Across the Map · Canada

Custom cushions for Quebec homes, from Montreal plexes to chalets

A Quebec window seat lives in two lights: the cool glare of snow from December to March, and a July sun that seems never to set. I choose its color for both.

QuebecCanadaCapital: Quebec City

Sun & UVModerate
HumidityModerate
WinterLong and hard
SettingInland
Typical seatsPlex balcony chair pads, stone-wall window embrasure seat, chalet fireside bench

Field notes by Élodie

The Colorist of New Orleans · February 24, 2026

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A made-to-measure striped cushion turns a deep bedroom window reveal into a sunny seat beside the bed.

The quick answer

Custom cushions in Quebec must handle two seasons of light and one long winter indoors. Montreal averages about 83 in (210 cm) of snow and 148 frosty nights a year, so balcony pads come in by mid-October. Deep window seats in old stone walls want calm mid-tone fabric, cut to the smallest depth of the embrasure and clear of the window handle.

271 hours of July sun, 84 of December, and one cushion for both

Montreal logs about 271 hours of bright sunshine in July and only 84 in December, by Environment and Climate Change Canada's 1981 to 2010 normals. A window seat in Quebec lives in both lights, so its color has to hold up in both.

Winter light here is low and cool, and snow throws it back up; fresh snow reflects over 80% of the sun's UV, Environment Canada notes. Chalk white turns blue-gray in that light, and a deep oxblood goes nearly black by late afternoon. Mid-tones stay honest, my friends: dark taupe, oatmeal, moss, faded cranberry.

Summer is the fading season. Canada's sun advice runs from April to September, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., so a south-facing seat wants a lightfast fabric and a flip each season; see window seat fading.

A buyer in Canada once could not choose between two forest greens from thumbnails for a 37.5 x 64 in (95 x 163 cm) window seat. The workshop sent close-ups of both, and the second green won, in one solid color. Daylight never lies; your screen sometimes does.

Plex balcony cushions, front and back, from May to the first frost

The Montreal plex is two or, more often, three stories, one apartment per floor, with exterior staircases and balconies at both the front and the back. All summer those balconies are extra rooms. By December they hold snow.

For custom cushions in Montreal, balcony pads should be light enough to carry up a spiral stair: chair pads 2 to 3 in (5 to 7.5 cm) thick with ties at the back legs, like the powder aqua pads in the gallery. Make them in outdoor fabric, which is water-repellent and UV-resistant, never waterproof.

On average Montreal's last spring frost falls around April 29 and its first fall frost around October 12. That is your balcony season. August and September mornings average 85 to 86% relative humidity at the airport, so a pad left out overnight is damp at breakfast; stand it on edge in the sun. When October comes, follow the winter storage routine. Wet foam that freezes and thaws never quite dries.

Stone walls 2 ft (60 cm) deep, and chalets by the stove

Quebec always had the largest share of stone houses in New France, thanks to nearby quarries and fire ordinances in 1721 and 1727; wooden buildings fell from 55% before 1727 to 24% after. The walls are thick. The Hurtubise House, built in 1739 in what is now Westmount, has stone walls 2 ft (60 cm) thick, and windows in these houses open against a deeply recessed embrasure.

That embrasure is a window seat waiting to happen. Old plaster is never square, so measure the depth at left, middle and right, the width at front and back, and order the smallest depth; the measuring guide shows how. A cream and taupe stripe running front to back, as in the photo above, makes a shallow ledge look deeper and sits quietly against plaster.

North of Montreal, the Laurentians grew into cottage-and-lake country in summer and ski country in winter, a weekend escape for the city; the Eastern Townships fill with chalets too. By a brick stove, forest green velvet looks warm and forgives ash. Beside a heavy stone chimney, anthracite corduroy holds its ground. Keep cushions and throws well back from the stove itself. For the rest of the country, start at custom cushions in Canada; across the border, Upstate New York shares much of this winter.

A real project

The window handle that changed the depth

A buyer in Canada asked for a velvet window seat cushion 21 in (53 cm) deep and 62 in (157 cm) long. Before ordering, they remembered the window handle: a cushion that deep would sit right in its path. They cut the depth to 16 in (41 cm) and ordered 16 x 62 in (41 x 157 cm) in velvet.

In a Quebec stone house, where the window opens back into the embrasure, that handle is the first thing I would check, not the last. Open the window fully, mark where sash and handle pass, and measure the seat to that line.

Measured: 16 x 62 in (41 x 157 cm), reduced from 21 in (53 cm) deep
What it taught: Check window handles, latches and trim before you fix the cushion depth.

Balcony, embrasure, chalet: fabric, foam and piping

Seat	Fabric	Thickness and build	Piping
Plex balcony chair pads	Outdoor fabric, water-repellent and UV-resistant	2 to 3 in (5 to 7.5 cm), ties at the back legs	Self piping keeps the edge crisp
Stone-wall embrasure seat	Cream and taupe stripe, or a mid-tone linen-look	3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm), cut to the smallest depth	Self piping, or a contrast taken from the stripe's darker line
Chalet bench beside the stove	Velvet in forest green or cranberry	4 in (10 cm), templated where the alcove steps back	Cream, to echo painted paneling
Chalet window seat facing the woods	Corduroy in anthracite or navy	3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm), snug on three sides	Self piping

Standard seat foam is 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³). Covers zip off and wash at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle; air dry them.

A Quebec year for your cushions

Late April to mid-May, after the last frost (about April 29 in Montreal, May 11 in Quebec City): wash covers at 86°F (30°C) and carry the balcony pads out.
July: flip and turn south-facing window seat cushions, and draw a sheer at midday.
Early October: the first frost comes around October 4 in Quebec City and October 12 in Montreal. Bring balcony cushions in on a dry day.
Before storage: foam dry to the core, covers clean, stored off concrete in breathable bags, never sealed plastic.
January to March: if old glass sweats, lift the window seat cushion and wipe the sill.

Photographs for homes like these

Open any photograph large; each one has its own link and a Save button.

Dark taupe and cream ticking stripe window seat cushion with plain taupe piping on a dark plank bench in a cottage nook — Ticking stripes with a plain taupe piping on a deep cottage ledge, softened by a fringed linen pillow and a wool throw.

Powder aqua box seat pads tied onto two folding acacia bistro chairs on a small city balcony with herbs — Two folding chairs on a narrow balcony get tie-on seat pads in a soft aqua, next to a herb box on the railing.

Anthracite corduroy cushion on a cream storage window seat next to a stone fireplace, with a knit throw and forest view — The seat runs from the hearth to the window corner, so it gets both the fire's warmth and the forest view. A knit throw hangs ready over the end.

Navy corduroy box cushion fitted into a deep oak-lined window alcove with a rust linen pillow and a countryside view — The cushion fills an oak-lined alcove edge to edge, turning a deep window into a proper perch over the fields.

Forest green velvet bench cushion with cream piping and an angled end on a paneled seat beside a brick inglenook — A fireside seat cut with a slanted end to follow the angled joinery, with a book and glasses waiting.

In a Quebec window, a color must survive February's snow glare and July's long sun. Choose the one that looks calm in both.
Élodie

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Buyer questions: color, depth and weather

A common question
My window recess is uneven and there's trim in the way. Which width do I give you?
The workshop's answer
Send a rough sketch with every measurement on it. The workshop pauses production until the shape is confirmed. Mention any trim or wood that sticks out, since it throws measurements off; sometimes leaving a small gap is the simplest fix.
A common question
The color on my screen looks different from the swatch. Which one is right?
The workshop's answer
Screens and lighting make digital swatches look lighter or darker. Before production the workshop sends a photo of the actual fabric or finished piece so you can confirm it or pick another shade, and it suggests alternatives if a shade won't suit the room.
A common question
Can you photograph the cushion fabric and the piping fabric side by side?
The workshop's answer
Yes. The workshop photographs pairs together, for example one pale blue linen beside four different velvets, or a print beside a trim color. Ask for as many combinations as you need before ordering.
A common question
The color is exactly what I ordered, but it doesn't suit my room. What can I do?
The workshop's answer
Because the fabric matches the code ordered, it counts as a preference rather than a fault. The workshop offers a replacement cover in another color at cost, and sends daylight photos of the candidates first.
A common question
Is the fabric waterproof?
The workshop's answer
The standard fabrics are not waterproof. There is a water-repellent collection for spills, and a separate outdoor fabric range for cushions that live outside.

Have it made

Have it made for your home — ask Élodie’s workshop

Describe the room at four in the afternoon: the floor, the wall, the one color you love. That is where a good fabric choice begins. — Élodie

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.

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Want to pick the shape and add photos? Use the full quote form

Quebec cushion questions

Can balcony cushions stay out through a Montreal winter?

No. Montreal averages about 83 in (210 cm) of snow and 148 days a year with a low at or below 32°F (0°C). Bring balcony cushions in around the first fall frost, dry them to the core, and store them indoors in breathable bags.

How thick should a cushion be for a deep stone window embrasure?

Usually 3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm). Measure the depth at left, middle and right, order the smallest, and check that the window and its handle still open freely above the cushion.

Which cushion colors look best in Quebec's winter light?

Mid-tones such as dark taupe, oatmeal, moss and faded cranberry. Pure white reads cold and bluish in snow light, and very dark colors lose their detail by late afternoon. Judge a real swatch at your own window before ordering.

Can I send my measurements in centimeters?

Yes. Give every measurement in centimeters or every measurement in inches, never a mix. Before production the workshop sends a drawing of the agreed dimensions, and the cushion is made to that approved layout.

With color and care — Élodie

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