Screened porches and covered patios: where indoor fabric stops working

Eight porches and patios, and what each one got

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   01A past project

   Linen under a roof the rain barely reaches

   A buyer wrote to the workshop about a covered balcony: sheltered from rain, but open to pollen, dust and a humid climate. Would an indoor linen cushion hold up? Where the roof keeps rain from reaching it, linen will work. Where pollen, dust and humid air move through, as on a screened porch, the workshop recommended outdoor fabric and offered samples first.

   The takeaway: Judge the porch by what gets through the screen, not by the roof overhead.

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   02A past project

   Floor cushions for a second-story porch

   A buyer in the US asked whether the workshop's floor cushions could live outside, on a covered second-story balcony and in a screened-in porch. Under a closed roof, the regular fabrics are fine. For anything open to the air the workshop makes the piece in outdoor fabric, and any piece can be made that way: seats, backrests, bolsters, screened porches included.

   The takeaway: Choose the shape you want first; the outdoor fabric follows the shape.

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   03A past project

   Chenille in air you can wear

   A buyer messaged the workshop from somewhere very humid, worried about mold, and asked if the workshop's chenille would be all right outdoors. The workshop said no. Chenille is not recommended for permanent outdoor exposure, least of all in humid air, and the outdoor-performance fabrics resist moisture, mildew and mold better.

   The takeaway: In humid air, keep the plush fabrics indoors and let outdoor cloth take the porch.

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   04A past project

   A whole covered patio in green-and-white stripe

   A buyer in the US started with one cushion for an oval wicker loveseat with rounded corners, then added a chair and a full outdoor couch for her covered patio. The final set, in a green-and-white stripe with piping: a 17 x 20 in (43 x 51 cm) chair, a 37 x 19 in (94 x 48 cm) loveseat, three 17 in (43 cm) pillows, and three 20 x 20 in plus three 22 x 20 in (51 x 51 and 56 x 51 cm) couch pieces. It arrived before her party, and she told the workshop she cried because it all looked so beautiful.

   The takeaway: Quote a covered patio as one set in one fabric, and put the event date on the order.

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   05A past project

   Three benches inside, one on the front porch

   A buyer got in touch with three indoor built-in benches, 50 x 17, 48.5 x 17 and 49.25 x 17 in (127 x 43, 123 x 43 and 125 x 43 cm), four 20 x 20 in (51 x 51 cm) pillows and a lumbar, plus a front-porch bench with arms. Indoor fabric went inside; the porch bench got outdoor fabric with matching piping. That bench measured 43 in (109 cm) in front of the arms and 47 in (119 cm) behind, so the workshop held the order until the buyer said which span to make.

   The takeaway: Choose indoor and porch fabrics separately, and decide yourself which span of an armed bench to order.

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   06A past project

   Outdoor fabric that doesn't feel like a tarp

   A buyer in the US wanted outdoor cushions but not the plastic, rubbery feel of cheap waterproof ones. The workshop's outdoor fabrics are not coated; they feel like proper woven cloth. They are a little firmer than indoor upholstery, closer to a good sun lounger cushion, which is worth knowing if you'll sit on them every day.

   The takeaway: Ask for a sample and put a hand on it before you judge the feel.

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   07A past project

   Indoor piping on an outdoor cushion

   One buyer wrote in wanting an indoor-fabric piping color on outdoor cushions for a covered terrace. Indoor fabric isn't recommended out in the weather, but a terrace with no rain and no direct sun is a different case, so the workshop said yes. The order went through the outdoor listing, since the outdoor fabric sets the price, with the piping code written in the personalization box.

   The takeaway: Under full cover, the trim can be indoor fabric as long as the body is outdoor cloth.

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   08A past project

   Storage benches, snowy winters, no quick-dry foam

   A buyer in the US sent drawings of outdoor storage benches with lift-up lids, in a place with hot summers and snowy winters, and asked for the 3 in (7.6 cm) cushions split at the lid lines. One run was about 1.5 in (4 cm) different in depth from end to end, so the workshop asked for a full drawing of each piece. The workshop also told her plainly that it had no quick-dry foam and no mesh bottom as standard; its UV-resistant, water-repellent fabric suits a covered porch, or storage over the winter.

   The takeaway: Split at every lid break, draw each piece on its own, and plan where the cushions go when the snow comes.