Sensory Experience: A Tale of Two Piles

Specs are one thing. But the real story of velvet and velour unfolds in how they look and feel. This is where you get to the heart of the matter—the pure sensory experience that defines a room.

Choosing a fabric is an emotional decision, rooted in touch and sight. The "hand" of a fabric—how it feels against your skin—tells you everything. Velvet’s story is one of formal opulence. Velour speaks of comfort and ease.

The Hand Feel: Regal vs. Relaxed

When designers talk about the "hand" of a fabric, we’re talking about its tactile qualities. Close your eyes, and you can instantly feel their distinct personalities.

Velvet's Hand:

• Structured & Formal: The dense, short pile has an almost architectural feel. There's a satisfying firmness that speaks to its woven origins. Regal. Substantial.
• Dynamic & Directional: Run your hand across velvet, and the color and sheen shift. This "nap" is part of its sophisticated charm, creating a surface that is never static.

Velour's Hand:

• Plush & Inviting: Thanks to its knit construction, velour has a softer, more "cushiony" feel. It’s the fabric equivalent of a warm hug.
• Consistent & Forgiving: Velour's surface is more uniform, and its slight stretch enhances that feeling of relaxed softness. Incredibly cozy for seating.

Picture the dramatic, multi-tonal effect of a crushed velvet pillow on a Wesley Hall sofa—it’s a piece of art. Now, contrast that with the consistent, gentle surface of a high-quality cotton velour banquette in a Roswell breakfast nook. Both are luxurious, but they set entirely different moods.

Velvet announces its presence with drama and depth. Velour invites you to stay with its consistent, approachable softness. One is a statement; the other is a staple.

The Visual Drape: Sculptural vs. Fluid

How a fabric hangs under its own weight—its "drape"—is a critical part of the design process.

Velvet’s woven structure gives it a heavy, sculptural drape. As drapery, it falls in deep, majestic folds that pool beautifully, absorbing sound and adding architectural interest. It holds its shape, making it ideal for the clean, tailored lines of Verellen furniture.

Velour, on the other hand, has a softer, more fluid drape. It cascades gently rather than holding a crisp fold, lending a relaxed elegance. This forgiving quality is perfect for a skirted Lee Industries chair that needs to feel welcoming, not stiff.

Real-World Vision in North Georgia

Let's bring this home with examples for a project in Milton or Alpharetta.

For a formal dining room where you want sophisticated drama, a deep jewel-toned velvet on your Ambella chairs is simply unmatched. For a cozy media room, a performance velour on a large sectional offers plush comfort and invaluable peace of mind.

The difference is clear: velvet commands attention, while velour excels at creating a space that feels both stylish and livable. The only way to know which aligns with your vision is to see and feel them for yourself. Visiting our Atlanta fabric showroom to explore these designer fabrics firsthand is the best way to make a decision rooted in your own sensory experience.

Durability and Real-Life Practicality: What to Choose for Your Home

A beautiful home is one you can actually live in. So, which of these fabrics can stand up to the beautiful chaos of daily life? This is where the practical differences between velour and velvet become crystal clear.

For a family room sectional in East Cobb or a favorite reading chair in Alpharetta, durability is non-negotiable. This is where velour makes its case as the practical, everyday choice.

Velour: The Unsung Hero of High-Traffic Homes

Think of velour as the workhorse of the plush fabric world. Typically made from tough cotton or modern synthetics like polyester, its knit construction gives it a secret weapon. Unlike velvet’s woven base, velour’s knitted loops are less prone to snagging from a pet’s claws or catching on jewelry.

This resilience makes it an excellent pick for furniture that sees a lot of action—a sprawling sofa for movie nights or a set of custom barstools. Velour's natural stretch allows it to hug curves beautifully and bounce back from use.

Velour is practical luxury. It delivers that soft, inviting feel everyone wants, but with a durability that’s designed for a real, lived-in home.

It's no surprise the global velour fabric market is a multi-billion dollar industry. Its knit structure makes it a stretchy, everyday staple. At Lewis and Sheron, you’ll find bolts from top mills where cotton velour is a go-to because it’s breathable, soft, and easy to clean. You can dig into these trends on Reports and Data.

The Modern Era of Performance Velvet

Now, let’s talk velvet. For years, designers associated it with delicate, formal spaces. But if you’ve ruled out velvet because you have kids or a dog, it’s time to look again.

The textile industry has completely redefined velvet with performance velvets.

Today's top furniture brands, including our partners Wesley Hall and Lee Industries, are all-in on these high-tech fabrics. These are not the fussy textiles of the past. Mills like Crypton have developed modern velvets that offer incredible stain resistance without sacrificing an ounce of that rich, luxurious appearance.

Here’s why they’re a game-changer:

• Stain & Moisture Resistance: Spills bead up on the surface, giving you time to blot them away.
• High Rub Counts: Rigorously tested to simulate years of sitting and sliding, ensuring your luxury furniture in Buckhead looks stunning for years.
• Easy Cleaning: Many can be spot-cleaned with just water—a world away from old "professional cleaning only" tags.

Thanks to performance fabrics, you no longer have to choose between beauty and practicality. You can have that stunning emerald green sofa. For more insights, our guide on choosing the right upholstery fabric is a must-read.

Stop by our Atlanta fabric showroom. We’ll help you find a fabric that’s not only beautiful but also perfectly suited to the way you live.

The Atlanta Designer's Playbook: When to Use Each Fabric

Knowing the difference is one thing. Knowing when to use each is what separates a nice room from an unforgettable space. This is where strategy comes into play for Atlanta’s most discerning homeowners and designers.

So, when does a project call for velvet’s drama, and when is velour’s comfortable durability the smarter choice?

When to Choose Velvet for Maximum Impact

Velvet is for creating moments of high drama and sophisticated elegance. It’s the fabric you reach for when a piece needs to whisper "luxury" from every fiber.

Think about using velvet for:

• Formal Living and Dining Rooms: A set of Ambella dining chairs in deep, jewel-toned velvet instantly elevates a Roswell dining room, setting a tone of refined drama.
• Statement Accent Pieces: Have a beautifully sculpted Verellen furniture piece? Velvet accentuates its lines, turning it into a work of art. It’s perfect for that special piece in a quiet corner of a Buckhead home.
• Luxurious Headboards and Benches: In a primary suite, a custom-upholstered velvet headboard adds instant glamour. Designers know how luxe velvet curtains can complete an elegant window treatment, showing just how versatile this material is.

Velvet is for destination spaces—the rooms designed for conversation, celebration, and admiration. It excels where atmosphere is the primary goal.

Our experts at the Lewis and Sheron Atlanta fabric showroom specialize in helping you navigate thousands of designer fabrics to find the perfect velvet for your vision.

When to Go with Velour for Everyday Luxury

Velour is the hero of comfortable, stylish living. It gives you that plush, sink-in feeling without being too precious for the rooms where real life happens.

Here’s where velour shines:

• Family and Media Rooms: A sprawling Lee Industries sectional in a high-performance velour becomes the heart of a busy Alpharetta family's home. It's forgiving for movie nights, kids, and pets.
• Curved and Uniquely Shaped Furniture: That vintage settee with the rounded back? Velour is your best friend. Its inherent give makes it easier to achieve a flawless finish during custom upholstery.
• Cozy, High-Use Nooks: A breakfast nook banquette in Cumming or a reading chair in a Forsyth County home. Velour provides that essential combination of softness and resilience, creating a spot that’s irresistibly inviting.

Your Atlanta Interior Design Resource

At Lewis and Sheron, we’re more than a fabric store—we’re a partner for designers and homeowners across North Georgia. Our Trade Program gives design professionals exclusive access to our premium fine fabrics in Alpharetta and personalized service.

From reupholstering a family heirloom to creating a made-to-order Wesley Hall sofa, our custom services bring your vision to life. If you're exploring options, our guide on the best fabric for reupholstering a sofa offers more practical advice.

Visit our Buckhead showroom to explore our exquisite furniture collections from vendors like Verellen, Wesley Hall, Lee Industries, and Ambella. Let us help you find the perfect fabric for your project.

Common Questions We Hear About Velvet and Velour

Even after you've felt the fabrics, questions come up. We hear them every day in our Buckhead showroom from designers and homeowners. Here are some straightforward answers to the most common ones.

Can I Really Use Velvet in a Home with Kids and Pets?

Absolutely. The trick is choosing the right kind of velvet. Forget the fussy velvets of the past. Today’s performance velvets were made for the realities of a busy home.

Mills like Crypton engineer these textiles with incredible stain and moisture resistance. Spills bead up, giving you time to blot them away. They also come with high "rub counts"—a key durability metric—so a beautiful Wesley Hall sofa can handle daily life. Plus, the pile has no loops, a huge bonus for pet owners as there’s nothing for claws to easily snag.

Stop by our Atlanta fabric showroom to experience these performance velvets. We'll show you how high-end furniture in Buckhead can be both stunning and perfectly livable.

Is Velour Just a Cheaper Version of Velvet?

Not at all. Thinking of velour as "lesser" than velvet is a common misconception. It’s simply a different material with a different job.

A high-quality cotton or performance velour delivers softness, durability, and a forgiving stretch that a woven velvet can’t match. For a piece with deep curves or a high-use sectional, velour is often the smarter, more practical choice. It’s not about price; it’s about selecting the right material for the design.

An architect wouldn’t call brick a "cheaper" version of glass. They are different materials used for different goals. The same logic applies here.

How Should I Clean and Maintain These Fabrics?

Proper care comes down to what the fabric is made of. Always check the specific cleaning code for the textile you choose.

Here's a general guide:

• Traditional Velvets (Silk, Rayon): Almost always require professional dry cleaning. Water can leave spots or crush the pile.
• Performance Velvets: Incredibly simple. Many can be spot-cleaned with just water or a mild soap solution.
• Velour (Cotton, Polyester): Typically quite forgiving. Most are easy to spot-clean. Removable slipcovers can often be machine-washed on a gentle cycle.

When you source designer fabrics from us, we make sure you have a complete care guide to keep your custom upholstery looking beautiful.

Where Can I Compare These Fabrics in Atlanta?

Reading about the difference between velour and velvet is a great start, but nothing replaces seeing and touching them for yourself.

We invite you to our Buckhead Design Center, a trusted Atlanta interior design resource. Here, you can see how light plays across a bolt of real silk velvet and compare its formal feel to the cozy softness of a premium cotton velour. Drape samples over a Lee Industries chair and see how they perform in person.

Our in-house designers are always here to offer complimentary guidance. Whether you're part of our trade furniture program or a homeowner looking for that one perfect fabric, we’re ready to help bring your vision to life.

At Lewis and Sheron, we believe the right fabric is the soul of a room. For decades, we've been Atlanta's destination for exquisite furniture and fine fabrics. Explore our unparalleled collection online, or visit our showroom to experience true quality firsthand.

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