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A Reading by CallumChaise Lounge & Sunbed Cushions

Reading the colors of a herringbone stripe sunbed cushion

Five bright colors on one pad should be too many. A dark hedge, a teak frame and late sun say otherwise, and each one does a specific job.

Read by

The Weather Man of Casco BayPublished 5 min read

Teak sun lounger with a teal, coral and mustard herringbone stripe cushion on a lawn by a yew hedge, a person recliningSave
A colorful herringbone stripe cushion folds with the teak lounger, ready for a long afternoon with a book.

The quick answer

A multicolored sunbed cushion looks cheerful rather than loud when something dark sits behind it, like the clipped yew hedge here, and warm teak pulls its coral and mustard forward. Build it as one long pad that bends at the lounger's hinge, with a strap near the top, and measure both sections plus the exact hinge point before ordering.

The cushion, cut open

Cross-section through the depth, drawn for 4 in (10 cm) on 17¾ in, to proportion.1. Cover fabric: A removable, zippered cover. Machine wash at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle and air dry.; 2. Piping: A fabric-covered cord sewn into the seams. It sits on the seam line, so it does not change the size.; 3. Fiber wrap: Polyester fiber (Dacron) batting around the foam: it fills the cover out and softens the edges.; 4. Foam core: About 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) high-resilience foam, firm to medium-firm, cut to the ordered size.; 5. Zipper: Along the back band, as hidden as possible. The zipper side faces down or toward the wall.; 6. Base panel: The underside of the cover. A non-slip fabric backing can cover the whole of it instead.1Cover fabric3Fiber wrap2Piping5Zipper6Base panel4Foam core2.0 lb HR foam4 in10 cm17¾ in deep · 45 cm
Cross-section through the depth, drawn for 4 in (10 cm) on 17¾ in, to proportion.

  1. Cover fabric. A removable, zippered cover. Machine wash at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle and air dry.

  2. Piping. A fabric-covered cord sewn into the seams. It sits on the seam line, so it does not change the size.

  3. Fiber wrap. Polyester fiber (Dacron) batting around the foam: it fills the cover out and softens the edges.

  4. Foam core. About 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) high-resilience foam, firm to medium-firm, cut to the ordered size.

  5. Zipper. Along the back band, as hidden as possible. The zipper side faces down or toward the wall.

  6. Base panel. The underside of the cover. A non-slip fabric backing can cover the whole of it instead.

Five bright colors, one dark hedge

Teal, coral, mustard, lilac and navy on one sunbed cushion sounds like a lot. Against a clipped yew hedge, it's exactly enough.

The hedge does the heavy lifting. It's the darkest thing in the frame, nearly black-green, and dark behind bright makes bright look brighter. Set the same herringbone stripe against white stucco and it would shout. Against yew it reads cheerful and settled, and the topiary ball repeats the green in a rounder shape.

The teak frame does the second job. Warm brown wood pulls the coral and mustard forward and lets the teal and navy sit back. A cold gray aluminum frame would tip the balance the other way. So hold the swatch against your own frame, friend, not against your screen.

Then the light. Late-afternoon sun, low and gold, warms the lilac toward pink and makes the lawn glow. A small side table holds a book and an iced tea at arm's reach, and the reader in linen trousers and suede sandals sets the pace: slow. A busy stripe also forgives sunscreen and grass better than a pale solid would.

One weather note. This outdoor fabric is water-repellent, not waterproof. Water-repellent is a promise; waterproof is a contract. Enjoy the lounger on the lawn and store the pad under cover. More in chaise and sunbed cushions and water-repellent vs waterproof cushions.

Anatomy of a folding lounger pad

  1. Back section. It tilts with the backrest, so the stripe runs straight up the raised back.
  2. Hinge line. One long pad bends here, so measure the exact hinge point and the fold lands on it.
  3. Seat section. It stays flat and firm under the sitter's weight.
  4. Top strap. It holds the pad to the frame when you sit up and lean forward.
  5. Self piping. The same stripe on the edge, which the workshop recommends outdoors to reinforce the edges.

Pinned by Callum: strap, sections and shade

Five pins across the lounger, from the strap at the top to the yew hedge that makes the stripe glow.

Pinned: Teak sun lounger with a teal, coral and mustard herringbone stripe cushion on a lawn by a yew hedge, a person reclining
  1. Back section

    The back part tilts with the lounger, so the stripe runs straight up the raised back.

  2. Seat section

    The seat part stays flat and firm under the person's weight.

  3. Top strap

    A strap near the top holds the cushion to the frame when you sit up.

  4. Book and iced tea

    A small table at arm's reach makes the lounger a place to stay.

  5. Yew hedge

    The dark hedge makes the bright stripes look even more cheerful.

  1. Back sectionThe back part tilts with the lounger, so the stripe runs straight up the raised back.
  2. Seat sectionThe seat part stays flat and firm under the person's weight.
  3. Top strapA strap near the top holds the cushion to the frame when you sit up.
  4. Book and iced teaA small table at arm's reach makes the lounger a place to stay.
  5. Yew hedgeThe dark hedge makes the bright stripes look even more cheerful.
A real project

New covers for an outdoor sofa's old foam

A buyer in the US had good foam and tired covers on an outdoor sofa. They wanted a boxed, zippered seat cover at 64 3/4 x 31 x 4 in (164.5 x 79 x 10 cm) plus three back covers, in off-white, ivory or oatmeal, and asked for Sunbrella-grade fabric.

The shop was straight with them. It doesn't carry Sunbrella. Its outdoor fabrics are polyester with water-repellent, UV-resistant finishes. It recommended self piping to reinforce the edges, and it builds with double-stitched seams and hidden zippers. It offers ties, not hook-and-loop tape. Production was about 1 week, plus 2 to 4 business days in transit, and before the final quote it asked for photos of the sofa and the back cushion sizes.

If you only need covers, give the foam's exact size and ask what the fabric is made of, not just whose name is on it. Cushion covers for existing foam walks through the rest, and chaise and sunbed cushion sizes covers the hinge.

On the cutting table: the lawn lounger

ProductSunbed cushion, one long pad that folds at the hinge
FabricHerringbone stripe in an outdoor weave
ColorsTeal, coral, mustard, lilac, navy
PipingSelf piping cut from the same stripe
EdgeBox
FasteningStrap near the top, ties at the frame
FrameTeak lounger on wheels
MeasureSeat, back and the exact hinge point
Best forLawns and patios by day, stored under cover in wet weather

Order this cushion

Have it made

Have this made — ask Callum’s workshop

Tell them where it lives. Porch, deck or boat: the weather picks the fabric and the foam before anyone else does. — 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.

Fabric · Foam · Pipingwhat the workshop will confirm with you

Fabric
Herringbone stripe in an outdoor weave
Foam
The core: its density and thickness set the feel.
Piping
Self piping cut from the same stripe
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

Buyer questions: snow, a camper bed and IKEA covers

  1. A common question

    Our summers are very hot and our winters bring snow. Do you carry Sunbrella, a fast-drying mesh bottom or quick-dry foam?

    The workshop's answer

    No to all three. The outdoor fabric is UV-resistant and water-repellent, there's no mesh bottom, and the foam isn't a quick-dry outdoor foam. The cushions work very well on a covered porch or stored over winter, but the shop says plainly they aren't right to leave uncovered in rain and snow.

  2. A common question

    Can you make a corduroy cover for the foam mattress in my camper van?

    The workshop's answer

    Yes. A corduroy cover for a cold-foam mattress measuring 27 1/2 x 78 3/4 x 4 in (70 x 200 x 10 cm) was quoted to order.

  3. A common question

    Can you make new covers for my IKEA DUVHOLMEN outdoor lounge cushions?

    The workshop's answer

    Yes, covers only, sized to the original inserts, for example 48 7/8 x 24 3/8 x 4 3/4 in (124 x 62 x 12 cm) seats and 24 3/8 x 17 3/8 x 5 1/2 in (62 x 44 x 14 cm) backs. A solid piping in the stripe's exact dark green would be hard to match, so the shop suggested piping cut from the same striped fabric.

A bright stripe looks cheerful against a dark hedge and loud against a white wall, so hold the sunbed cushion swatch against the backdrop, not the screen.

Callum
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Questions buyers ask next

Why do bright stripes suit a teak sun lounger?

Warm brown teak pulls coral and mustard forward and lets teal and navy settle back. The same stripe on a cold gray aluminum frame reads cooler, so check swatches against your own frame in daylight.

Should a lounger with a hinged backrest get one pad or two?

One long pad that bends at the hinge keeps back and seat moving together when the backrest is raised. Mark the hinge position on your measurements so the fold falls in the right place.

What does self piping do on a striped outdoor cushion?

It trims the edge in the same fabric as the body, so a busy stripe keeps one clean outline. The workshop recommends it on outdoor cushions because it reinforces the edges.

Can outdoor cushions fasten with hook-and-loop tape instead of ties?

The workshop offers ties for outdoor cushions, not hook-and-loop tape. On a lounger, a strap near the top does most of the holding when you sit up and lean forward.

Fair winds — Callum

More photographs to read

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