If you're speccing Romo fabric for a small commercial or hospitality project, here's the honest bottom line: the risk is discontinuation, not quality. I've been ordering Romo for our guest rooms since 2021, and the one time we got burned wasn't because the fabric wore out—it's because we tried to reorder 14 yards of a line that had already been retired.
I manage purchasing for a family-owned hospitality group: five boutique suites, a 12-room inn, and a conference venue. My fabric orders run 30 to 120 yards per project. That makes us a small buyer, and small buyers rarely get the "this line is ending" heads-up that big trade accounts get. So I've learned to plan around it.
This article is for people in the same position—small-budget buyers who want beautiful fabric without the unpleasant surprises. I'll cover the discontinued Romo fabric situation, what velvet blackout curtains actually need, why "antique velvet upholstery fabric" might not mean what you think, and whether cats scratch velvet. Yes, you need to ask that question.
Why I'm the Person Asking for Extra Yardage Now
I took over interior purchasing for our group in 2021. Before that, our ops manager bought fabric "as needed," which left us with six different chair fabrics across nine guest rooms and a lot of mismatched interiors. Since then, I've standardized most of our inventory and handle 60 to 80 orders a year for fabric, furniture, and window treatments.
When I first started, I assumed expensive meant durable. I remember choosing a light-catching velvet for the dining room banquettes. My gut said it was beautiful and felt luxurious. The spec sheet said it was intended for decorative use. I ignored the spec sheet, and the velvet looked stunning for about eleven months. Then the pile flattened at the corners where people shifted in their seats.
That lesson shaped how I buy now. I mention it because everything below comes from practical failures, not from reading marketing brochures.
I'll also say this: our first Romo order was a modest 22 yards of textured velvet plus a few wallpaper rolls. The stockist sent cut samples within three days, called to flag a backordered color, and treated the order like it mattered. That's not always the treatment you get as a small buyer. It's a big part of why Romo is still on our list.
Discontinued Romo Fabrics: The Problem Nobody Warns You About
Here's the situation that taught me the most.
In February 2024, we ordered 60 yards of a Romo fabric for six guest rooms. Great color, approved by three stakeholders, delivered on schedule. The upholsterer finished. Guests loved it. Two months later, I needed 14 more yards for two new headboards.
"I'm sorry, that line was retired at the end of February. We have no stock left."
That was the whole conversation. No advance notice at our tier. No "last chance to buy" email. The line was simply gone.
If you're searching for discontinued Romo fabrics because you're already in this position, here's what I'd do now:
First, order more yardage than you think you need. For any project with a possible reorder, I ask for 1.5x the necessary amount. It costs more upfront, but reupholstering a full room in a near-miss color costs much more later.
Second, ask your stockist directly whether the line is still current and whether a retirement is planned. A good stockist will tell you if you're an established customer.
Third, if you're sourcing deadstock or remnants from a reseller, verify what you're actually buying. Romo marks the selvedge with the brand name and collection reference on most lines—ask for a selvedge photo before you pay.
On the project after the discontinued fabric, I took my own advice and ordered extra velvet for a sofa reupholstery. The upholsterer mis-cut a panel and needed five extra yards. I had them in storage. So glad I'd made that call—it saved the entire timeline.
Velvet Blackout Curtains: What Worked for Us
Velvet blackout curtains can be excellent, but they need the right lining and the right hardware.
In 2023, we renovated three suites above the dining room. Morning sun was our #1 guest complaint, so we chose a Romo velvet for the drapes and had a true blackout lining applied. The change was dramatic—both the darkness and the general look of the room. Velvet adds a richness that standard blackout fabric just doesn't.
What I didn't expect was the weight. The combined velvet, lining, and hardware were heavy enough that two of the original curtain rods were undersized. We caught it during installation, but only just. If you're planning velvet blackout curtains, check the weight rating of the rod or track before you order.
Also, ask about drape before you commit. Not all velvets hang the same. Some are fluid and fall gracefully; others are stiffer and hold their shape. For curtains, you generally want the softer, more fluid option. A good stockist can help you compare.
"Antique Velvet Upholstery Fabric" Usually Isn't Antique
In late 2022, a director asked me to source "antique velvet upholstery fabric" for a new suite. She wanted a vintage-hotel look.
My immediate assumption was literal antique velvet. Historically old fabric. That search was short and extremely expensive—genuine vintage velvet runs into hundreds of dollars per yard, if it's even usable for upholstery.
Turns out, in the decorative fabric world, "antique velvet upholstery fabric" usually describes new fabric woven to look old. Romo and other quality mills have pieces designed for exactly that: aged-looking colors, subtle sheen, classic patterns. It's a look you can spec at a practical price with dependable performance.
So if you're searching that phrase, you're likely shopping for an antique-look fabric, not a literal one. If you genuinely need vintage textile, go to a specialist antique fabric dealer—and expect trade-offs in structural integrity.
Do Cats Scratch Velvet? Yes.
If you're here because you Googled "do cats scratch velvet," I get it. Short answer: yes, they will if they can reach it.
We learned this the expensive way in 2023. One of our pet-friendly suites has a velvet headboard, and a guest's cat decided that headboard was the ideal scratching surface. Two panels required reupholstering.
I can't say I wasn't warned. A designer friend told me to use a tighter weave. I figured guests' cats would be mild-mannered or that the headboard design would make it less accessible. Both assumptions were wrong.
So, what do you do if a cat will share a space with velvet?
- Choose a tighter-weave flat velvet, which gives claws less purchase than a plush or voided velvet.
- Place a scratching post nearby and consider a deterrent spray for the first few weeks.
- If the room is paid accommodation, protect the headboard with a clear corner guard or a temporary cover between guests.
The honest truth: no soft fabric is fully cat-proof. You can improve your odds, but you can't eliminate the risk. So we now recommend a tougher, performance-style velvet for pet-friendly rooms and keep the plush decorative velvet where paws won't reach.
What I'd Tell You Before You Order Romo
None of this is a reason to avoid Romo. We keep ordering it for our properties. The color depth, the texture, and the sheer range are genuinely excellent, and the brand's showroom network and sample system work well for trade customers of any size—as of January 2025, we've never been turned away for being a small account.
But there are boundary conditions to this advice. I'm coming at it from the small-commercial side. Residential buyers rarely need to reorder the same fabric years later, so discontinued lines matter less. And designers with full trade accounts usually get earlier warnings about retiring collections, so they can plan ahead in ways we can't.
Also, if maximum durability is your top priority, choose a performance velvet or a heavier-woven fabric built for continuous use. A decorative velvet that looks stunning in the showroom is still a decorative velvet after the sale. Read the spec sheet, check the Martindale rating, and pick the right construction for the job.
Four years in, the three things I'd tell any small buyer are: buy extra yardage, verify the line is still current, and match the velvet to the traffic a space will actually see. Get those right, and Romo will work as well for you as it has for us.