---
title: "Pacific Northwest Cushions: Rain, Damp and Gray-Day Nooks"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/places/pacific-northwest-cushions/"
section: "Across the Map"
author: "Hana Lindqvist, The Quiet Geometer of Seattle"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/hana/"
published: "2026-02-04"
updated: "2026-02-04"
keywords: "pacific northwest outdoor cushions, seattle window seat cushion, portland covered porch cushions, craftsman window seat cushion, reading nook cushion, mildew resistant cushion fabric, condensation window seat"
---

# Cushions for Pacific Northwest homes

*Here the weather is less rain than damp. It reaches porches, sills and foam. Build for that, and the gray months become the best months to sit.*

> **The quick answer:** Pacific Northwest outdoor cushions should be made in outdoor fabric even on a covered porch, because damp air lingers for months and indoor fabrics aren't waterproof. Indoors, velvet or a wipeable performance weave suits window seats near fogging glass. Lift and air any cushion that sits against a cold, wet sill, and store outdoor cushions dry over winter.

![Close low-angle view of a navy wide-wale corduroy box cushion corner with self piping on a pine window seat](https://cushionguide.com/media/window-seat-cushions/navy-corduroy-cushion-corner-piping-low-angle-1600.webp "Seen from knee height, the self piping shows as a beaded line where the boxing strip meets the top. The corner is sewn square with no puckering.")

## Twenty percent sun in December, and damp the rest of the time

In December, Seattle gets about 20 percent of the sunshine it could. Portland, the same. January in Seattle, 23 percent.

The rain itself is not heavy. The season is long. About three quarters of Seattle's 39.34 in (100 cm) a year falls in the October–March half of the year. November through January brings 18 or 19 wet days a month. July brings five.

Morning humidity averages 82 percent in Seattle and Portland. On a January afternoon in Seattle it is still near 76. Damp air slips under a porch roof. It settles on a cold window and runs down to the sill.

So Pacific Northwest outdoor cushions, and the indoor ones by the glass, are built for damp first. Sun comes second. Seattle's noon UV Index averages 7.3 in July and 0.6 in December, well under the 10 to 12 of the Sun Belt. Fading happens here. Slowly.

Low light changes color choices too. A buyer in the US wanted a forest green window seat cushion, 78.75 x 15.5 in (200 x 39 cm) and 3 in (7.5 cm) thick, with thin cream and camel stripes woven in. The workshop doesn't weave fabric, so the buyer chose from the charts: forest green 923 with mustard 920. Warm colors carry a gray afternoon.

## Craftsman bays, covered porches, and the bench by the back door

The Craftsman house shaped this region. Its designers loved built-ins, inglenooks and big windows with benches beneath them. Gustav Stickley published more than 200 house plans in *The Craftsman* between 1903 and 1916, and many bungalows in Seattle and Portland still keep the bench under the window. See [Craftsman bungalow window seats](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/craftsman-bungalow-window-seat-cushions/).

Around them: Foursquares, mid-century ranches and split-levels, new townhouses, backyard ADUs, a few floating homes.

The seats:
- **Window seats and reading nooks** for gray afternoons. [Reading nook cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/reading-nook-cushions/), [window seat cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/window-seat-cushions/).
- **Covered porches**, used most of the year. [Patio and porch cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/patio-and-porch-cushions/), and [indoor cushions on a covered porch](https://cushionguide.com/guides/indoor-cushions-covered-porch/) for the roof-and-screen question. [Callum](https://cushionguide.com/masters/callum/) keeps the outdoor notes.
- **Mudroom benches** for wet boots and dogs. [Mudroom bench cushions](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/mudroom-bench-cushions/).
- **Floor seating** in small apartments and ADUs.

Older houses often put a radiator under the window. A buyer in the US had a 106 x 15 in (269 x 38 cm) ledge above one. The workshop suggested two 53 x 15 in (135 x 38 cm) cushions instead of one, so heat can escape and each piece lifts out alone.

Where do you sit when the afternoon goes gray?

## Fabric and foam for damp-weather seats

| Seat | Fabric | Why | Build note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covered or screened porch | Outdoor fabric | Humid air, pollen and dust reach under a roof; indoor fabrics aren't waterproof | 3-4 in (7.5-10 cm); store dry over winter |
| Window seat by single-pane glass | Velvet or soft performance fabric | Smooth weaves wipe clean more easily than textured, absorbent ones | Lift and air the cushion when the glass fogs |
| Reading nook | Corduroy or velvet in a warm color | Texture and warm tones carry low light | 4 in (10 cm) standard; measure the finished nook |
| Mudroom bench | Soft performance fabric or velvet | Wipes clean; covers wash at 86°F (30°C) | Non-slip base; skip corduroy, whose ribs can split under hard use |
| Kids' floor cushion | Soft fabric, untufted | Zippered covers go in the washer; tufted cushions don't | Every foam cushion has a removable zippered cover |

## A reading nook measured after the shelves, not before

A buyer in the US asked for a seat, a back and two side pillows for a reading nook. The bookshelf wall around it wasn't built yet.

The workshop asked for one thing first. Measurements of the finished nook, not the plan.

They came back: 51 in (130 cm) wide, 37 in (94 cm) deep, a back wall 21 in (53 cm) high. The workshop quoted two thicknesses, 4 in (10 cm) and 8 in (20 cm), in velvet, linen or the soft [performance fabric](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/performance-and-pet-friendly/).

Height is a feeling. Against a 21 in back wall, a 4 in seat leaves 17 in (43 cm) of wall to lean on. An 8 in seat leaves 13 in (33 cm). The [foam firmness finder](https://cushionguide.com/studio/foam-firmness-finder/) helps with the rest, and [built-in reading nook cushions](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/built-in-reading-nook-cushions/) has more layouts.

Measure the room you will have.
Not the room you have today.
The cushion lives in the finished one.

> A covered porch cushion in the Pacific Northwest still sits in damp air for six months a year. If rain or humid air reaches the seat, choose outdoor fabric.
>
> — Hana

## Through the wet months and the dry ones

- ✓ October: move outdoor cushions under cover before the wet season settles in.
- ✓ Any wet day: dry a damp cushion within 24 to 48 hours. That is the window the EPA gives for stopping mold.
- ✓ November–March: when the window fogs, wipe the sill and stand the cushion on its edge to air.
- ✓ All winter: keep indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally 30 to 50, as the EPA advises.
- ✓ Winter storage: outdoor cushions go dry, off concrete, into something that breathes.
- ✓ Monthly: wipe mudroom bench covers with a damp cloth and mild soap. Zip them off and wash at 86°F (30°C) when needed.
- ✓ July and August: the dry weeks. Wash porch covers, let them dry fully in the air, and put them back on.

> **Tailor's margin:** A window seat cushion pressed against fogging glass all winter can mildew in any fabric. Lift it and dry the sill within 24 to 48 hours.

## Buyer questions: porches, sills and wipe-clean fabric

**A common question:** Our porch has a roof but it's open to pollen, dust and humid air. Will an indoor linen cushion be okay out there?

**The workshop's answer:** On a covered balcony or porch that rain barely reaches, the linen cushion will work. For a screened porch that gets pollen, dust and humidity, the workshop recommends its outdoor fabric instead, and it can send samples first.

**A common question:** My window seat sits against single-pane glass that collects a lot of condensation, and the last cushion got mildew. Which fabric wipes best?

**The workshop's answer:** Velvet or the soft performance fabric, both easier to clean than textured or absorbent weaves; the soft fabric is the most practical if easy cleaning comes first. Both are upholstery fabrics, not waterproof, so wipe moisture away regularly and don't leave the cushion against a wet surface. Constant damp can mildew any fabric.

**A common question:** Do you make floor cushions I could use on a covered second-story balcony?

**The workshop's answer:** Under a closed roof, the regular fabrics are fine. For open-air spots, including screened porches, the cushions are made in outdoor fabric, and any piece can be made in it: seat, backrest or bolsters.

**A common question:** What is your 'soft fabric' actually made of?

**The workshop's answer:** It's the workshop's best-selling upholstery weave, a thick, durable performance fabric with a soft hand, described as a polyester-cotton blend. It isn't chenille and isn't 100% cotton. It wipes clean easily and machine washes at 86°F (30°C). For a natural fiber, choose cotton-linen instead.

**A common question:** The tufted floor cushion has no zipper. How am I supposed to clean it?

**The workshop's answer:** Clean it in place by hand: wipe the surface gently with a damp cloth, with a little mild soap and water for marks. The soft fabric wipes clean most easily. If you'd rather machine wash, choose the untufted foam version, which has a zippered, removable cover.

## Pacific Northwest questions

### Why use outdoor fabric under a porch roof in Seattle or Portland?

Because the roof keeps off rain, not damp. Morning humidity averages 82 percent in both cities, and about three quarters of Seattle's yearly rain falls in the October–March wet season. Indoor fabrics aren't waterproof; outdoor fabric is water-repellent and resists moisture and mildew far better.

### Will a window seat cushion fade in the Pacific Northwest?

Slowly. Seattle's average noon UV Index is 7.3 in July and 0.6 in December, against 10 to 12 across the Sun Belt. A west-facing seat still sees summer sun, so turn the cushion now and then. Damp near cold glass is the bigger worry here.

### What colors work in a gray-light reading nook?

Warm ones, with texture. Seattle and Portland get about 20 percent of their possible sunshine in December, and cool colors can go flat in that light. Mustard, rust, forest green or a wide-wale corduroy hold up better. Judge swatches at the window on an overcast afternoon.

### Can outdoor cushions stay out through a Northwest winter?

Not these. The workshop's outdoor fabric is UV-resistant and water-repellent, but the foam isn't quick-dry and there's no mesh drain bottom. Keep them on a fully covered porch, or store them dry, off concrete, in something breathable from late fall.

## Related at the atelier

- [Window Seat Cushion in Peach, Pentagon-Cut for an Oak Corner](https://cushionguide.com/readings/peach-pentagon-corner-cushion-oak-forest-nook/): A corner window seat cushion cut as a pentagon, with two long sides against the walls and the front corner clipped, is easier to climb into than a square one.
- [Burnt Orange Window Seat Cushion, Self-Piped, Seen From Above](https://cushionguide.com/readings/burnt-orange-window-seat-cushion-overhead-book-coffee/): Self piping, cut from the same fabric as the cushion, is the safest choice when the piping color you want isn't made in the same fabric type, because the match is guaranteed.
- [Window Seat Cushion in Black Between Oak Library Shelves](https://cushionguide.com/readings/black-window-seat-oak-library-shelves-green-sash/): A slim window seat cushion on a storage bench should be firm, because a thin cushion has no depth to hide soft foam and you will feel the lid through it.
- [Cushions for Colorado homes, decks and mudrooms](https://cushionguide.com/places/colorado-cushions/): Colorado outdoor cushions need UV-resistant outdoor fabric and a plan to bring them in, because Denver's July noon UV averages 10.4 and the state ranked second in US hail loss claims for 2017 to 2019.
- [Bullnose and waterfall-front cushions, explained by the edge](https://cushionguide.com/guides/bullnose-cushion-rounded-front-edge/): A bullnose cushion has its top, front and bottom cut from one continuous piece of fabric, so the front edge rolls over with no seam.
- [Sunroom and three-season room cushions: fabric for sun, heat and damp](https://cushionguide.com/guides/sunroom-cushion-fabric-humidity/): For sunroom cushions, choose fabric for the room's harshest exposure: outdoor fabric where hours of direct sun, screened walls or regular damp reach the seat, and indoor velvet or smooth microfiber…
- [Reading nook bolsters, back pillows and a seat depth that invites a nap](https://cushionguide.com/guides/reading-nook-cushion-bolsters/)
- [Window seat cushion thickness compared: 2, 3, 4 and 5 inches](https://cushionguide.com/guides/window-seat-cushion-thickness/)

*— Hana*

---

Written by Hana Lindqvist (https://cushionguide.com/masters/hana/) 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/pacific-northwest-cushions/