---
title: "Custom Cushions in New Brunswick: Fundy Coast, Old Houses"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-new-brunswick/"
section: "Across the Map"
author: "Margaret Holloway, The Piping Queen of Newport"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/"
published: "2026-05-27"
updated: "2026-05-27"
keywords: "custom cushions new brunswick, window seat cushions new brunswick, cottage cushions, outdoor cushions moncton, bench cushions saint john"
---

# Custom cushions for New Brunswick homes, cottages and coastal porches

*Old New Brunswick houses keep their secrets in the corners: a bay that isn't quite symmetrical, a bench that dips at one end. I measure them the way I learned to measure my own mistakes: slowly, and twice.*

> **The quick answer:** Custom cushions in New Brunswick should fit old, out-of-square houses and survive fog, snow and a short porch season. Saint John has fog on about 93 days a year and Moncton averages about 128 in (325 cm) of snow. Measure window seats at several points, give mudroom benches a zippered, washable cover, and store porch cushions before the first frost.

![Deep teal box cushion with clipped corners and ivory piping on a white bay window seat framed by oak casement windows](https://cushionguide.com/media/bay-window-cushions/deep-teal-clipped-bay-window-cushion-oak-frames-1600.webp "Honey oak window frames and a deep teal seat make a classic warm-and-cool pairing in a living room bay.")

## Fog on 93 days, and snow that lingers into May

Saint John records fog on about 93 days a year, most of them in July and August, by Environment and Climate Change Canada's 1981 to 2010 normals. Cold Bay of Fundy air meets warmer air inland, and onshore winds carry the fog ashore. The tide at Saint John rises and falls about 28 ft (8 m).

Summer mornings there average above 90% relative humidity from July through September, and the city sees about one day a year above 86°F (30°C). Inland runs warmer and snowier: Moncton averages about 128 in (325 cm) of snow a year, Fredericton about 99 in (252 cm).

For custom cushions in New Brunswick, that means porch cushions rarely dry outdoors in a foggy week, and a mudroom takes a whole winter of snowmelt. Choose covers that zip off and wash. Then plan the porch season around frost: Moncton's first fall frost averages October 4, Fredericton's September 25.

## Saint John brick, Fredericton window seats, Shediac cottages

After the Great Fire of 1877, Saint John rebuilt in brick and stone, and its uptown still shows Victorian, Romanesque Revival and Second Empire styles; Trinity Royal became the city's first heritage conservation area in 1982. Fredericton, along the Saint John River, runs from Victorian to modern. Old houses mean old window seats, and none of them are square.

Measure the width at the back wall and at the front edge, and the depth at left, middle and right, all from the face of the trim. Write every number on one drawing. For an angled bay, the [bay window calculator](https://cushionguide.com/studio/bay-window-calculator/) turns wall lengths into a cuttable shape, and the [bay window cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bay-window-cushions/) hub covers the rest. I once cut a bay seat to the middle depth and spent an afternoon apologizing to both corners.

On the Acadian shore, where Acadians first settled Shediac in 1751, the town is known as the Lobster Capital of the World, and nearby Parlee Beach on the Northumberland Strait has the warmest salt water beaches north of Virginia. Cottage porch benches there want [outdoor fabric](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/outdoor-acrylic/): water-repellent and UV-resistant, not waterproof. Next door, [Maine](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-maine/) and [Nova Scotia](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-nova-scotia/) know the same fog, and [custom cushions in Canada](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-canada/) covers the other provinces.

## The mudroom bench, where boots and snowmelt live

A mudroom bench cushion takes wet mittens, salty boots and whoever sits down to pull them off. A buyer in Canada asked for exactly that: a tufted entry bench cushion 64 x 17.7 in (162.4 x 45 cm) in mustard, in something durable that wasn't velvet. The workshop pointed to its soft-touch poly-cotton, a durable, easy-clean best seller, and said plainly that tufted covers can't come off; a zippered cover is possible without tufting. The buyer chose tufted.

I would have argued, dear, gently. In a mudroom I want the zipper, so the cover can go in the machine at 86°F (30°C) and dry on a rack. Mid-tones like mustard, olive or heathered taupe hide grime far better than white. More in [mudroom bench cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/mudroom-and-entryway-bench-cushions/) and [tufted or plain](https://cushionguide.com/guides/tufted-vs-plain-cushions/).

## Two bench cushions, one 1880 farmhouse kitchen, and 6 missing inches

A buyer in Canada was restoring an 1880 farmhouse kitchen for a magazine shoot and first asked for covers only, but the workshop makes filled cushions. So they ordered two blue velvet seat cushions, 4 in (10 cm) thick, for a bench 16.5 in (42 cm) deep: one 63.4 in (161 cm) long and one 45.5 in (115.5 cm) long, with ties at the ends where they meet and on one side.

The 45.5 in (115.5 cm) cushion arrived 6 in (15 cm) short. The workshop remade that piece at 45.5 x 16.5 in (115.5 x 42 cm), and the buyer kept the first one. My advice: put a tape on both cushions the day the box arrives, before anyone sits down.

## Bay, boot bench, porch: what goes on the cutting table

| Seat | Fabric | Build | Piping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victorian bay window seat | Linen-look in deep teal or oatmeal, or a soft performance weave | 3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm), clipped or trapezoid to the bay | Contrast ivory or indigo to trace the angles |
| Mudroom boot bench | Durable poly-cotton in a mid-tone | 3 in (7.5 cm) on a standard bench; zippered, untufted | Self piping hides wear |
| Farmhouse kitchen bench | Velvet or poly-cotton | 4 in (10 cm); ties where two pieces meet | Self or contrast |
| Shediac cottage porch bench | Outdoor fabric, water-repellent and UV-resistant | 4 in (10 cm); ties or a non-slip base | Self piping |

Covers zip off and wash at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle; air dry them. Keep a non-slip base out of the machine.

## Maggie's porch-to-attic checklist

1. Mid-May, after the last frost (around May 16 in Saint John, May 22 in Moncton): wash covers and carry the porch cushions out.
2. Foggy weeks: stand porch cushions on edge each morning so air reaches the foam.
3. Late September: watch the forecast, since Fredericton's first frost averages September 25.
4. Before the first frost: wash covers at 86°F (30°C), air dry them, and dry the foam to the core.
5. Store indoors, off concrete, in breathable covers; never seal a damp cushion in plastic.
6. All winter: shake out the mudroom cushion weekly and wash the cover when boot salt shows.

> Measure the bench, not the cushion you used to have. In an old house the bench has had a century to settle; the old cushion simply got used to it.
>
> — Maggie

> **Tailor's margin:** Two cushions on one bench? Sew ties at the ends where they meet, plus one on the side. The gap closes and the mittens stop disappearing.

## Buyer questions: benches, bays and honest sizes

**A common question:** What size cushion should I order for a mudroom bench niche?

**The workshop's answer:** Work back from seat height. For a niche 17 x 35.75 in (43 x 91 cm) and 15 in (38 cm) high, a 3 in (7.5 cm) cushion gave the 18 in (46 cm) seat height the buyer wanted. Choose the nearest size and write the exact dimensions in the note.

**A common question:** Can you work out the sizes from my photos?

**The workshop's answer:** No. Please write out the exact measurements, because sizes guessed from a photo lead to mistakes. A simple paper drawing with every edge measured is clearest; an unreadable or incomplete one comes back for a clearer copy.

**A common question:** How exact is the finished size, and can you err on the small side?

**The workshop's answer:** Sizes can vary by about 1 in (2.5 cm). When a buyer said 24 in (61 cm) was the absolute maximum, the workshop made the cushion 23 in (58.5 cm).

**A common question:** Do you offer a non-slip base so the cushion doesn't slide?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes, as an add-on. The underside of the cushion is then anti-slip material, so it stays put on a window seat or bench.

**A common question:** Does the cover come off for cleaning, and where is the zipper?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Covers have a hidden zipper and come off easily. On bench cushions it runs in an L shape along one long side and one short side, on the underside.

## New Brunswick cushion questions

### When should porch cushions come in for the season in New Brunswick?

Before the first fall frost, which averages about October 4 in Moncton and September 25 in Fredericton (1981 to 2010 normals). Pick a dry day, wash the covers, let the foam dry to the core, and store everything indoors.

### Does Bay of Fundy fog damage cushions on a covered porch?

Fog won't soak a cushion the way rain does, but Saint John has fog on about 93 days a year and summer mornings above 90% humidity. Use water-repellent outdoor fabric, stand cushions on edge to air, and bring them in when they stay damp.

### How do I measure a bay window seat in a Victorian house?

Measure each wall section along the back, the front edge, and the depth at several points, all from the face of the trim. Put every number on one drawing; the bay window calculator turns angled sides into a cuttable shape.

### Which fabric hides mudroom grime best?

A mid-tone in a durable weave, such as mustard, olive or heathered taupe, rather than white or near-black. Keep the cover zippered and untufted so it can wash at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle.

## Related at the atelier

- [Made to measure cushions for cottages, chapels and coastal homes in Wales](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-wales/): Made to measure cushions in Wales should be built for damp before sun: zip-off covers that wash at 86°F (30°C), foam that gets aired, and water-repellent outdoor fabric on garden and coastal seats…
- [Custom cushions for Canadian homes, cottages and long winters](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-canada/): Custom cushions in Canada are built around a short outdoor season and a long freeze.
- [Made to measure cushions for Northern Ireland homes and coastal cottages](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-northern-ireland/): Made to measure cushions in Northern Ireland are mostly for bay windows, window seats and conservatories, so measure every edge of the seat, choose zip-off washable covers, and keep conservatory…
- [Pew cushions for the church bench that came home with you](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/church-pew-cushions-at-home/): Church pew cushions for a pew at home are made like any long bench cushion: measure the seat itself, take the depth at both ends and the middle, and send a photo.
- [Window Seat Cushion in Denim Blue on an Old Pine Box](https://cushionguide.com/readings/denim-blue-window-seat-pine-box-jack-russell/): A window seat cushion shared with a small dog should cover the full length and depth of the lid, with a box edge, so there is no gap for a paw to wedge into.
- [I saw a fabric code in a photo that isn't on the color chart. Can I still order it?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/fabric-code-not-on-color-chart/): A fabric code seen in a photo but missing from the color chart can often still be ordered, because the chart isn't the full stock list.
- [Window seat cushion thickness compared: 2, 3, 4 and 5 inches](https://cushionguide.com/guides/window-seat-cushion-thickness/)
- [One long cushion or two? Splitting a long bench or window seat](https://cushionguide.com/guides/long-bench-cushion-one-piece-or-two/)

*Stitch straight — Maggie*

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Written by Margaret Holloway (https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/) 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-new-brunswick/