A Reading by NateL-Shaped Corner Bench Cushions
An ivory velvet L-shaped bench cushion with a lilac welt, and the mistakes it avoids
A macro photo is an honest inspector. I wrote this one as a letter, because every mistake it catches is one I have seen on a work order.
SaveThe quick answer
The mistakes to avoid on an L-shaped bench cushion are ordering it smaller than the bench, judging a pastel piping color from a flat swatch, and skipping the drawing that shows which seat owns the corner. Order the exact bench size, see the piping sample beside the main fabric, and send an illustration with every length labeled.
Detroit ·
To the partner holding the tape,
What a macro lens won't forgive
A macro photograph is the strictest inspector in the shop. At this range a crooked welt looks like a highway detour.
This one passes. The lilac welt is a slim velvet cord sewn into the seams of ivory velvet, and it turns the back cushion's corner without a pucker. Where back and seat meet, two welts run parallel: the bottom seam of the back, the top seam of the seat. That double line leads the eye along the L-shaped bench cushion like a pair of rails.
The short pile of the velvet catches light unevenly. Even in a pale color, that gives depth. On a swatch card it looks flat. On a seat, it moves.
Now the mistakes. I count four that this picture helps you avoid. How long is the longer run of your L?
Pinned by Nate at the corner
Four marks on the close-up, from the back cushion's welt to the short velvet pile.
- Back cushion welt
The lilac welt bends cleanly around the back pad's corner without puckering.
- Double piping line
Where back and seat meet, two parallel welts form a line that leads the eye along the bench.
- Seat edge piping
A narrow pastel welt looks deeper in tone than the same fabric on a swatch.
- Short velvet pile
The pile catches light unevenly, giving depth even in a pale color.
- Back cushion weltThe lilac welt bends cleanly around the back pad's corner without puckering.
- Double piping lineWhere back and seat meet, two parallel welts form a line that leads the eye along the bench.
- Seat edge pipingA narrow pastel welt looks deeper in tone than the same fabric on a swatch.
- Short velvet pileThe pile catches light unevenly, giving depth even in a pale color.
Four mistakes, caught at close range
- Ordering the cushion an inch smaller than the bench. Order the exact size, for example 47 x 18 1/2 in (119 x 47 cm), and measure the bench after it is built.
- Choosing a pastel welt from a swatch card. A narrow strip reads deeper in tone than the same fabric laid flat, so see the piping sample next to the main fabric.
- Skipping the drawing. On an L, an illustration with every length labeled settles which seat owns the corner before anyone cuts.
- Expecting pale velvet to read as one flat color. Short pile catches light unevenly; judge it in daylight, from where you will sit.
Four pieces, one illustration, 22¾ in (58 cm) of corner
A buyer building their own L-shaped seating, one run under a window and one along a wall, sent the workshop an order with an illustration. Two seats: 90 1/2 x 22 1/2 x 4 in (230 x 57 x 10 cm) and 82 3/4 x 22 1/2 x 4 in (210 x 57 x 10 cm). Two backrests: 90 1/2 x 9 3/4 x 3 in (230 x 25 x 7.5 cm) and 105 1/2 x 9 3/4 x 3 in (268 x 25 x 7.5 cm).
Lengths over 79 in (200 cm) were no problem. The workshop sent a photo of all four pieces before shipping. The buyer loved them and came back for a second set of covers in N23.
My reading of the numbers: 268 minus 210 is 22¾ in (58 cm), one seat depth plus a centimeter. One seat owns the corner; the other stops at its edge, and the long backrest runs past both. The drawing said all of that before anyone had to ask. Angles are just lengths in disguise, and so are corners. For the method, see how to measure both runs.
- Sizes
- Seats 90 1/2 x 22 1/2 x 4 in (230 x 57 x 10 cm) and 82 3/4 x 22 1/2 x 4 in (210 x 57 x 10 cm); backrests 90 1/2 x 9 3/4 x 3 in (230 x 25 x 7.5 cm) and 105 1/2 x 9 3/4 x 3 in (268 x 25 x 7.5 cm)
- Fabric
- Linen range; spare covers in N23
The lesson: A spare cover set lets you change the look or wash without leaving the seat bare.
Piping, sizing and fill questions
- A common question
Can the piping be a different color from the main fabric?
The workshop's answerYes, any fabric code can be used for piping. Buyers have paired 936 with 931 piping, L-04 with L-36, L05 with L82, L-07 with L-44 blue linen, and an outdoor M16 stripe with T-32 blue piping. Write both codes in the order note.
- A common question
Should I order the cushion an inch smaller than my bench so it fits?
The workshop's answerNo, don't go smaller. Order the exact bench size, for example 47 in wide x 18 1/2 in deep, for a clean, full look. And measure the bench after it's installed, before you order.
- A common question
Is there foam inside your cushions?
The workshop's answerIt depends on the style. Tufted cushions are filled with silicone balls, not foam, though foam filling is available on request. Plain, crease-free seat cushions use a seating sponge: 28 density as standard, or 22 density as the budget option.
Order an L-shaped bench cushion at the exact bench size, never an inch smaller: a 47 x 18 1/2 in bench gets a 47 x 18 1/2 in cushion.
Nate
On the cutting table
| Cushion | L-shaped banquette set: seat and back cushions on each run |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Ivory velvet, short pile |
| Piping | Contrast welt in lilac velvet |
| Edge | Box edge, welt on the top and bottom seams |
| Corner | Welt turns without puckering |
| Back meets seat | Two parallel welts forming one line along the bench |
| Sizing rule | Exact bench size, measured after the bench is built |
| Best for | Kitchen nooks and dining banquettes |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Nate’s workshop
Precision starts on the phone. Give the workshop your measurements and they will read them back to you, edge by edge. — 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
Why does a pastel piping color look darker once it is sewn in?
A welt is a narrow strip rolled around a cord, so it shows more shadow and less flat surface than a swatch does. A pastel reads deeper in tone along a seam, so compare a piping sample beside the main fabric before deciding.
How do I show the workshop how my L-shaped seats meet?
Send an illustration with every length labeled, seats and backrests. One buyer's drawing showed a 105 1/2 in (268 cm) backrest over an 82 3/4 in (210 cm) seat, the 22 3/4 in (58 cm) difference being the other seat's depth.
Is a spare set of covers worth ordering for pale velvet banquette cushions?
Often, yes. A second set lets the seats stay dressed while one set is washed, and it can change the look of the nook. One L-bench buyer ordered spare covers in a different fabric code after the first set arrived.
± 1/4 in — Nate
P.S. Order the spare covers while the fabric code is still fresh in your order note. One buyer did, in N23, so the bench need never sit bare on wash day.
