Concept Sketches · 8 scenes
Mid-century window seat cushions for long, low ranch ledges and lounge chairs
A ranch house is drawn in long horizontal lines. Eight cushions from past orders that kept to the line, and the numbers each one needed.
SaveThe quick answer
A mid-century window seat cushion should be long, low and ordered a hair under the ledge. Very long, narrow seats, like a 16 x 105 in cushion, are made in two halves that sit end to end. Choose 2 to 3 in for a low ledge or 4 in for everyday seating, and allow about ±3/8 in of handmade tolerance.
A house drawn with the ruler held sideways
A ranch house is drawn with the ruler held sideways.
Ribbon windows over built-in ledges. Benches that run the length of a wall. Lounge chairs that sit low and lean back. A mid-century window seat cushion has to follow that line: long, thin, and a little under the edge rather than over it.
The eight pieces below are past orders. How long is your longest window?
Start with the window seat cushions hub and the bench cushion builder. For a lounge chair with a tapered seat, use the chair cushion builder.
Height is a feeling. Length is a measurement. Keep the two apart when you order.
Eight long, low pieces
01A past project
A Danish lounge chair, seat tapered by one inch
A buyer in the US wrote to the workshop about a mid-century Danish lounge chair. The seat was a 4 in (10 cm) trapezoid, 23 in (58 cm) at the front, 22 in (56 cm) at the back and 24 in (61 cm) deep, with the zipper at the back. The back was a plain 22 x 19 x 3 in (56 x 48 x 7.5 cm) rectangle. Both were reversible, so neither got a non-slip base.
The takeaway: Order one shape per listing, and write 'reversible' so no non-slip base is added.
02A past project
A corner idea that became one rectangle
A buyer in the US first wanted an L-shaped corner cushion, about 24 in (61 cm) up one wall and 66 in (168 cm) along a bench 16.5 in (42 cm) deep, in single-button tufted velvet in a light purple or blue. The workshop asked for a photo of the space. After that, the plan settled into one 16 x 65 in (41 x 165 cm) cushion for the ledge above the wall outlets, ordered straight from the listing.
The takeaway: Photograph the space before designing a corner. The simple rectangle is often already there.
03A past project
105 inches of water green, in two halves
A buyer in the US asked for a 16 x 105 in (41 x 267 cm) window seat cushion in water green. The workshop explained it would be made in two pieces that sit end to end, and sent a custom link. The buyer ordered right away.
The takeaway: A long, narrow seat in two halves ships more safely and still reads as one line.
04A past project
A 111 in ledge and the half inch that crept over
A buyer in the US ordered a 29.5 x 111.25 in cushion for a long ledge, and the workshop made it at 29½ x 111½ in (75 x 283 cm), the nearest whole centimeter. The length was right. The width came out at 30 in (76 cm) and crept a little over the edge. Handmade cushions carry about ±3/8 in (1 cm) of tolerance, more noticeable over a long span, and the edge relaxes with use.
The takeaway: When a ledge is a hard limit, say so, and order a hair under the maximum.
05A past project
Six benches, three rooms, one room at a time
A buyer in the US planned window bench cushions for a new home: two 78 x 26.5 in (198 x 67 cm) in mustard for the living room, two 64 x 18.75 in (163 x 48 cm) in oil green for a bedroom, and two 63 x 19 in (160 x 48 cm) in navy for the main bedroom. The whole plan was quoted at once. The living room pair came first, and the bedrooms were left for later.
The takeaway: Assign one color per room on paper first. Then order at whatever pace suits.
06A past project
94 inches that needed four days
A buyer in the US measured a new 16 x 94 in (41 x 239 cm) bench cushion straight out of its vacuum packing and got 15.5 x 91 in. Foam takes 3 to 4 days to fully expand. After 5 days the length was still 91.75 in (233 cm), so with a tape-measure photo the workshop remade it at 16 x 94 in, and the buyer kept the first one.
The takeaway: Wait 3 to 4 days before measuring a compressed cushion, then photograph the tape.
07A past project
A dining room bench no size list would fit
A buyer in the US measured a dining room window bench at 17 x 95 in (43 x 241 cm), a size on no list. The buyer wanted gray or dark gray, plush and tufted like the workshop's tufted linen floor cushion. The workshop quoted the exact size and sent a direct purchase link.
The takeaway: Long benches almost always need a custom quote. Send depth x length, exactly.
08A past project
Two Barcelona-style chairs, covers only
A buyer wrote in needing replacement covers for a pair of Barcelona-style lounge chairs: backs 29.5 x 19 x 3.5 in (75 x 48 x 9 cm) and seats 29.5 x 21 x 3.5 in (75 x 53 x 9 cm), in corduroy. Width, height or depth, and thickness for each cushion was all the workshop needed.
The takeaway: For a designer chair, measure each cushion on its own; three numbers each is enough.
How thin the mid-century line can go
Thickness decides how a ranch room reads from the doorway. The long versions live in window seat cushion thickness, one piece or two for a long bench, custom cushion size tolerance and trapezoid cushion measurements. For the fabric, corduroy, velvet and linen and cotton-linen all hold a thin edge. The living room cushions and bench cushions hubs carry the rest.
| Where it sits | Thickness | from past orders |
|---|---|---|
| Low ledge under a window that must still close | 2 in (5 cm) | The recommended minimum; thinner is possible but gives little support |
| Narrow window seat, low profile | 2 to 3 in (5 to 7.5 cm) | Suggested when the cushion should not cover the window |
| Long window bench, neat line | 3 in (7.5 cm) | A neater, lower profile |
| Everyday bench seating | 4 in (10 cm) | The standard; most buyers keep it |
| Danish-style lounge chair | 4 in seat, 3 in back | Reversible, zipper at the back |
| Barcelona-style lounge chair | 3.5 in (9 cm) seat and back | Covers only; seat and back both 3.5 in |
On a ranch-house ledge, order the cushion a hair under the maximum: a 29.5 in order came out at 30 in and crept over the edge.
Hana
Ledge and bench questions
- A common question
My bench is an odd shape. How do I send you the measurements?
The workshop's answerSend a photo of the space and a sketch on paper with every dimension written on it. Labeling the sides A, B, C works well, and for a back cushion add the wall height above the seat. Mention any trim or wood that sticks out, and the narrowest and widest points if the space is uneven. For complex pieces the workshop sends back its own drawing and waits for your OK before production.
- A common question
Could you just pick the color and piping for me?
The workshop's answerThe workshop would rather you choose, because color depends on your taste and your room, but it will suggest one if asked, for example a light cream to blend with the pale tone of a pattern. Tones that pick up what is already in the room, like the sofa or the wood of the furniture, blend in most naturally. Narrow your list to 2 or 3 codes and ask for close-ups; you can switch codes before production.
- A common question
How thin can a window seat cushion go and still let the window close?
The workshop's answerFor a narrow window seat that shouldn't cover the window, the workshop suggests 2 or 3 in. Cushions of exactly 2 in (5 cm) have been made so the window above can still close. Thinner is possible, down to about 1 in (2.5 cm), but that is too thin to support sitting. Give your absolute maximum height including the cover, and the workshop confirms the thickness before production.
- A common question
Do you want my measurements in inches or centimeters?
The workshop's answerEither works, as long as every figure carries its unit. When it is unclear whether 60 x 60 means inches or centimeters, the workshop asks before quoting, because an inch order once made in centimeters had to be remade. Sizes are also checked against your photos before production. Handy conversions: the standard thickness is 4 in (10 cm, 100 mm), and 7¾ in (20 cm) is a shade under 8 in.
Have it made
Have an idea like this made — ask Hana’s workshop
Measure once, slowly. Write the numbers here. The workshop will go over them with you. — Hana
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.
Questions buyers ask next
Should a very long ranch window seat cushion be one piece or two?
Usually two. A 16 x 105 in (41 x 267 cm) window seat was made in two pieces that sit end to end, and a 154.5 in (392 cm) run was split into two equal sections. Halves ship more safely, lift out more easily and still read as one long line.
How close to the ledge size will a handmade cushion come out?
Within about ±3/8 in (1 cm), a little more noticeable over a long span. A 29.5 in wide order came out at 30 in. If the ledge is a hard limit, say so and order a hair under; the edge also relaxes with use.
Does a reversible lounge chair cushion need a non-slip bottom?
No. A non-slip base covers one face, so a reversible cushion is made without it. Write 'reversible' on the order, as one Danish lounge chair buyer did. Fabric ties can be sewn into the seams instead if the cushion needs holding in place.
How long should a new vacuum-packed window seat cushion rest before measuring?
Three to four days. Foam comes out of vacuum packing compressed and needs that long to recover. One 16 x 94 in cushion measured 91 in on day one and 91.75 in after five days; with a tape-measure photo, the workshop remade it at full size.
