A Reading by CallumChaise Lounge & Sunbed Cushions
A coral-stripe sunbed cushion tied to a wheeled chaise, built for a long afternoon
Strong sun, a blue pool, a wicker chaise on wheels and a two-part cushion that stays put when you sit up. I wrote this one as a letter from the deck.
SaveThe quick answer
A sunbed cushion for long lounging needs ties at the recline hinge and near the foot, a slim box edge that sits inside the frame rim, and outdoor-suitable inserts under a water-repellent cover. The ties keep the back section upright when you sit up to read, and on a wheeled chaise the cushion follows the frame into the shade instead of sliding off.
Portland ·
Friend,
A letter about sitting outside for three hours
A lounger cushion is judged in the third hour, not the first minute. By then you've read two chapters, rolled over once and sat up for a drink. If the back section slides every time you move, you stop lounging and start adjusting.
This sunbed cushion has the fix in plain view. Ties wrap the frame at the recline position, so the back stays upright. Another pair holds the long seat near the foot. The chaise rolls on rear wheels, and the cushion travels with it when you chase the shade at four o'clock. Tie spacing is its own craft; where to put cushion ties covers it.
The two photos further down pair stripes with solids on stone and teak benches, if you're planning a whole set.
Pinned by Callum: ties, wheels and a square foot end
Five pins, from the hinge ties that hold the back upright to the rear wheel that takes the cushion into the shade.
- Hinge ties
Ties wrap the frame at the recline position, so the back stays upright.
- Foot-end tie
A tie near the foot anchors the long seat section.
- Rear wheel
Wheels on the chaise mean the cushion travels with it into the shade.
- Striped backrest
Wide coral stripes look bold from the house and relaxed up close.
- Square foot end
The box edge is cut square, so it sits neatly at the end of the frame.
- Hinge tiesTies wrap the frame at the recline position, so the back stays upright.
- Foot-end tieA tie near the foot anchors the long seat section.
- Rear wheelWheels on the chaise mean the cushion travels with it into the shade.
- Striped backrestWide coral stripes look bold from the house and relaxed up close.
- Square foot endThe box edge is cut square, so it sits neatly at the end of the frame.
Stripes the long way, and a coral that holds its own
The stripes run head to foot. That makes the lounger look longer and slimmer, and the wide coral bands read bold from the house and easy up close. Against blue water and gray concrete, coral is the only warm color on the deck.
The edge is boxed and slim, cut square at the foot so it sits neatly inside the wicker rim. Nothing hangs over to catch the sun on its underside.
The cover is a water-repellent membrane cloth. Water-repellent is a promise; waterproof is a contract. Know which one you bought before the first August storm rolls in; water-repellent versus waterproof spells out the difference.
The school bus with a narrow seat back
A buyer in the US converted a school bus into a camper and wanted cushions for its loveseat. The seat back measured 46.5 in (118 cm) wide and 17.5 in (44 cm) tall. The base was 48 in (122 cm) wide and 16.5 in (42 cm) deep. Not the same width.
The workshop subtracted the backrest thickness from the back height and made the back cushion narrower than the seat, in linen color 8. Same lesson on a lounger: measure the back section and the seat section separately. Frames are rarely as square as they look.
On the cutting table: the poolside lounger
| Product | Two-part sunbed cushion, seat and back section |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Outdoor membrane cloth, wide coral and white stripe |
| Stripe direction | Lengthways, head to foot |
| Edge | Slim box edge, square foot end |
| Piping | Self piping |
| Fastening | Ties at the recline hinge and near the foot |
| Inserts | Outdoor-suitable, under a water-repellent cover |
| Frame | Wicker chaise with rear wheels |
| Best for | Pool decks and patios where you read for hours |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Callum’s workshop
Short list: size, sun hours, how fast it has to dry. The workshop goes through it with you. — Callum
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.
Buyer questions: outdoor inserts, cream versus white, mock-ups
- A common question
These cushions are going outside. Are the inserts and the fabric both made for that?
The workshop's answerYes. Outdoor seats and backs get outdoor-suitable inserts, and the outdoor cushion fabric itself is water-repellent.
- A common question
Is the outdoor fabric bright white, or closer to a natural cream?
The workshop's answerM-7 and M-19 have a soft cream background, not bright white. In the solids, S-09 leans toward stark white, while S-29 and S-30 run more beige. When matching an existing cushion, S-09 came closest, and batches can differ very slightly in shade.
- A common question
Could you mock up my cushion in the fabric I picked before I place the order?
The workshop's answerYes. The workshop makes digital mock-ups of your cushion in the chosen fabric, such as an outdoor stripe with blue piping, corduroy with bolsters, or sofa covers shown in two candidate colors.
On a two-part lounger cushion, put ties at the recline hinge and near the foot, or the back section slides every time you sit up.
Callum
Questions buyers ask next
Where do ties belong on a two-part chaise cushion?
At the recline hinge, where the back section meets the seat, and near the foot of the long seat. The hinge ties hold the back upright when you sit up; the foot ties stop the seat creeping toward the pool as you shift around.
Do lengthways stripes suit a sunbed cushion?
Yes. Stripes running head to foot make a lounger look longer and slimmer, and they stay straight when the back section folds up. Wide bands read clearly from the house; narrow ones can turn busy at a distance in strong sun.
What keeps a lounger cushion comfortable for hours rather than minutes?
Staying in place, first of all, because a cushion that slides turns reading into adjusting. After that: a boxed edge that fills the frame, a back section that holds its angle, and inserts meant for outdoor use so a damp morning doesn't spoil the afternoon.
Fair winds — Callum
