It's not velvet - it is a shiny material. Easy to put together. If you're not used to upright sofas, then this is not the right sofa for you. I personally find the sofa to look very elegant but do not recommend if you spend most of your time in the living room. As for me, I don't so it works okay for me. Smaller than I expected but still bigger than the futon I had. The color is a bit darker than the picture online.