---
title: "Custom Cushions in Malta: Gallarija Balconies, Roof Terraces"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-malta/"
section: "Across the Map"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-06-04"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "custom cushions malta, outdoor cushions malta, balcony cushions, window seat cushions, roof terrace cushions"
---

# Custom cushions for Maltese balconies, roof terraces and townhouses

*A Maltese July brings more than twelve hours of sunshine a day, and the rain gauge catches less than half a millimeter all month. Here a cushion is judged by the light before anyone sits on it.*

> **The quick answer:** Custom cushions in Malta do three jobs: a slim window seat inside the enclosed wooden gallarija, sun-safe cushions for the flat roof terrace, and courtyard seats in old limestone farmhouses. Use UV-resistant, water-repellent outdoor fabric under open sky, keep indoor linen in the shade, measure in centimeters, and wash salt out of covers at 86°F (30°C).

![Square outdoor daybed cushion in taupe, brown and ivory stripes on a low metal frame on a rooftop terrace at sunset](https://cushionguide.com/media/daybed-cushions/taupe-striped-outdoor-daybed-cushion-rooftop-domes-1600.webp "An earthy striped mattress cushion fills a rooftop daybed that looks out over domes and bell towers.")

## Three thousand hours of sun and a July without rain

The Malta Meteorological Office's normals for Luqa read like a painter's notes on light. July averages 87.3°F (30.7°C) by day and 69.8°F (21.0°C) at night, with about 0.02 in (0.4 mm) of rain. The year totals 21.8 in (553 mm), two thirds of it between October and January.

Sunshine runs to about 3,000 hours a year, from about five hours a day in December to more than twelve in July. Humidity averages around 75 percent, and on an island of 122 sq mi (316 km²) the sea is never far from any roof.

So: sun is the first thief of color, and anything under open sky needs UV-resistant fabric. Salt settles in seams, so covers must come off. And the *grigal*, the strong, cool northeasterly gregale, will lift a loose cushion off a parapet.

## Inside the gallarija: a window seat in a glass box

The *gallarija* is Malta's enclosed wooden balcony: a painted timber box on stone corbels, with hinged glass flaps and blinds. The earliest on record wrapped a corner of the Grandmaster's Palace in Valletta around 1675. It was built for watching the street without being seen. Today it is the best reading seat in the house.

Keep the cushion slim. At 2 in (5 cm) the window stays the picture; 3 in (7.5 cm) is as far as I would go. A non-slip base holds it on painted wood.

Then think about the sun, my friends. Glass turns a south- or west-facing gallarija into a small greenhouse, and indoor linen fades in strong, prolonged sun. Choose [outdoor fabric](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/outdoor-acrylic/) in a linen-like weave, or lower the blinds at midday. The Pattern on [sun fading](https://cushionguide.com/guides/window-seat-cushion-fading-sun/) explains why, and the [window seat hub](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/window-seat-cushions/) shows the edges.

## Flat roofs, courtyards and stone that turns rosy

Maltese houses are known for their flat roofs; the Maltese Sign Language sign for *house* traces one. In a tight street of limestone townhouses the roof is the open-air room, in full sun with nowhere to hide. Use UV-resistant, water-repellent outdoor fabric, tie cushions at the back corners, and split a lounger cushion where the backrest hinges. The [sunbed hub](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/chaise-and-sunbed-cushions/) has the shapes. Standard outdoor foam is not a quick-dry grade, so after a storm stand cushions on edge until they are dry through.

The old farmhouse, the *razzett*, turns inward around a courtyard. A limestone bench there gives you nothing to tie to. A boxed cushion 3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm) thick, with long ties under the slab or a non-slip base, stays put.

Malta's Globigerina limestone is gold when cut, turns rosy in the air, then browns with a protective patina. That is your color chart, already on the wall.

## Gallarija, roof, courtyard: fabric, foam and piping

| Seat | Fabric | Thickness | Piping and fastening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallarija window seat, shaded street | Linen-look or velvet | 2 in (5 cm) | Self piping; non-slip base on painted wood |
| Gallarija in afternoon sun | Outdoor fabric in a linen-like weave | 2 to 3 in (5 to 7.5 cm) | Self piping; blinds down at midday |
| Roof terrace lounger | Outdoor fabric, UV-resistant and water-repellent | 4 in (10 cm), split where the back hinges | Ties at the hinge and the head |
| Roof terrace chair pads | Outdoor fabric | 2 in (5 cm) | Ties at the back legs; zipper to the back |
| Courtyard or masonry bench | Outdoor fabric; cotton stripes stay indoors | 3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm) | Long ties under the slab, or a non-slip base |

Seat foam is about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³), indoors and out; there is no quick-dry grade, so drying after rain is part of the routine. Handmade sizes land within about 0.5 to 1 in (1-2 cm) of your numbers.

## Four bench cushions, beige and bordeaux, checked in a photo first

One buyer wrote in wanting four matching cushions, 47¼ x 15¾ in (120 x 40 cm) each, in beige linen with bordeaux piping. Before anything was cut, the workshop sent a picture of that exact pairing, body and welt side by side.

That photo did the real work. Beige and bordeaux can be warm and classic, or they can quarrel, depending on which beige and which red. Seeing them together settled it. The eye sits down first.

One hitch at checkout: the listing wouldn't take a quantity of four and showed the wrong total, so the workshop fixed the listing and the order went through as agreed.

On Maltese stone the pairing makes sense: beige sits with the limestone, bordeaux draws the line. For any matching set, ask to see body and piping together first, and hold [swatches](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/) against your own wall. What color would you pipe yours in?

## Five colors borrowed from stone and sea

- Cut limestone gold — #D8B57A — Fresh Globigerina stone; lovely on a courtyard bench.
- Weathered rose — #C99B80 — Old limestone's patina; looks born there.
- Sea glass — #8EB9B1 — Cool to the eye on a hot roof.
- Harbor ink — #1F3A5F — Piping and ties in full sun, not the whole seat.
- Chalk white — #F2EEE6 — Cooler to sit on in July; wash it more often.

## Let the balcony keep its color

A gallarija is often the boldest color on its street. Inside it, keep the balcony cushions quiet, oatmeal, sand or pale stone, and put one stronger color in a single lumbar pillow.

On the roof, very dark solids soak up midday heat; mid-tones and fine stripes wear the season better. Check swatches on the roof at noon and again at dusk, when the stone turns gold.

## A Maltese year for roof and courtyard cushions

- ✓ September: wash covers at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle, no bleach, and air-dry. No tumble dryer.
- ✓ October to January: two thirds of the year's rain falls now. Keep roof cushions under cover between uses.
- ✓ After a storm: unzip, stand the cushion on edge where air moves, and dry the foam within a day or two.
- ✓ Now and then: rinse salt from zippers with fresh water; salt spray is heaviest near breaking waves.
- ✓ Gregale days: tie cushions down or carry them in.
- ✓ June to September: swap roof cushions around. Nearly half the day's UV arrives between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- ✓ Gallarija: blinds down at midday in summer.

> A gallarija is a glass box of light. Dress its seat for the sun, not for the photograph.
>
> — Élodie

> **Tailor's margin:** Hold the swatch inside the gallarija at three in the afternoon. That light, not your screen, is the one the cushion will live in.

## Buyer questions: masonry benches, codes and holiday timing

**A common question:** Can you make cushions for a built-in masonry couch?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. One set was three 23½ x 27½ x 4 in (60 x 70 x 10 cm) seats, an 83 x 13¾ x 2 in (211 x 35 x 5 cm) back cushion and two 23½ in (60 cm) cylinder armrests, quoted as one package. The workshop sent photos of mint and beige, plus the linen charts, first.

**A common question:** Can you hold the order so it doesn't arrive while I'm away?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. The workshop can keep a finished order and hand it to the courier after a date you choose. It prefers to aim delivery for after your return, so a delay on the way can't land it on an empty doorstep.

**A common question:** The order form takes my measurements but not the color. Where do I put it?

**The workshop's answer:** Write the fabric or color code in the personalization box, together with the measurements; production follows exactly what you write there. You can give each piece its own colors, for example backs in one pair of colors and seats in another.

**A common question:** The color chart doesn't name the fabric. How do I know which colors are velvet and which are linen?

**The workshop's answer:** The code tells you. Each code family is one fabric: the numeric codes are velvet, and the K and L codes are linen.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Can indoor linen go in a Maltese gallarija?

Yes, on a shaded street or with the blinds down at midday. Indoor fabrics have limited UV resistance and fade in strong, prolonged sun, even through glass. For a gallarija that takes afternoon sun, choose an outdoor fabric with a linen-like weave.

### Which fabric suits a roof terrace in Malta?

Outdoor fabric that is UV-resistant and water-repellent. Summers are close to rainless, about 0.02 in (0.4 mm) in an average July at Luqa, so sun is the main wear. Add ties at the back corners for windy days and bring cushions under cover in the wet months.

### How thick should a gallarija window seat cushion be?

About 2 in (5 cm). The seat is shallow and the glass sits low, so a slim cushion keeps the view and the proportions. Go to 3 in (7.5 cm) only if the seat is deep and people sit there for long stretches.

### Do outdoor cushions in Malta need to come in for winter?

It is wise. About two thirds of Luqa's 21.8 in (553 mm) of yearly rain falls from October to January. Standard outdoor cushions use regular seat foam, not quick-dry foam, so keep them dry under a roof and stand a wet one on edge until it dries through.

## Related at the atelier

- [Custom cushions for Portuguese terraces, balconies and townhouses](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-portugal/): Custom cushions in Portugal have to handle two climates: sunny, nearly rainless summers in the Algarve and the hot interior, and wet Atlantic winters in Lisbon and, above all, Porto.
- [Window Seat Cushion in Charcoal for a Walnut Library Nook](https://cushionguide.com/readings/charcoal-window-seat-cushion-walnut-library-nook/): A charcoal window seat cushion suits a dark walnut reading nook when it is darker than the wood and outlined with pale piping, so the wood glows and the edge stays visible.
- [Window Seat Cushion in Black and Ivory Kilim, Read by Daylight](https://cushionguide.com/readings/black-ivory-kilim-window-bench-cushion-scandi/): A black and ivory window seat cushion holds up well in changing light, because the black stays steady and only the ivory shifts.
- [Window Seat Cushion in Ivory for a Shiplap Beach House Nook](https://cushionguide.com/readings/ivory-window-seat-cushion-shiplap-beach-house-nook/): A window seat cushion that fills the seat edge to edge, like this ivory one on white shiplap, is held by the walls on three sides, so it rarely needs ties.
- [Custom cushions for Finnish summer cottages, apartments and lake terraces](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-finland/): Custom cushions in Finland serve two lives: the city apartment with its glazed balcony, and the summer cottage, or mökki, by a lake with a sauna and a terrace.
- [Custom cushions for Icelandic homes, summer houses and hot tub decks](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-iceland/): Custom cushions in Iceland have to handle wind first, then wet: on decks and beside a hot tub, use water-repellent outdoor fabric, quick-drying construction, ties at the back corners and cushions…
- [Measuring a chaise lounge or sunbed cushion, hinge point included](https://cushionguide.com/guides/chaise-lounge-sunbed-cushion-size/)
- [Sunroom and three-season room cushions: fabric for sun, heat and damp](https://cushionguide.com/guides/sunroom-cushion-fabric-humidity/)

*With color and care — Élodie*

---

Written by Élodie Marchand (https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/) 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/places/custom-cushions-malta/