Making the Case for Corduroy Furniture

By Lindsey Mather

Corduroy pants are great and all, but in our opinion, the material is at its best in furniture form. If you think there's nothing cozier in the colder months than wearing corduroy, you clearly haven't pictured snuggling up on a cushy sofa covered in the stuff. Way more enticing, right? There's also its design chops. Thanks to its inherent plushness, corduroy naturally softens the sharp edges of contemporary pieces. Plus, we love how the corduroy used on furniture often has wider ribbing (called the "wale" in the business), which is funkier and impossible to mistake, so no one can confuse it with—gasp—plain old velvet.

As always seems to be the case, Urban Outfitters has read our minds—it has not one but two amazing corduroy sofas for sale right now:

SHOP NOW: Elodie Sofa in Burnt Orange by Urban Outfitters, $1,200, urbanoutfitters.com

SHOP NOW: Matilda Floor Sofa in Black by Urban Outfitters, $499, urbanoutfitters.com

The other hotbed for corduroy furniture is none other than antique marketplace 1stdibs. (The material did come of age in the 1970s after all.) We did a search for "corduroy" and found so many gems. Fitting for fall, many of these corduroy pieces come in shades that mirror the changing leaves, from bright yellow to burnt orange to chestnut brown. Here's a taste of the selection:

SHOP NOW: Milo Baughman Dining Armchairs circa 1970, $950 for pair, 1stdibs.com

SHOP NOW: 1960s Salmon Sofa, $1,980, 1stdibs.com

SHOP NOW: Art Deco–Style Armchair, $2,925, 1stdibs.com

By Rachel Davies

By Erika Owen

By Eva Morell

We can't imagine you'd still be on the fence about corduroy after seeing all this loveliness, but if for some reason you are, we recommend bringing home corduroy in a smaller package, like the always useful throw pillow. . . or the cutest record player we've ever seen.

SHOP NOW: Corduroy Cushion by Ferm Living, $69, 2modern.com

SHOP NOW: Ribbed Velvet Bed Bolster in Burnt Orange + Blush, $215, schoolhouse.com

SHOP NOW: Corduroy Cruiser Bluetooth Record Player in Rose by Crosley (UO Exclusive), $99, urbanoutfitters.com