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A Reading by ÉlodieBench Cushions

A blue honeycomb jacquard bench cushion firm enough to write on

A notebook lies flat on this cushion without a wobble. That tells me more about the foam than any spec sheet could.

Read by

The Colorist of New OrleansPublished Updated 5 min read

Blue and white hexagon jacquard box cushion with self piping on an oak bench beside a bookcase, notebook on topSave
A thick honeycomb-pattern pad makes a plain oak bench usable as a reading seat in a book-lined study.

The quick answer

A custom bench cushion for a study or reading bench should be medium-firm, so a notebook lies flat and you can sit upright for an hour. The workshop's standard 32 DNS foam in a Dacron wrap does that; its softer 28 DNS is for sink-in sofa seats. A small honeycomb repeat suits a narrow bench.

Buyer questions

  1. A common question

    Can I have my cushion without piping or the decorative edge seam?

    The workshop's answer

    Yes. Two velvet cushions, 44 x 21 1/4 x 4 in (112 x 54 x 10 cm) and 44 x 17 3/4 x 3 1/8 in (112 x 45 x 8 cm), were made with no decorative seam. On a garden sofa, the seat cushions kept their piping and the wedge backrests were left plain.

  2. A common question

    Do you have a dark mustard, more of a marigold yellow?

    The workshop's answer

    Two options: soft fabric 920 is the brighter yellow, and velvet 111 is the deeper mustard. The workshop sends photos of cushions made in each, and for a striped yellow linen it sends real fabric images so you can judge the tone before production.

  3. A common question

    I've already ordered. Is it too late to change the fabric?

    The workshop's answer

    The workshop checks with production. If work hasn't started, the fabric can still change, for example to a black and white stripe. A second order can also be combined so both cushions ship together.

Now, the reading

A notebook that lies flat

Look at the notebook first. It lies flat on the cushion, pen beside it, with no tilt and no wobble. That tells me more about the foam inside this custom bench cushion than any spec sheet could.

The bench is narrow oak, and the pad on it is generous, thick enough to turn a hard perch into a seat for an hour of reading. Generous and soft would be a mistake here. You would sink, the notebook would slide, your back would round. What sits on this bench is medium-firm: it gives under you and holds its level around you. On the workshop's scale that is the standard 32 DNS high-density foam in a Dacron wrap. The softer 28 DNS belongs on a sink-in sofa seat, not a desk-side bench, and the foam firmness finder puts numbers to the difference.

Now the color, my friends. Cornflower blue and white in a tight honeycomb, with a whisper of pale gray between the cells. Behind it the bookcase is a riot of colored spines, so the cushion has to be orderly, and it is. Let one color speak and the others listen: here the blue speaks, and the oak and the books answer. A small potted plant on the windowsill and a framed print keep the corner lived-in, and the oak-effect floor carries the bench's honey tone down to the ground.

The pattern scale is the quiet genius. A small, tight repeat completes itself many times across a narrow seat, while a large damask would be cut off mid-motif. The jacquard and damask family holds both, so choose by the width of your bench. Self piping keeps the box corners square beside the wall. Which narrow seat in your home do you wish you could read on?

Pinned by Élodie in the study

Four pins, from the honeycomb to the notebook that proves the foam.

Pinned: Blue and white hexagon jacquard box cushion with self piping on an oak bench beside a bookcase, notebook on top
  1. Blue hexagon jacquard

    A blue-and-white honeycomb keeps a small study bright and reads as tailored rather than cute.

  2. Notebook on top

    A notebook resting flat shows the pad is firm enough to write on, not just sit on.

  3. Piped box edge

    Self piping keeps corners square on a thick pad over a narrow bench.

  4. Bookcase backdrop

    Colorful spines behind make the blue pattern feel part of the library.

  1. Blue hexagon jacquardA blue-and-white honeycomb keeps a small study bright and reads as tailored rather than cute.
  2. Notebook on topA notebook resting flat shows the pad is firm enough to write on, not just sit on.
  3. Piped box edgeSelf piping keeps corners square on a thick pad over a narrow bench.
  4. Bookcase backdropColorful spines behind make the blue pattern feel part of the library.

Which foam for which bench

What goes inside depends on what you do on top.

SeatFoamWhy
Study or reading bench32 DNS medium-firm, Dacron-wrappedHolds a notebook flat and keeps you upright
Sink-in sofa seat28 DNS, softer, same wrapFor lounging, lower density beats extra thickness
Banquette seat in piecesFirm foam, at least 2 in (5 cm)Each piece keeps its shape on its own
Custom shapes2, 3 or 4 in (5, 7.5 or 10 cm) thickThe same options as a plain rectangle
A real project

The party bench that arrived on Monday

One buyer wrote in about a bench cushion for a family party, an 80th birthday. The covers were ready on time. The foam was not; it came late from the factory. The workshop shipped by expedited courier, and the parcel still arrived the Monday after the party.

The buyer had to find stand-in cushions for the day, and the workshop gave a partial refund. Nobody was happy, least of all the people at the cutting table.

Foam is the part of a cushion you never see, and the part that can run late. For a fixed date, order at least 3 weeks ahead and tell the workshop the deadline when you order.

On the cutting table

CushionBox cushion on a narrow oak bench
FabricBlue-and-white honeycomb jacquard
ColorsCornflower blue, white, pale gray
PipingSelf piping; corners stay square
FeelMedium-firm, firm enough to write on
Standard fill32 DNS high-density foam in a Dacron wrap
Softer option28 DNS, for lounging seats
Pattern scaleSmall, tight repeat that reads whole on a narrow seat
Fixed datesOrder at least 3 weeks ahead

Order this cushion

Have it made

Have this made — ask Élodie’s workshop

A fabric reads one way at noon and another at dusk. Mention your light, and the workshop will weigh it with you. — 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.

Fabric · Foam · Pipingwhat the workshop will confirm with you

Fabric
Blue-and-white honeycomb jacquard
Foam
32 DNS high-density foam in a Dacron wrap
Piping
Self piping; corners stay square
Only for this request: no marketing calls or texts. Outside the US, add the country code.
In inches: length × depth × thickness, plus any angles or cut corners.

* Required. A member of the workshop team will call you to talk it through; nothing is charged and nothing is made until you have agreed on every detail with them.

We use these details only to answer this request and make your cushion: your name and contact details, the cushion details and photos you send, the page you came from and the ad or link that brought you, if any. The workshop that makes the cushions receives them. We don't sell them or share them for advertising, and we delete requests after 24 months. Privacy notice for requests.

Nothing is made or charged until you approve the details.

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

On a narrow bench cushion, choose a small geometric like a honeycomb; a large damask gets cut off mid-motif and never looks finished.

Élodie
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Questions buyers ask next

How firm should a cushion for a reading bench be?

Medium-firm. You want to sit upright for an hour and set a book or notebook down without it tipping. On the workshop's scale that is the standard 32 DNS foam in a Dacron wrap; the softer 28 DNS suits lounging seats.

Why does a small pattern suit a narrow bench cushion?

A narrow seat shows only a strip of fabric. A tight repeat like a honeycomb completes itself many times across that strip, while a large damask motif gets cut off at the edges and looks unfinished.

When should I order a bench cushion needed for a birthday or family gathering?

At least three weeks, and tell the workshop the date when you order. Covers and foam come together at the end, and a late foam delivery can push a cushion past a fixed deadline.

Does self piping matter on a thick pad over a narrow bench?

It helps. A welt in the same cloth holds the box corners square and keeps the front edge straight beside the wall, without adding a new color to a busy pattern.

With color and care — Élodie

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