CushionGuide
Get a quote

A Reading by MaggieBench Cushions

Three striped bench cushions, and how to mix stripes, plains and texture

Three stripes, one width, one ivory ground. The only thing that changes is color, which makes this the most useful stack in the studio.

The quick answer

To mix striped bench cushions with other patterns, keep the stripe width and ground color constant and change only the color. This forest green, taupe and navy stack shares one ivory ground and one stripe scale, so a bold stripe on the main bench pairs with a neutral taupe on a second piece, with plains and texture filling in between.

Read by

The Piping Queen of NewportPublished Updated 4 min read

Stacked box cushions in forest green, taupe and navy stripe cotton with matching piping on a warm beige backgroundSave
Three classic stripes stacked for comparison: forest green, taupe and navy, all on an ivory ground with self piping.
Blush pink and cream striped window seat cushion on honey oak with cream pillows, a fringed throw and pink peoniesSave
Soft blush stripes pick up the peonies on the sill, while honey oak paneling keeps the pink from turning sugary.
Taupe and cream pinstripe cushion on an oak entryway bench below coat hooks, with boots underneath and keys on topSave
A padded top turns a simple oak entry bench into the place where boots come off and keys land.
Thin rose and white pinstripe cushion on a pale oak storage bench under a French window, with peonies and herringbone floorSave
A slim rose pinstripe pad turns a plain oak chest into a bedroom seat, echoing the peonies and the calm paneled walls.
Red and white stripe seat and back cushions on a built-in kitchen banquette by a pine table, with copper pans on a shelfSave
A cottage kitchen banquette with a red stripe seat and backrest, copper pans above and a bowl of apples on the table.
Fine blue and white pinstripe window seat cushion on a white cubby bench with linen pillows, plants and a seagrass basketSave
A whisper-fine blue pinstripe reads almost solid from a distance, so the sunroom's plants and baskets carry the color.
Cream window seat cushion with fine black pinstripes in a white shiplap nook with blue-and-white ginger jars and a straw hatSave
A fine black pinstripe gives a white beach-house nook some backbone, and the blue-and-white jars add the color.

Pinned by Maggie: the stack, top to bottom

Five pins read the stack from the top: forest green, taupe and navy, then the self piping and the deep upright gusset that keep all three square.

Pinned: Stacked box cushions in forest green, taupe and navy stripe cotton with matching piping on a warm beige background
  1. Forest green stripe

    Suits kitchens with wood and plants.

  2. Taupe stripe

    The neutral that sits happily between stronger colors.

  3. Navy stripe

    A classic coastal stripe for window seats.

  4. Self piping

    Piping cut from the same stripe on both seams.

  5. Deep gusset

    Upright sides keep the cushion square under use.

  1. Forest green stripeSuits kitchens with wood and plants.
  2. Taupe stripeThe neutral that sits happily between stronger colors.
  3. Navy stripeA classic coastal stripe for window seats.
  4. Self pipingPiping cut from the same stripe on both seams.
  5. Deep gussetUpright sides keep the cushion square under use.

One scale, one ground, three colors

You can see at once what this stack is not about: scale. All three stripes are the same width on the same ivory ground, so the eye compares color and nothing else. That is the smart way to shop, and it is how I'd have you lay out your own swatches.

Forest green belongs with wood and plants, a kitchen bench beside a window full of herbs. Taupe is the neutral that sits happily between stronger colors. Navy is the classic coastal stripe for a window seat by the water.

The taupe in the middle is the lesson. Put it between two strong stripes and it behaves like a plain, calming both neighbors. That helps when you are cushioning two benches in one room: one bold stripe for the main bench, one neutral stripe for the other.

Now the edges. Self piping cut from the same stripe runs along both seams, and the gusset is deep and upright, which keeps each cushion square under daily sitting. A straight welt is a kind of honesty; on a stripe, a wandering one tells on itself from across the room.

Scroll the gallery and you will see the idea at room scale: a taupe pinstripe on an oak mudroom bench, a red awning stripe on a kitchen banquette, a black pinstripe in a white shiplap beach room. The striped cushion stripe direction Pattern covers which way to run them, and the bench cushions atlas has the shapes. Which stripe is your main bench asking for?

Mixing cards: stripe, plain, texture

Main benchSecond pieceTexture to finish
Forest green stripePlain oatmeal linen-look pillowsA chunky knit throw
Navy stripeTaupe stripe on a second benchA washed linen lumbar pillow
Taupe stripeA solid navy velvet pillowA cream bouclé pillow
Any of the threeA pinstripe in the same color, smaller scaleKeep the ground color identical
A real project

Two 24 in squares, 6 in deep, with crossed piping

A designer in the US wrote to the workshop for a client: two 24 x 24 in (61 x 61 cm) cushions in navy, slate blue and terracotta, and could they be 6 in thick?

Six inches is not a menu thickness, so it went into the personalization note, at no extra cost. For a house with children, the workshop suggested velvet. Then it proposed the pairings: deep navy with burnt terracotta piping, and teal blue with navy piping.

That second pairing is pattern mixing in miniature. The body color of one cushion becomes the piping of the other, so two different colors read as a set. The Pattern on matching, contrast or no piping goes further, dear, if you want to try it with stripes.

Buyer questions: exact sizes, curves and cost

  1. A common question

    The listing only shows fixed sizes. How do I get my exact size?

    The workshop's answer

    Choose the nearest standard option and the workshop makes your exact size. The 18 x 44 in and 18 x 52 in options became 17 x 45 in and 17 x 54 in cushions, and a 14 x 48 in option became 13.5 x 49 in. For bigger jobs the workshop builds a custom order link with all your sizes.

  2. A common question

    Can you make cushions for a curved banquette or a rounded chair seat?

    The workshop's answer

    Gentle curves are often possible, but nothing curved is promised until the craftsmen see a drawing with measurements and photos of the seating, and the workshop tells you plainly if the fit is risky. It once declined a round bay window because the curve was too strong to make accurately from a distance.

  3. A common question

    Roughly what does a custom bench cushion cost?

    The workshop's answer

    Price follows size and thickness: a short 2 in pad costs far less than a long 4 in velvet run. Pick your size range on the listing to see the current price, or send your measurements, thickness and fabric for a written quote.

On the cutting table: the stripe stack

ProductCustom bench cushions, box edge, stacked for comparison
FabricStriped cotton on an ivory ground
ColorsForest green, taupe, navy
Stripe scaleIdentical width across all three
PipingSelf piping on both seams
GussetDeep and upright, keeps the cushion square
Mixing ruleOne bold stripe, one neutral stripe, plains and texture between
Best forKitchens (green), mixed rooms (taupe), coastal window seats (navy)

Order this cushion

Have it made

Have this made — ask Maggie’s workshop

I once cut a lovely cushion two inches short, and I have not forgotten it. That is why the workshop goes over your measurements with you on the phone. — 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.

Fabric · Foam · Pipingwhat the workshop will confirm with you

Fabric
Striped cotton on an ivory ground
Foam
The core: its density and thickness set the feel.
Piping
Self piping on both seams
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

When mixing striped bench cushions, keep the stripe width and ground color the same and change only the color. A taupe stripe then behaves like a plain.

Maggie
Share on X (opens a new window)

Questions buyers ask next

Can I use two different stripes in one room?

Yes, if they share a scale or a ground color. One bold stripe on the main bench and a neutral stripe such as taupe on a second piece read as related, and plains or texture between them stop the room from buzzing.

Does a striped cushion need contrast piping?

Not usually. Self piping cut from the same stripe outlines the cushion without adding a color. Contrast piping works best when it borrows a color already in the room or in a companion cushion.

Why does a deep upright gusset matter on a striped bench cushion?

Upright sides hold the foam's shape at the edges, so the cushion stays square instead of doming. On a stripe, a square edge also keeps the lines running straight across the front.

Stitch straight — Maggie