---
title: "Custom Bench Cushion in Green Tiger Print: Measure It Right"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/readings/green-tiger-print-cushion-angled-view-oak-bench/"
section: "Readings"
author: "Margaret Holloway, The Piping Queen of Newport"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/"
published: "2026-07-10"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "custom bench cushion, bench cushion, bench seat cushion, reading nook cushion, custom size cushion, bench pad"
---

# Measuring a green tiger-print bench cushion, read from the wall end

*A three-quarter view is the honest one. It shows the gusset, the front edge and every measuring mistake a bench can hide, which is why I asked for this angle.*

> **The quick answer:** To order a custom bench cushion like this one, measure the bench top itself: length from the wall to the open end, depth from the back to the front edge, then choose thickness and fix those numbers before production. Ask for the print to run across the width so it flows down the front gusset. Handmade cushions carry about 3/8 in (1 cm) of tolerance.

![Angled view of a green tiger-stripe box cushion running along an oak-topped bench toward a white drawer unit](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/green-tiger-print-cushion-angled-view-oak-bench-1600.webp "From this angle the stripes can be seen running the full length and down the box gusset.")

## Pinned by Maggie: the bench from the wall end

Five pins run from the front gusset and the print direction to the leaning pillow, the pilea on the drawers and the red rug.

1. **Front gusset**: From this angle the stripes can be seen flowing over the piped edge and down the gusset.
2. **Leaning backrest pillow**: A big pillow at the wall end works as a backrest on a backless bench.
3. **Stripe direction**: The stripes run across the width, so the pattern continues down the front face.
4. **Pilea on drawers**: Green leaves at the far end repeat the print color.
5. **Red rug corner**: Warm red underfoot sets off the cool green seat.

## What a low three-quarter view gives away

This study corner is photographed low and from the wall end. It is the angle I ask buyers to send, because it shows what a straight-on photo flattens.

First, the gusset. The box edge stands about twice as tall as the oak top is thick, which keeps the profile tidy and in proportion with the wood. Much thinner and it would read as a pad; much thicker and it would swallow the bench.

Second, the print. The emerald, black and mint tiger stripes run across the width, front to back, so they roll over the piped edge and carry straight down the front face. Self piping lets them do it without a colored line in the way. Had the print run lengthwise, it would stop dead at the front seam.

Then the room. Soft side light keeps the green cool; the red patterned rug underfoot warms it by contrast, and the dark wood floor anchors both. One oversized beige linen pillow leans at the wall end as a backrest, the only prop on the seat. Above it, a floating oak shelf with trailing pothos and two small framed prints. At the far end, a pilea in a terracotta pot on the white drawer unit repeats the print's green.

Right, then. When you order a long printed or striped cushion, write the direction on the order. The reasons are in [stripe direction](https://cushionguide.com/guides/striped-cushion-stripe-direction/), the cloth sits with [striped cotton and ticking](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/striped-cotton-and-ticking/), more frames are in the [bench cushion atlas](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bench-cushions/), and the [bench cushion builder](https://cushionguide.com/studio/bench-cushion-builder/) will draw yours.

What does your bench measure from the wall to its open end?

## Where bench orders go wrong

- ✗ Measuring the old, flattened cushion instead of the bench top it sits on.
- ✗ Sending a new size after checkout and assuming it reached the cutting table.
- ✗ Taking length from the frame when a wall boxes in one end; measure wall to open end.
- ✗ Leaving print or stripe direction off the order for a long cushion.
- ✗ Expecting machine precision from a handmade piece; allow about 3/8 in (1 cm).

## The media-unit bench and the late size change

A buyer ordered a cushion for an [IKEA Besta](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#ikea-besta) unit used as a bench: 70 7/8 x 16 1/8 in (180 x 41 cm), in a soft performance fabric with black piping to match striped chair cushions nearby. After paying, she asked for 71 5/8 x 17 3/8 in (182 x 44 cm) instead.

Production went ahead on the original numbers. The finished cushion also came out about 3/8 to 3/4 in (1 to 2 cm) short of its 16 1/8 in depth. The workshop pointed to its 3/8 in (1 cm) handmade tolerance, then remade the cushion at no charge anyway.

I have lost that same argument to a sticky note, dear. Lock the final measurements into the order before production starts, and get a reply confirming the new size is the one being cut. The full method is in [how to measure a bench](https://cushionguide.com/guides/how-to-measure-bench-for-cushion/), and what tolerance really means is in [handmade cushion tolerance](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-cushion-size-tolerance/).

## Buyer questions: angles, lead times and a set of four

**A common question:** My window seat is a trapezoid. Which measurements do you need, and can you check my drawing before I order?

**The workshop's answer:** Three numbers: the front length, the back length and the straight depth between them. The craftsmen work out the two angled sides and send a diagram to confirm. A seat 115 in (292 cm) along the front, 82 in (208 cm) along the back and 20 in (51 cm) deep came out with sides of about 26 in (66 cm). Upload the approved diagram in the measurement section when you order.

**A common question:** How long does a custom bench cushion take to make, and then to reach me?

**The workshop's answer:** Production time depends on the job, and some custom jobs take longer, so get it in writing. Delivery follows dispatch; on one order it took another 2 to 4 business days.

**A common question:** I need several bench cushions. Is the total lower if I order them together?

**The workshop's answer:** Usually, yes. Multi-piece orders tend to get a lower total, as a set of four 47 1/4 x 15 3/4 in (120 x 40 cm) linen cushions with bordeaux piping did, and a banquette set too. If the checkout then shows a different total or currency, the workshop corrects the listing to the agreed amount.

## On the cutting table: the study bench

|   |   |
|---|---|
| Cushion | Box cushion for a backless, oak-topped bench |
| Edge | Box edge with self piping |
| Gusset | About twice the thickness of the oak top |
| Fabric | Tiger print in emerald, black and mint on cotton canvas |
| Print direction | Across the width, carried down the front face |
| Measure | Bench top: wall to open end, back to front edge |
| Tolerance | About 3/8 in (1 cm) either way on handmade pieces |
| Backrest | One oversized linen pillow leaned at the wall end |
| Best for | Study corners and reading benches against a wall |

> If you change a bench cushion size after checkout, get the new numbers confirmed on the order before production, or the old size gets cut.
>
> — Maggie

> **Tailor's margin:** Ask for a printed bench cushion to run across the width. The print then rolls over the piped edge and down the front gusset.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Which way should a print run on a long bench cushion?

Across the width, front to back. The print then flows over the piped front edge and down the gusset instead of stopping at a seam. The fabric roll is about 55 in (140 cm) wide, which is why front to back is also the default on long cushions.

### Should I measure the bench or my old cushion?

The bench. Old cushions compress, spread and round off at the corners, so their size drifts away from the seat they sit on. Take length from the wall or end to the open end and depth from back to front edge, then choose thickness separately.

### How exact is a handmade bench cushion?

Expect about 3/8 in (1 cm) of tolerance either way. Give exact measurements of the bench and let the maker work to them. On one order that came out slightly short of its depth, the workshop remade the cushion regardless.

### Can a backless bench get a backrest cushion?

Yes. An oversized pillow leaned at the wall end works, as here, or a matching backrest can be made to length. The workshop's standard backrest is 15 3/4 in (40 cm) high and about 4 in (10 cm) thick, so it only needs the length.

## Related at the atelier

- [Bench Cushion Corner Up Close: Leopard Print, Self Piping](https://cushionguide.com/readings/amber-leopard-box-cushion-corner-piping-closeup/): A well-made box bench cushion shows its quality at the corner: the piping turns square without bulk, the gusset seam lines up with the welts above and below, and the cushion stops just short of the…
- [Bench Cushion Close-Up: Self Piping on a Green Tiger Print](https://cushionguide.com/readings/green-tiger-print-box-cushion-piping-corner-closeup/): A well-made box bench cushion shows two straight welts, one at the top seam and one at the base, with a separate side strip so a print can carry around the corner.
- [Green Tiger-Stripe Bench Cushion: Study Nook Color and Sizing](https://cushionguide.com/readings/green-tiger-stripe-bench-cushion-study-corner-bookshelf/): To measure a bench like this for a custom cushion, measure only the sitting top, decide first how much wood should show, and write the unit beside every number.
- [What's the best way to stop a seat cushion sliding on a bench?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/stop-cushion-sliding-on-bench/): Stop a bench cushion from sliding with one of three fixes: ties sewn on the corners, an anti-slip fabric on the bottom of the cover, or a separate non-slip pad underneath.
- [What foam density and fabric rating do you use for commercial seating?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/commercial-seating-cushion-foam-fabric/): Commercial seating cushions are made with about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) high-density foam as standard, at no extra cost, which is firmer and holds its shape longer than the about 1.75 lb/ft³ (28…
- [Do you make bench cushions for clinics, offices, schools or public buildings?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/bench-cushions-clinics-offices-classrooms/): Yes: the workshop makes custom bench cushions for clinics, offices, early-learning classrooms and public buildings.
- [Real linen or linen-look? Reading a cushion fabric label honestly](https://cushionguide.com/guides/real-linen-vs-linen-look-cushion-fabric/)
- [Velvet bench cushions: how the pile behaves and how to care for it](https://cushionguide.com/guides/velvet-bench-cushion-care/)

*Stitch straight — Maggie*

---

Written by Margaret Holloway (https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/readings/green-tiger-print-cushion-angled-view-oak-bench/