A Reading by RosaWindow Seat Cushions
A mustard gold corduroy window seat cushion, and a couple who turned theirs into a daybed
The best cushion is the one everybody fights over. Here's a gold one worth the fight, and a couple who kept adding to theirs.
SaveThe quick answer
A long corduroy window seat cushion becomes a daybed-style reading nook with three additions: a thick seat, bolsters at the ends and a slim back cushion. One couple chose a 6 in (15 cm) seat about 26 × 98 in, two 8 in bolsters 26 in long, and later a 3 in back cushion 11 in high, matched by fabric code.
Gold on a gray day
Some cushions whisper. This one switches on a lamp. On a gray afternoon, mustard gold corduroy turns a plain white window seat into the spot everybody heads for with a book.
Look how little else is going on. Two pillows, both quiet: an ivory linen lumbar up front, where your eye lands, and a sage pillow behind it that nods to the garden without adding a second bright. Three hardbacks with brown spines bridge the gold seat and the white sill. A small plant in a stone pot, a corner of woven rug, and that's the whole cast.
The cushion runs flush on the ledge and tucks under the window board, so it looks cut to the recess. That's measuring done right, neighbor. Kids and dogs are the real quality control, and a window seat gets both.
The gold is muted, closer to a warm neutral than a bright, which is why it settles so easily into a reading nook. Who fights over yours?
Their order, in the notebook
The couple's pieces in the order they came, first the seat and bolsters, then the back.
| Piece | Size | Thickness / Ø | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat | about 26 × 98 in (66 × 249 cm) | 6 in (15 cm) | first order |
| Bolster × 2 | 26 in (66 cm) long | Ø 8 in (20 cm) | first order |
| Back cushion | 90 in long × 11 in high (229 × 28 cm) | 3 in (7.5 cm) | came back for it |
They chose 6 in over 8 in for the seat. The back came later, matched by fabric code.
Pinned by Rosa
Five spots, from the gold down to the paneling.
- Gold cord seat
A muted mustard lives like a warm neutral rather than a bright.
- Ivory lumbar
Front pillow in ivory calms the yellow right where the eye lands.
- Sage pillow
Behind the ivory, it links to the garden without a second bright.
- Book stack
Brown spines bridge the gold seat and the white sill.
- Paneled base
Cushion tucks under the window board so it looks cut to the recess.
- Gold cord seatA muted mustard lives like a warm neutral rather than a bright.
- Ivory lumbarFront pillow in ivory calms the yellow right where the eye lands.
- Sage pillowBehind the ivory, it links to the garden without a second bright.
- Book stackBrown spines bridge the gold seat and the white sill.
- Paneled baseCushion tucks under the window board so it looks cut to the recess.
Orange corduroy, 98 inches, and a couple who came back
A couple in the US had a new house and a long window seat, about 26 in deep and 98 in long, and they wanted it in orange corduroy. The first choice was thickness, 6 in or 8 in. They went with 6 in, and I'd have done the same: deep enough to curl up on, low enough to leave the window alone.
They added two bolsters for the ends, 8 in across and 26 in long, so the seat met the walls like a daybed. They loved it, and later came back for a matching back cushion, 90 in long, 11 in high and 3 in thick. They wanted the corduroy lines vertical, and the workshop checked that with production before promising it.
- Sizes
- Seat about 26 × 98 × 6 in (66 × 249 × 15 cm); bolsters 8 in across × 26 in (20 × 66 cm); back 90 × 11 × 3 in (229 × 28 × 7.5 cm)
The lesson: Bolsters and a thin back cushion turn a window seat into a daybed-style lounge; give the fabric code when you add pieces later.
Adding a piece later without a mismatch
Keep the fabric code
With the code, a new piece is cut from the same chart color; mention your first order too.
Measure from the finished seat
A back cushion stands on the seat cushion, so measure its height from the top of that cushion, not the bench.
Say which way the ribs run
If you want vertical lines, ask, and let the workshop check it against the roll.
Order it as its own item
Every piece is sold separately, backs and bolsters included. More on bolsters and back pillows.
Three questions about sizes and extra pieces
- A common question
How much does a custom window seat or bench cushion cost?
The workshop's answerIt depends on size, fabric and extras such as tufting or bolsters. Past quotes ran from a 39 × 10 in pad to 20 × 80 in tufted velvet, each priced from its own measurements.
- A common question
My size isn't in the dropdown. Can you still make it?
The workshop's answerYes. Pick the closest option, usually the next size up, and write your exact dimensions in the personalization or notes box; the cushion is made to those numbers. A 22.5 × 36 in cushion went through the 24 × 36 in option.
- A common question
Can I buy extra back cushions on their own, straight or L-shaped?
The workshop's answerYes. Every piece is sold separately and can be matched to the color of an earlier order. When a contractor damaged one buyer's L-shaped backrests, the workshop set up a link just for the replacements.
A 6 in window seat cushion with two 8 in bolsters and an 11 in back cushion is a daybed in everything but name.
Rosa
What went into this window seat
| Cushion | Window seat cushion, box edge, tucked under the window board |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Mustard gold corduroy with self piping |
| Pillows | Ivory linen lumbar in front, sage behind |
| Thickness | Usually 3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm); this couple chose 6 in (15 cm) |
| Bolsters | 8 in (20 cm) across, cut to the seat depth |
| Back cushion | Slim, 3 in (7.5 cm) thick, ordered later by fabric code |
| Best for | Deep window seats and reading nooks |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Rosa’s workshop
Swings sway, rockers rock, dogs circle three times. Tell the workshop what your seat goes through, and they will plan for it. — Rosa
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
Is 6 in too thick for a window seat cushion?
Not on a deep seat meant for lounging. The usual choice is 3 to 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm), and 6 in suits a seat around 26 in deep.
What size bolsters suit a window seat?
About 8 in (20 cm) across looks in proportion on most seats. Cut the length to the seat depth, so a 26 in deep window seat takes 26 in bolsters, one at each end.
Can corduroy ribs run vertically on a back cushion?
Ask when you order. Rib direction depends on how the fabric comes off the roll, so the workshop checks vertical lines with production before confirming, as it did for this couple's back cushion.
Porch light's on — Rosa
Corduroy window seats in other light
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