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The Cutting Table · a common question

How do I size back pillows for an L-shaped or angled banquette?

Also asked as:What back pillows do I need for an L shape?Can I have one long back cushion instead?

A corner is where most back pillows go wrong. Work it out wall by wall and the pillows nest like they were born there.

Answered by

The Elder of High Point · · Updated

The quick answer

To size L-shaped banquette back cushions, measure each wall's usable back line and split it into two or three pillows. On the short wall, that line is its seat length plus the long side's seat depth, minus the corner pillow's thickness. Standard back pillows are about 16 in (40 cm) tall; leave about 1.5 in (4 cm) so plump pillows nest in the corners.

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One cushion wraps a corner with a 45-degree middle section, so there are no gaps between seats.

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Key facts

  • Short-wall back line = seat length + the long side's seat depth - corner pillow thickness.
  • Each wall takes two or three back pillows.
  • Standard back pillow height is about 16 in (40 cm).
  • Plump pillows sit fuller than their flat size, so angled sides are sized shorter.
  • Leave about 1.5 in (4 cm) of allowance so pillows nest in the corners.
  • Splitting long backs avoids sagging; one long back cushion is not cheaper.

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Foam
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Piping
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In inches: length × depth × thickness, plus any angles or cut corners.

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Working out the back line, wall by wall

  1. Measure the long wall

    Take the back line where the pillows will lean. On one L-shaped bench it was 93 in (237 cm).

  2. Work out the short wall

    Add its seat length to the long side's seat depth: about 48 1/2 + 22 1/2 = 71 in (123 + 57 = 180 cm). Then subtract the thickness of the corner pillow.

  3. Split each line

    The 93 in wall took three pillows of about 31 in (79 cm); the short wall took two of about 32 1/2 in (82-83 cm).

  4. Set the height

    Standard is about 16 in (40 cm).

  5. Leave the allowance

    About 1.5 in (4 cm), so plump pillows nest into the corners.

Why plump pillows are cut short of the wall

My friend, a back pillow is not a board. Filled and fluffed, it sits fuller than its flat size, so a pillow cut to the full length of the wall has nowhere to go. Leave about 1.5 in (4 cm) and the pillows settle neatly into the corners.

Split long backs, too. Two or three pillows per wall sit better, stay in place and avoid sagging, and one long back cushion is not cheaper. The standard back is about 16 in (40 cm) tall; the back cushion height Pattern covers taller and shorter. For the seat itself, see the L-shaped bench measurements Pattern, and browse the backrest cushions in the Atlas for shapes. How deep is the long side of your bench?

A real project

An angled banquette and four soft pillows

A buyer in the US asked for banquette back cushions they could hold in place with hook-and-loop strips. The back measured 88 in (224 cm), with two 27.5 in (70 cm) angled sides and 12.5 in (32 cm) of height.

The workshop steered them toward soft-filled pillow backs rather than foam, for looks and comfort: two 44 x 12.5 in (112 x 32 cm) pillows for the back and two 26 x 12.5 in (66 x 32 cm) for the sides. The sides came in shorter than 27.5 in on purpose, because plump pillows sit fuller than their flat size.

Plump back pillows sit fuller than their flat size, so cut them about 1.5 in short of the wall and let them nest into the corners.

Harlan
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Buyer questions

  1. A common question

    How do I size back pillows for an L-shaped dining bench?

    The workshop's answer

    On the shorter wall, the back line is its seat length plus the long side's seat depth (about 48 1/2 + 22 1/2 = 71 in, or 123 + 57 = 180 cm), minus the corner pillow. The workshop suggested three 31 in (79 cm) pillows on the 93 in (237 cm) wall and two of about 32 1/2 in (82-83 cm) on the short wall. Two or three per wall sit better than one long cushion.

  2. A common question

    Can you make back cushions for my banquette that I could fasten in place?

    The workshop's answer

    The workshop recommended soft-filled pillow backs over foam, for looks and comfort: two 44 x 12.5 in for an 88 in back and two 26 x 12.5 in for the 27.5 in angled sides, with about 1.5 in of allowance.

  3. A common question

    Can back cushions be wedge-shaped for an angled bench?

    The workshop's answer

    Yes. Send the width, height and the top and bottom thickness, or a photo or diagram with dimensions. Wedges can be split into pieces, paired with seats and shaped at the bottom for angled benches.

Questions buyers ask next

Can the back cushion be as large as the seat cushion?

Yes, a back can be made square like the seat or the same size. But a full-size back is priced as a second mattress, so the set costs noticeably more than one with the standard 16 in (40 cm) backrest.

How tall and thick is a standard banquette back cushion?

About 16 in (40 cm) high and 4 in (10 cm) thick. The workshop recommends 16 in over 12 in (30 cm) for back support, but custom heights such as 14-15 in (36-38 cm) are no problem.

Are soft pillow backs or foam backs better on a banquette?

On the angled banquette above, soft-filled pillow backs were recommended over foam because they look better and are more comfortable. Either way, split long backs into two or three pieces per wall so they stay put and do not sag.