---
title: "Made to Measure Cushions in the UK: Bay Windows and Benches"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-united-kingdom/"
section: "Across the Map"
author: "Margaret Holloway, The Piping Queen of Newport"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/"
published: "2026-05-19"
updated: "2026-05-19"
keywords: "made to measure cushions uk, bench cushions made to measure, window seat cushions uk, garden bench cushions uk, seat pads made to measure"
---

# Made to measure cushions for UK homes, gardens and window seats

*I spent twenty years re-covering window seats in drafty old New England houses, so British bays feel like home turf. Same cold glass, same damp, and a lot more rain.*

> **The quick answer:** Made to measure cushions in the UK should be built for damp rather than heat. Heathrow averages 24.2 in (615 mm) of rain on 112 days a year, and condensation on cold windows is the most common form of household damp. Choose zip-off covers that wash at 86°F (30°C), measure every edge in centimeters, and know that the standard foam is not a fire-retardant grade.

![Dove gray three-piece bay window seat cushion on a sage-gray paneled base with café curtains and herringbone floor](https://cushionguide.com/media/bay-window-cushions/dove-gray-three-piece-bay-window-cushion-townhouse-1600.webp "Three cushions follow the angles of a classic townhouse bay: a straight center piece and two angled sides in a soft gray geometric.")

## Damp, not heat: what British weather does to a cushion

Britain's cushion trouble is rarely heat. It's damp. At Heathrow, the Met Office's 1991 to 2020 averages give 24.2 in (615 mm) of rain on 112 days a year, 1,675 hours of sunshine and 27 air frosts. Near Glasgow, Paisley doubles the rain: 49.7 in (1,263 mm) over 174 days, with 1,280 hours of sun.

Indoors, government guidance calls condensation the most common form of damp. It forms where moist air cools against window frames and external walls, which is exactly where a window seat cushion lives. Wipe the glass, lift the cushion now and then, and choose a cover that zips off for the wash.

That's the whole brief for made to measure cushions in the UK: sized to the centimeter, washable and aired. The nation pages go further: [England](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-england/) for bays and conservatories, [Scotland](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-scotland/) for tenements and stone cottages.

## Bays, benches and the conservatory

Britain builds its seats into the house. Byelaw terraces alone made up over 15% of the UK's housing stock as recently as 2011, and bay windows turn up on terraces, semis and detached houses alike. A canted bay is an isosceles trapezoid seen from above; a bow window curves instead. Either way, a [bay window cushion](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bay-window-cushions/) is a drawing job, not a guess.

Then there's the rest: the window seat in a period sitting room, the kitchen bench pulled up to the table, the boot-room bench by the back door, and the conservatory, which by the usual UK definition has at least half its side walls and three-quarters of its roof in glass. Out in the garden, a teak bench waits for a seat pad. For long runs and awkward ends, the [bench cushion builder](https://cushionguide.com/studio/bench-cushion-builder/) gets the numbers down.

What does your bay measure along the back, dear?

## The fire label question, answered plainly

UK buyers ask this, and they deserve a straight answer. The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 cover furniture ordinarily intended for private use in a dwelling, and they name cushions and pillows. Garden furniture that is also suitable for indoor use is included. A caravan counts as a dwelling; boats and motor vehicles don't.

For foam in a cushion, the rules call for a test under BS 5852 Part 2 with ignition source 5, a small wooden crib, and the foam passes if it loses less than 60 g. Cover fabrics face a separate match test. The display label you see on sofas in shops isn't required on cushions and pillows; a shorter permanent label is.

Now the plain part. The workshop's standard foam is not a fire-retardant grade, and it has told UK buyers it has no fire-retardant foam or fabric. We don't claim these cushions meet the 1988 rules. If you need that, order [covers for your own foam](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-covers-for-existing-foam/) and have a local upholsterer fill them with compliant filling. More in [flame retardant free cushions](https://cushionguide.com/guides/flame-retardant-free-cushions/). This is a summary, not legal advice.

## A corner bench with three rounded corners and two small boys

A family in the UK wrote in about a corner dining bench, about 71 x 47 in (180 x 120 cm) outside and 17.75 in (45 cm) deep, with a rush seat and three rounded corners. Two small boys meant the cushion had to be washable.

The workshop made it in two pieces meeting at the corner and asked her to mark where each curve began: about 7, 8 and 8.75 in (18, 20 and 22 cm) from the corners. Then it sent a template to check.

The bench was already 17 in (43 cm) high, so she chose 2 in (5 cm) instead of the 4 in (10 cm) suggested, which kept the table at a sensible height. Ties went to the spindles. The fabric was olive-green velvet with mustard piping, and I'd have picked exactly that pair myself.

## Window seat, kitchen bench or garden seat pad: what to choose

| Seat | Fabric | Thickness and build | Piping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victorian bay window seat | Linen-look or velvet; neither is water-repellent | 3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm); one piece, or one per facet | Contrast piping traces each angle |
| Kitchen bench or banquette | Velvet with a zip-off cover, or a linen-style performance weave | 2 in (5 cm) if the bench is already at seat height, 4 in (10 cm) otherwise; ties to spindles | A contrast welt, like mustard on olive |
| Boot-room bench | Soft poly-cotton in a warm neutral that washes easily | Custom shape around protruding wood, cut from photos | Self piping |
| Garden bench seat pad | Outdoor fabric: water-repellent, UV- and fade-resistant | 3 to 4 in (8 to 10 cm); ties at the back corners | Self or contrast |

Covers zip off and wash at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle. The standard foam is a 32 kg/m³ high-density grade with no fire-retardant treatment.

## Before you order: a checklist for British seats

- ✓ Measure the bench, not the cushion you used to have, unless the old one fitted perfectly; then send its sizes too.
- ✓ Use a rigid tape on the seat top itself and write exact numbers. The workshop decides any allowance.
- ✓ Draw bays and angled benches from above, with every edge written on the drawing.
- ✓ Note the seat height, radiators, window handles and anything that sticks out.
- ✓ Decide on piping now: same fabric, contrast, or none.
- ✓ Order swatches and judge them in your own daylight, not on a screen.
- ✓ If you need compliant fire-safety filling, plan on covers only and a local upholsterer.

> In a British house the enemy isn't the sun. It's cold glass, and the damp that runs down it into your cushion.
>
> — Maggie

> **Tailor's margin:** Piping costs nothing extra. Decide on it before you order: a straight contrast welt is what makes a plain kitchen bench look tailored.

## Buyer questions: fire rules, velvet and a bench at seat height

**A common question:** Are the foam and the fabric fire retardant?

**The workshop's answer:** No. The workshop doesn't have fire-retardant foam or fabric. One UK buyer ordered velvet covers only and had fire-retardant filling put in locally.

**A common question:** Our dining bench is already at seat height. How thick should the cushion be?

**The workshop's answer:** The workshop generally recommends 4 in (10 cm), and 3 in (7.5 cm) is the most popular choice. For a bench already 17 in (43 cm) high, 2 in (5 cm) was chosen to keep the table at the right height; the medium-firm 32 kg/m³ high-density foam doesn't sink much.

**A common question:** How do I look after velvet when something gets spilled on it? Does it have a stain repellent, and can it be dry cleaned?

**The workshop's answer:** Blot the spill quickly with a dry cloth. The cover zips off, so you can also machine wash it at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle. The velvet has no stain-repellent coating; the protection comes from the cover being removable and washable. There are no dry-cleaning instructions, and the gentle 86°F (30°C) wash is the recommended care.

**A common question:** Should I send the measurements of the bench or of my old cushions?

**The workshop's answer:** If you're happy with how the current cushions fit, send their sizes. If they don't fit well, or you want a different thickness, send the bench measurements instead.

**A common question:** Can the piping be a different color or fabric from the cushion?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Piping can be cut from any fabric in the charts. Buyers have paired beige linen with forest-green velvet piping, beige linen with bordeaux, and cream soft fabric with gray piping. Write both codes in the personalization box.

**A common question:** My window seat has no wall behind it. How do I stop the cushion and bolster from moving?

**The workshop's answer:** A non-slip fabric piece under the bottom cushion stops it sliding, and the workshop can also make two smaller side bolsters to your measurements.

## UK made to measure cushion questions

### Do made to measure cushions fall under the UK furniture fire regulations?

The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 name cushions and pillows among the furniture they cover. The workshop's standard foam is not a fire-retardant grade, and we don't claim compliance. If you need it, order covers only and have them filled locally.

### What thickness suits a window seat in a Victorian bay?

Usually 3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm). The workshop's standard is 4 in (10 cm), and 3 in (7.5 cm) is its best seller for tight spots, such as a 15 in (38 cm) gap between a bench and the windowsill. Draw the bay from above with every edge written on it.

### Can a garden bench seat pad stay outside through a British winter?

Better not. Heathrow averages 112 rain days and 27 air frosts a year, and western Scotland is far wetter. Outdoor fabric is water-repellent, not waterproof, and the standard foam isn't quick-dry, so store seat pads dry and indoors off-season.

### Should I give sizes in centimeters or inches?

Either works, but centimeters suit most UK tapes. When a listing shows both, the workshop makes the cushion to the centimeter size once you order; if an exact inch size matters to you, say so in the notes.

## Related at the atelier

- [Custom cushions for German corner benches, balconies and winter gardens](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-germany/): Custom cushions in Germany start at the kitchen Eckbank: measure each leg of the L, decide which cushion runs into the corner, subtract the seat thickness from any backrest height and add a non-slip…
- [Made to measure cushions for Irish homes, from Georgian Dublin to the west](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-ireland/): Made to measure cushions in Ireland should be built for mild, damp weather: zip-off covers that wash at 86°F (30°C), foam that gets aired, and window seats slim enough for Georgian shutters to close.
- [Custom cushions for New Hampshire farmhouses, lake camps and mudrooms](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-new-hampshire/): Custom cushions in New Hampshire should be built for the season that works them hardest.
- [Custom Bench Cushion in Gray: Seat Pad and Loose Back Pillows](https://cushionguide.com/readings/gray-seat-pad-back-pillows-rustic-bed-end-bench/): A custom bench cushion seats more people well when it is sized to the job: thickness chosen against the table or bed, a seat pad covering the full length and depth, and back support that can move.
- [Cushions for plaster niches, arched windows and adobe bancos](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/spanish-revival-and-adobe-banco-cushions/): A banco cushion is cut to a built-in bench of adobe, plaster or concrete, so measure the seat itself at the front, the back and the middle, because plaster walls bow.
- [Chair Cushion With Ties for Wrought Iron: Feel, Wear, Wash](https://cushionguide.com/readings/butter-lilac-seat-pad-lattice-iron-terrace-chair/): A chair cushion with ties on a wrought-iron chair carries all the comfort, so choose a boxed pad with a deep front edge, ties cut from the same fabric and an outdoor weave with self piping to…
- [Bullnose and waterfall-front cushions, explained by the edge](https://cushionguide.com/guides/bullnose-cushion-rounded-front-edge/)
- [Cushions for 7-sided and rounded bay window seats in older homes](https://cushionguide.com/guides/7-sided-rounded-bay-window-seat-cushion/)

*Stitch straight — Maggie*

---

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-united-kingdom/