A Reading by NateBay Window Cushions
Denim blue bay window seat cushion: self, contrast or no piping
Nate's notebook page on a paneled bay, a sleeping retriever, and why the piping line on an angled cushion should forgive a quarter inch.
SaveThe quick answer
On a trapezoid bay window cushion, self piping is the forgiving choice: the welt matches the body, so a small angle miss at the wall doesn't get a line drawn to it. Here a denim blue box cushion follows the bay's angled ends with self piping. Contrast piping outlines every corner in a second color, so choose it only when your template is exact.
Notebook entry: a piping line is a drawing of your numbers
A piping line is a drawing of your measurements. On a rectangle it draws four right angles, and nobody checks them. On a bay window cushion it draws the angled ends, and everybody does.
This one is a denim blue trapezoid in a performance weave, box edge, self piping. The ends are cut on an angle to follow the side walls, and the front stops flush with the white paneling, so no lip hangs over. The welt is the same blue as the body. From across the room you read the shape, not the seam.
The props are few, and each one earns its keep. Two ivory linen pillows stand at the ends and leave the center open, which is where the golden retriever has filed his claim; the seat runs the full bay, so he fits lengthwise. Denim blue picks up the navy in the Persian rug and the gray sky in the sashes. Cool frame, warm dog.
So, partner, three piping options, scored below for an angled seat. If you're drawing your own, keep the bay window calculator and the piping Pattern open in two tabs. What does your bay measure across the front?
Self, contrast or none: scored on an angled bay
| Piping | What the line does | Verdict on this bay |
|---|---|---|
| Self piping | Firms the edge, then disappears into the body | Best here: a small angle miss at the wall goes unnoticed |
| Contrast piping, say ivory | Outlines every corner in a second color | Only with an exact template; a 1/4 in (6 mm) gap gets underlined |
| No piping | A softer, more relaxed outline | Good for lounging, less tailored against crisp white paneling |
Pinned by Nate: five coordinates on the bay
Five pins, from the angled end at the side wall to the paneled base where the cushion stops flush.
- Denim blue seat
Blue picks up the navy in the rug and the sky through the sashes.
- Angled end
The end is cut on an angle to follow the side wall of the bay.
- Golden retriever
A big dog fits lengthwise because the seat runs the full bay.
- Ivory linen pillow
Pillows stand at each end, leaving the center free.
- Paneled bay base
The cushion stops flush with the paneling so no lip overhangs.
- Denim blue seatBlue picks up the navy in the rug and the sky through the sashes.
- Angled endThe end is cut on an angle to follow the side wall of the bay.
- Golden retrieverA big dog fits lengthwise because the seat runs the full bay.
- Ivory linen pillowPillows stand at each end, leaving the center free.
- Paneled bay baseThe cushion stops flush with the paneling so no lip overhangs.
95 in on paper, 92 1/2 in out of the box
A buyer wrote in with a wide bay seat. For a trapezoid the workshop needs more than front, depth and thickness: it needs the back edge and both angled ends. So the workshop sent a lettered template.
The first reply mixed up two edges. After the correction the numbers agreed with each other: front 95 in (241 cm), back 47 1/2 in (121 cm), angled ends 34 in (86 cm) each, depth 24 in (61 cm), 3 in (7.5 cm) thick.
The cushion arrived vacuum-packed and measured 92 1/2 in (235 cm) across the front, 2 1/2 in (6.4 cm) short. Nothing was cut wrong. The foam hadn't finished recovering, and after 48 hours it reached full size. No remake needed.
Two notes for the file. Wait 48 to 72 hours before you judge a vacuum-packed cushion; the first 72 hours Pattern explains why. And make your numbers check each other, as in the table below. More angled seats live under bay window cushions.
Measurement table: the 95 in bay, cross-checked
| Front edge | 95 in (241 cm) |
|---|---|
| Back edge | 47 1/2 in (121 cm) |
| Setback per side | (95 − 47 1/2) ÷ 2 = 23 3/4 in (60 cm) |
| Depth | 24 in (61 cm) |
| Angled end, computed | √(23.75² + 24²) ≈ 33.8 in, call it 34 in (86 cm) |
| Angled end, measured | 34 in (86 cm) each: the numbers agree |
| Wall angle | About 45° off the front line, a 135° bay |
| Thickness | 3 in (7.5 cm) |
| Piping | Self, in the body fabric |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Nate’s workshop
Send the numbers in inches: length × depth × thickness, plus any angle. The workshop checks them with you, because foam has no undo button. — Nate
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: thickness, notes and velcro
- A common question
Which thicknesses can I pick, and can you do 2 1/2 inches?
The workshop's answerThickness is chosen on the product page: 2, 3, 4 or 5 in (5 to 12.5 cm). A 2 1/2 in (6.4 cm) cushion can also be made on request. If you picked the wrong one, tell the workshop before production and the order is adjusted.
- A common question
Do I just send you my exact measurements?
The workshop's answerYes. Write your exact measurements and your color choice in the Personalization or Notes box when you order, and the workshop takes it from there.
- A common question
Can you add velcro so the cushion stops sliding on my entry bench?
The workshop's answerYes, velcro straps can be added to hold it in place. Put the request in the personalization box along with your fabric code and whether you want piping.
On a bay window cushion, self piping forgives a 1/4 in (6 mm) miss at the wall; contrast piping draws a line straight to it.
Nate
Questions buyers ask next
Does contrast piping make a bay window seat look more tailored?
It can, when the template is exact. Contrast piping outlines every angle in a second color, so a well-cut bay looks crisp. If an angled end is off by even 1/4 in (6 mm) at the wall, though, the line points straight at the gap.
How can I cross-check my bay seat numbers before ordering?
Make them check each other. Subtract the back edge from the front and halve it to get the setback, then combine the setback and the depth by Pythagoras. The result should match the angled end you measured; if not, remeasure.
My bay cushion arrived 2 1/2 inches short. Was it cut wrong?
Probably not. Vacuum-packed foam needs time to recover. One 95 in (241 cm) cushion measured 92 1/2 in on arrival and reached full size after 48 hours, so give any packed cushion 48 to 72 hours before you measure.
± 1/4 in — Nate
