---
title: "Size Between Two Options? Choose the Next Size Up"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/size-between-two-options-which-to-choose/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Nate Kowalski, The Pattern Engineer of Detroit"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/"
published: "2026-06-30"
updated: "2026-06-30"
keywords: "which size option to choose custom cushion, cushion size between two options, custom bench cushion size dropdown, next size up cushion, cushion personalization note size"
---

# My size falls between two options. Which one do I choose?

*Which size option to choose for a custom cushion when yours lands in the gap? One rule, then a short thread of follow-ups.*

Also asked as: I need 23.5 but the options are 21-23 and 24-26.; Which size option do I pick?

> **The quick answer:** Choose the next larger size option, the one just above your measurements, and write your exact size in the personalization or note-to-seller box. The workshop sews to the numbers in the note, not to the option you clicked, so the option only sets the price. A 23.5 in width goes under the 24-26 in range and is still cut to 23.5 in.

![Ochre dotted chenille cushion with piping on a stone ledge in an arched plaster alcove, olive branches in a stoneware jug](https://cushionguide.com/media/window-seat-cushions/ochre-window-seat-cushion-arched-limewash-alcove-1600.webp "The ochre seat picks up the tiles and the sunlight, turning a bare stone ledge into a place to sit.")

## Key facts

- Between two size options, choose the larger one.
- Your exact size goes in the personalization or note-to-seller box.
- Production follows the note, not the selected option.
- The selected option only sets the price.

## “I need 23.5 in, but the options are 21-23 and 24-26.”

Choose 24-26 in, partner, and write 23.5 in in the personalization box. On a [custom bench cushion](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bench-cushions/) listing the dropdown is a price bracket, and the note is the cutting order.

The workshop sews to the dimensions in the note, not to the option you clicked. So the larger option never adds inches you didn't ask for. It only makes sure the price covers the cushion you're getting.

## “Show me where other in-between sizes went.”

| Exact size | Option selected | Cut and sewn to |
|---|---|---|
| 23.5 in wide | 24-26 in range | 23.5 in |
| 17 x 36 x 4 in | 18 x 36 in | 17 x 36 x 4 in |
| 19 x 26 in | 20 x 24 in | 19 x 26 in |
| 20 x 22 in | 20 x 24 in | 20 x 22 in |

## “What if I already picked the smaller one?”

It has happened without drama. A 16 x 56 in cushion was once ordered under the 16 x 55 in option and still made to the note. The standing advice is the next size up, though, so the bracket and the cushion agree.

Tolerance is kindness to your future self, so measure carefully before you type anything. The [bench measuring Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/how-to-measure-bench-for-cushion/) and the [size tolerance notes](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-cushion-size-tolerance/) help, or sketch it first in the [bench cushion builder](https://cushionguide.com/studio/bench-cushion-builder/). Which two options is yours stuck between?

> **Tailor's margin:** Custom cushion between two sizes: choose the next option up, then type your exact inches in the personalization box; the workshop sews to the note.

> A custom cushion size dropdown is only a price bracket: a 23.5 in width goes under 24-26 in and is still cut to 23.5 in.
>
> — Nate

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** My width falls between two size ranges. Which one do I select?

**The workshop's answer:** The next larger range, for example 24-26 in for a 23.5 in width, with your exact size written in the personalization box.

**A common question:** My size is between two dropdown options. Which should I choose at checkout?

**The workshop's answer:** The closest option, usually the one just above yours in price. Then type your exact dimensions and fabric code in the personalization or note-to-seller box; 20 x 22 in went in under 20 x 24 in. The workshop sews to the note.

**A common question:** How do I order cushions for an L-shaped banquette?

**The workshop's answer:** Order each straight run as its own cushion and subtract the corner: the short side is the total run minus the depth of the long cushion, so a 61 in run with a 19 in deep cushion needs about 42 in. Piping is standard.

**A common question:** Can several cushions sit flush side by side on one bench?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Divide the total length for equal pieces and send each cushion's width, depth and thickness, ordering each section separately. Go slightly smaller only if you want gaps between them.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Does choosing the larger option make my cushion bigger?

No. The option you select only sets the price bracket. The cushion is cut and sewn to the exact dimensions written in your personalization note, so the larger option never adds inches you didn't ask for.

### Should I round my measurements before typing them in?

No. Write what you measured; decimals such as 23.5 in and fractions such as 57 5/8 in are accepted and cut as written. Round only the option you click, up to the bracket that covers your size, never the numbers in the note.

### What if my cushion is smaller than the smallest option?

Choose the smallest or closest option and write your exact size in the personalization box; it is cut to your numbers. The price can't drop below the smallest option, because shipping is a large part of a small cushion's cost.

## Related at the atelier

- [Can you make several cushions that sit flush side by side on one bench?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/multiple-bench-cushions-flush-sizing/): Yes: measure the bench, divide the total length by the number of pieces, and order each cushion separately with its width, depth and thickness.
- [Can you remake my sofa's seat cushions, or replace them with one long cushion?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/replacement-sofa-cushions-custom-size/): Replacement sofa seat and back cushions can be made to your exact measurements, with the thickness matched to the originals, and three seat cushions can become one long cushion with no seams across…
- [My size isn't in the dropdown. How do I order a custom size?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/order-custom-size-not-in-dropdown/): To order a custom size cushion not in the dropdown, choose the size range your measurements fall into and type your exact size in the Add Personalization box.
- [Custom Bench Cushion Stepped Around a Chimney Breast](https://cushionguide.com/readings/burgundy-hallway-bench-cushion-chimney-step/): A stepped bench cushion is one continuous cushion cut to two depths, shallow in front of an obstacle like a chimney breast and deeper in the recess beyond.
- [Custom Bench Cushion in Caramel Bouclé on a Two-Tier Oak Bench](https://cushionguide.com/readings/caramel-boucle-cushion-two-tier-oak-bench-cottage/): A thick, unpiped bouclé pad turns a slim two-tier oak bench into a real seat, and a few props placed with intent make it look lived in.
- [Velvet Bench Cushion Anatomy: Eight Colors, One Straight Gusset](https://cushionguide.com/readings/velvet-box-cushion-color-stack-sewing-workroom/): A velvet bench cushion is a box: top and bottom panels, an upright side gusset, piping at both seams, and foam cut to the cover's exact depth so the gusset stands without ripples.
- [How to order a custom cushion size that isn't in the size menu](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-size-cushion-not-on-menu/)
- [One long cushion or two? Splitting a long bench or window seat](https://cushionguide.com/guides/long-bench-cushion-one-piece-or-two/)

*± 1/4 in — Nate*

---

Written by Nate Kowalski (https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/answers/size-between-two-options-which-to-choose/