SaveA Reading by NateL-Shaped Corner Bench Cushions
A gray chenille L-shaped bench cushion, measured against the table
A corner banquette in morning sun, seats flush with the oak, back pads stopping just under the rail. The proportions tell the story, and proportions are numbers.
Swatch strip measured from the photograph
- oatmeal#dad2c625%
- soot black#2d190922%
- camel#a18f7c21%
- chestnut#6d564317%
- deep rust#50341d14%
The quick answer
For an L-shaped bench cushion at a dining table, pick the thickness from the table, not the bench: leave about 10 to 12 in (25 to 30 cm) from the cushion top to the tabletop, which usually means 2 to 3 in cushions in a breakfast nook. A back cushion also takes about 3 in (7.5 cm) off usable seat depth.
The nook in six colors, measured
Early sun rakes across white beadboard, and the dove gray chenille catches it like brushed wool. The oak supplies the warmth, so the cushions can stay quiet. Every warm note below is wood, bread or clay; every cool one is cloth or paint.
- Dove gray chenille#A9A49BSeat and back cushions, self-piped
- Honey oak#B58B5ABanquette frame and table
- Beadboard white#EDE8DFThe wall behind the backs
- Terracotta#B8643EThe thyme pot
- Thyme green#6F7F4EThe only living green
- Croissant gold#C8923FBreakfast
Five pins in the breakfast corner
Five pins, from the back pad under the rail to the print that pulls the eye up the beadboard.
- Angled back cushion
The back pad leans into the oak frame and stops just under the rail so a strip of wood frames it.
- Corner seat pad
The seat sits flush with the front of the oak box so nothing juts into the legroom.
- Long wall back pad
A single back cushion runs the length of the window wall and butts neatly into the corner piece.
- Breakfast setting
Teapot, cups and croissants tell you this is a morning corner, not a formal dining room.
- Framed print
One small print above the corner keeps the eye moving up the beadboard.
- Angled back cushionThe back pad leans into the oak frame and stops just under the rail so a strip of wood frames it.
- Corner seat padThe seat sits flush with the front of the oak box so nothing juts into the legroom.
- Long wall back padA single back cushion runs the length of the window wall and butts neatly into the corner piece.
- Breakfast settingTeapot, cups and croissants tell you this is a morning corner, not a formal dining room.
- Framed printOne small print above the corner keeps the eye moving up the beadboard.
Three numbers this nook is quietly obeying
First, the seat line. The seat cushions sit flush with the front of the oak box, so nothing juts into the legroom. No overhang is a choice; say so when you order.
Second, the back pads. They lean into the oak frame and stop just under the top rail, so a strip of wood frames each one. That costs depth: a back cushion takes about 3 in (7.5 cm) off usable seat depth.
Third, the table. Leave about 10 to 12 in (25 to 30 cm) from cushion top to tabletop. Platform height plus cushion thickness gives seat height, minus a little settle: a 3 in (7.5 cm) cushion may ride near 2 1/2 in (6.5 cm) under you. Run your numbers in the seat height calculator, partner, and see more corners among the L-shaped bench cushions and kitchen nook cushions.
What does your bench measure from floor to seat?
An L built for sleeping, with one seat running long
A buyer designed a small L-shaped couch to sit and sleep on, with backs along the two outer edges. One seat had to run long to cover the corner: 78 x 31 x 6 in (198 x 79 x 15 cm), with a 24 x 26 x 6 in (61 x 66 x 15 cm) seat on the other leg. The backrests came in at 78 x 18 x 5 in and 55 x 18 x 5 in (198 and 140 x 46 x 12.5 cm). The workshop accepted the spec as a custom order.
Note the proportions. For a couch that doubles as a bed, 6 in seats earn their keep; at a breakfast table they would lift you too close to your plate. And 55 = 31 + 24: the numbers close.
- Sizes
- Seats 78 x 31 x 6 in and 24 x 26 x 6 in; backs 78 x 18 x 5 in and 55 x 18 x 5 in
The lesson: In an L, one run overlaps the corner, so size one seat longer than its wall.
Deadlines, ties and a cushion that looked like a cover
- A common question
If I pay extra, can a custom window seat cushion reach me in a few days?
The workshop's answerNot always. The workshop could make the cushion but said it would not arrive by a date only a few days away. If you have a deadline, ask before you order.
- A common question
Can you put ties on a small bench cushion?
The workshop's answerYes. A 14 x 18 in cushion for an oddly shaped bench was made with ties on its wider side. Say where the ties go in the order note.
- A common question
Only the cover arrived. Where is the foam?
The workshop's answerInside it. Every order is photographed before shipping, and those photos showed the foam. Vacuum packing makes a cushion so flat it can pass for an empty cover; it grows back within a few days.
At a dining table, choose cushion thickness from the table: leave 10 to 12 in between cushion top and tabletop, and most breakfast nooks land on 2 to 3 in.
Nate
On the cutting table: the oak corner nook
| Cushions | L-shaped set: two seat cushions, two back pads |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Dove gray chenille |
| Piping | Self piping |
| Seat edge | Box edge, flush with the front of the oak box |
| Backs | Stop just under the rail; wood shows above |
| Table rule | 10 to 12 in (25 to 30 cm), cushion top to tabletop |
| Best for | Breakfast nooks with a built-in oak L |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Nate’s workshop
Every edge and both diagonals, to the nearest 1/4 in. If the numbers do not close, the workshop will say so on the call. — 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.
Questions buyers ask next
Can a 4 in cushion work on a breakfast nook bench?
Sometimes, on a low platform. Add platform height and cushion thickness, subtract a little settle, and check you still have 10 to 12 in (25 to 30 cm) to the tabletop.
Should a banquette seat cushion overhang the front of the bench?
Only to soften the edge behind the knees. Here the seat stops flush with the oak box, so the trim shows. Say which you want; otherwise the cushion is sized to the seat itself.
Is chenille practical for a kitchen banquette?
It is soft with a gentle sheen, but chenille can pill and snag at friction points, so a zippered, washable cover helps in a busy nook. Keep it indoors unless the chenille is outdoor-rated.
± 1/4 in — Nate
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