A Reading by MaggieBench Cushions
A black floral dining bench cushion, taken apart and followed through the year
One pattern in a white dining corner, two pillows borrowed from the room, and a cushion that has to survive crumbs from New Year's to Thanksgiving.
SaveThe quick answer
A dining bench cushion works best at about 3 in (7.5 cm) thick, with a zippered cover that washes at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle and never goes in the dryer. If the bench fits tightly between walls or cabinets, say whether the finished size includes the piping, because piping adds to the outer measurement.
The cushion, cut open
Cover fabric. A removable, zippered cover. Machine wash at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle and air dry.
Piping. A fabric-covered cord sewn into the seams. It sits on the seam line, so it does not change the size.
Fiber wrap. Polyester fiber (Dacron) batting around the foam: it fills the cover out and softens the edges.
Foam core. About 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) high-resilience foam, firm to medium-firm, cut to the ordered size.
Zipper. Along the back band, as hidden as possible. The zipper side faces down or toward the wall.
Base panel. The underside of the cover. A non-slip fabric backing can cover the whole of it instead.
Cut through a dining bench cushion
Right, then. Let's take this cushion apart on paper before we admire it.
From the bottom up: a white paneled storage bench against a white wall. On its top, a foam core cut to the bench. For a seat you eat at, I'd make that core 3 in (7.5 cm) thick. The workshop makes them from 2 to 5 in (5 to 12.5 cm), and 5 in is really for deep, lounge-style seats. Around the foam goes a zippered cover with a box wall, so the sides stand straight and the paneling below stays crisp. At the top and bottom seams, self piping cut from the same black floral.
Self piping is the sensible choice here. A contrast welt around a busy dark print would draw a second outline, and in a white room that line would run straight across your eye. This welt tells no tales.
One detail matters more than any other on a bench that meets a table: the finished size. Piping sits on the outside of the seam, so it adds to the outer measurement. If your bench fits tight between a wall and a cabinet, write on the order whether the size includes the piping. A past job, below, taught everyone that lesson.
Layer by layer, bench to piping
| Base | White paneled storage bench beside the dining table |
|---|---|
| Core | Foam cut to the bench top; 3 in (7.5 cm) suits dining |
| Thickness range | 2 to 5 in (5 to 12.5 cm); 5 in for lounge-deep seats |
| Cover | Zippered box cover, black floral with white and gray flowers |
| Piping | Self piping; body and piping can be any color mix |
| Finished size | Say whether it includes the piping |
| Care | Gentle wash at 86°F (30°C), no tumble dryer |
| Pillows | Powder-blue velvet from the chairs, white ruffle from the walls |
| Best for | Dining corners and kitchen nooks |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Maggie’s workshop
Have the tape measure handy when they call. Old cushions shrink and sag; the seat underneath does not. — Maggie
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.
Pinned by Maggie
Five pins, from the only pattern in the room to the silver teapot that echoes its flowers.
- Black floral cushion
The only pattern in a white room, so it draws the eye without a fight.
- Powder-blue velvet pillow
Matches the dining chairs, which links the bench to the table setting.
- White ruffle pillow
Repeats the white wall and keeps a dark print feeling light.
- Blue dining chair
Take pillow colors from furniture you already own.
- Silver teapot
Polished metal on the cabinet echoes the silvery gray in the flowers.
- Black floral cushionThe only pattern in a white room, so it draws the eye without a fight.
- Powder-blue velvet pillowMatches the dining chairs, which links the bench to the table setting.
- White ruffle pillowRepeats the white wall and keeps a dark print feeling light.
- Blue dining chairTake pillow colors from furniture you already own.
- Silver teapotPolished metal on the cabinet echoes the silvery gray in the flowers.
The same dining corner in four seasons
The black floral is the only pattern in a room of white walls, a pale gray rug and powder-blue dining chairs, so it draws the eye without starting a fight. A powder-blue velvet pillow repeats the chair upholstery and ties the bench to the table. A white ruffled pillow repeats the walls and keeps a dark print feeling light. On the glass-fronted cabinet with its oak trim, a silver teapot echoes the silvery gray in the flowers, and the framed abstract above keeps the wall from going blank. Here is my checklist for the year.
Winter. Flat bright light off the snow makes a black print look its sharpest. The velvet pillow earns its keep now; it feels warm under a hand.
Spring. Wash day. Unzip the cover, run it at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle, skip the tumble dryer and let it air dry before it goes back on.
Summer. Long suppers and open windows mean more crumbs. A dark ground forgives what a pale one would announce by breakfast.
Fall and the holidays. The bench seats the extra guests. Move a pillow to the cabinet to free up a place, and bring the ruffle back once the dishes are done.
To copy the look, take one pillow color straight from the chairs you already own. What color are yours, dear? More ideas wait in the bench cushion atlas, among the kitchen nook cushions and in banquette cushion thickness and table height.
Three-quarters of an inch too generous
An interior design company ordered a bench cushion 19.5 in (49.5 cm) wide, in one fabric with mustard contrast piping. It measured about 0.5 to 0.75 in (1.3 to 1.9 cm) wider than ordered, and the piping looked crushed.
The shop's first answer was fair. The tape in the photo didn't start at the edge, piping adds to the outer size, and vacuum-packing creases settle within about a week. I've made that exact tape slip myself, and I'd rather not say how many times.
But for an installation, the designers said, that margin was too big, and they knew their job. The shop remade the cushion free. This time they asked for 19 in (48 cm) including the piping, because slightly small beats oversized when a cushion has to drop between fixed pieces. The replacement came out 19 x 65.5 in (48 x 166 cm) including piping, 3 in (7.5 cm) thick.
Put the words 'including piping' on the order when it matters. The custom cushion size tolerance Pattern goes further.
Buyer questions: piping colors, seat thickness and a 120-degree corner
- A common question
Could the piping be a different color from the rest of the cushion?
The workshop's answerYes, any combination can be made, for example a teal body with piping in a nearby blue. The shop sends original photos of both fabrics so you can judge the shades side by side.
- A common question
How thick should a banquette seat cushion be? I was thinking 2 or 3 inches.
The workshop's answerFor an L-shaped bench the shop recommended 3 in (7.5 cm) over 2 in. Options run from 2 to 5 in (5 to 12.5 cm): 2 in is the minimum, and 5 in is a standard option for deep, lounge-style seats.
- A common question
Our breakfast-corner bench meets at 120 degrees, not 90. How do we measure it, and is that one cushion or two?
The workshop's answerThe angle is no problem as long as the measurements are there. The shop asked for photos and a drawing of the shape on paper with sizes, then recommended two trapezoid cushions, ordered through the trapezoid listing.
If a dining bench cushion must fit between fixed pieces, order the size including the piping. Slightly small drops in; oversized never does.
Maggie
Questions buyers ask next
How do I wash a dining bench cushion cover?
Unzip the cover, wash it on a gentle cycle at 86°F (30°C) and skip the tumble dryer. Let it air dry before zipping it back over the foam. The foam itself stays out of the machine.
My cushion measures wider than I ordered. Why?
Check three things first: that the tape starts right at the edge, that you are not measuring over the piping, which adds to the outer size, and that packing creases have had about a week to settle. If it still runs wide, send photos.
What pillow colors go with a black floral bench cushion?
Borrow them from the room. Here a powder-blue velvet pillow repeats the dining chairs and a white ruffled pillow repeats the walls, so a dark print feels light and the bench joins the table setting.
Is a dark print practical on a dining bench?
Yes. A bench beside a table collects crumbs and the odd drip, and a dark ground hides them between washes. Pair it with a zippered cover so it can go in the machine at 86°F (30°C) when it needs more than a brush.
Stitch straight — Maggie
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