The Cutting Table · a common question
What diameter should a bolster pillow be?
Also asked as:What diameter are those bolsters?Please recommend the length and diameter.
A bolster is a small thing that sets the whole line of a daybed. Get the round right and nobody notices it; get it wrong and nobody notices anything else.
The quick answer
A bolster pillow should be 8 in (20 cm) in diameter for most seats; that is the workshop standard and the size the craftsmen say looks best on a bolster about 20 in (50 cm) long. Choose 10 in (25 cm) for a fuller roll, or go slimmer, down to 4 in (10 cm), beside thin cushions. Armrest length usually follows the seat depth.
SaveKey facts
- Standard bolster diameter is 8 in (20 cm).
- 8 in (20 cm) is the recommended diameter for a bolster about 20 in (50 cm) long.
- A fuller 10 in (25 cm) diameter is made on request.
- Any diameter can be made, down to 4 in (10 cm) for 2 in (5 cm) thick bench cushions.
- A 20 in (51 cm) diameter bolster would be unusually large.
- Armrest bolster length follows seat depth, e.g. 21 in (53 cm) for a 21 in deep seat.
- Long benches can have the bolster split into two pieces.
Have it made
Have Harlan’s workshop cut this for you
Old upholsterers will tell you the real cutting happens in the conversation, long before the shears come out. Tell the workshop what you sit on, and they will talk it through with you. — Harlan
Leave your details and the workshop will call you to confirm measurements, fabric, foam and piping. No prices, dates or payment on this page: it is a request, not an order.
Bolster diameters from the cutting table, and where each one sits
| Diameter | Where it sits | From real orders |
|---|---|---|
| 4 in (10 cm) | Beside slim 2 in (5 cm) bench cushions | Ordered by an interior designer for thin seats |
| 6 in (15 cm) | Long, lean bench bolsters | Made at 44 in (112 cm) long |
| 7 in (18 cm) | Very long backrest rolls | Made at 65 in (165 cm) long |
| 8 in (20 cm) | The standard: daybeds, window seats, armrests | Looks best on a 20 in (50 cm) bolster |
| 10 in (25 cm) | A fuller, plumper arm | Made on request |
| 20 in (51 cm) | Almost never the right call | Unusually large for a cylinder |
Why eight inches keeps winning
Eight inches is the round the old hands reach for without thinking. On a bolster about 20 in (50 cm) long it sits in proportion with a seat cushion of ordinary thickness: full enough to lean an elbow on, slim enough not to crowd the seat. The turquoise velvet roll in the photograph is cut to that measure.
The rule I'd hand you, my friend, is to size the bolster to the cushion beside it. A designer once ordered 4 in bolsters for 2 in thick bench cushions, and they looked right because they followed the slim line of the seat. Put an 8 in roll on a 2 in pad and it looks like a log on a plank.
Length follows the seat, not the other way around
For an armrest bolster, length usually follows the seat depth: 21 in for a 21 in deep seat, or about 27.5 in (70 cm) on a 32 in (81 cm) deep seat. It can be cut shorter, say 23.5 in (60 cm), if you want the ends to breathe.
Long benches are different. A roll that runs the full bench can be split into two pieces, and extra bolster pillows for an L-shaped bench are ordered separately once you give the sizes. The bolster size Pattern has the rest. What does your seat measure front to back?
A standard bolster pillow is 8 in (20 cm) in diameter; a 20 in (51 cm) cylinder is unusually large, and real orders run from 4 to 10 in.
Harlan
Buyer questions
- A common question
Can you make matching bolsters for my cushion, and what diameter should they be?
The workshop's answerYes. Matching bolsters about 20 in (50 cm) long were made through a separate custom link after the main order. The standard diameter is 8 in (20 cm), which the craftsmen say looks best at that length, but 10 in (25 cm) can be made if you prefer.
- A common question
What diameter and length are the round armrests?
The workshop's answerRound armrests are 8 in (20 cm) in diameter as standard, and their length follows the seat depth, for example 21 in for a 21 in deep seat. They can be made shorter or fuller, such as 23.5 in (60 cm) long or 10 in across.
- A common question
Can you make bolsters skinnier than the ones in your photos, plus extras for an L-shaped bench?
The workshop's answerYes, in any diameter. One interior designer ordered 4 in bolsters to go with 2 in thick bench cushions. Extra or longer bolsters are ordered separately once you give the size.
- A common question
Can I get bolsters to match my bench cushion?
The workshop's answerYes, in the bench fabric or fully in a contrast or stripe. Custom lengths and diameters are made, such as 44 in long by 6 in across. Long benches can have the bolster split into two pieces.
- A common question
Can I order matching bolsters later for a cushion I bought a while ago?
The workshop's answerYes. Fabric stock is kept, so bolsters can be made later in your original fabric. Send the sizes, quantity and the fabric code from your first order for a custom link.
Questions buyers ask next
How long should a bolster be when it's used as a backrest?
A backrest bolster is made to the bench length, with rounded ends, in matching fabric. Plan extra depth for it: a 31.5 in (80 cm) seating depth needed about 39.5 in (100 cm) of total depth to fit an 8 in roll behind the sitter.
Do bolsters stay in place, or can they be fastened?
They come loose as standard, with no straps. On request the workshop adds a strap to hold a bolster on a mattress, or hook-and-loop fasteners to fix armrests to the base. Perfectly flat ends aren't possible on a round bolster.
Can a bolster be a different fabric from the seat cushion?
Yes. Bolsters are made in the seat's fabric and piping, or fully in a contrast or stripe fabric. Give the fabric code for the bolster separately in your order note so the two pieces aren't confused.
Should I give my bolster's diameter or its circumference?
The diameter: measure straight across the flat round end, seam to seam, and give the length from one end seam to the other. If you only have a tape wrapped around the bolster, that's the circumference; divide it by 3.14 to get the diameter. A 25 in circumference is about an 8 in bolster.
