A Reading by MaggieBench Cushions
A mustard triangle-print cushion on a bedside storage box, measured on graph paper
Maggie's notebook on a small seat with a lid: what she would measure on this white box, where buyers slip, and why the ties belong on the hinge side.
SaveThe quick answer
To measure a custom bench cushion for a lift-lid storage box, measure the lid, not the box body or an old cushion: width edge to edge, depth at both ends, then the hinge positions. Ties go on the hinge side only, between the hinges. On a hard lid, 3 in (7.5 cm) of high-density foam is enough. Write the exact size in the order note.
What the photograph tells the tape
Measure the bench, not the cushion you used to have. I say it so often my apprentices mouth it back at me.
This bench is a white storage box tucked between the bed and a cube shelf, and its cushion covers the lid edge to edge. That is the look, and the hazard. Edge to edge means the lid, not the box: lids often sit a little proud of the body, and a cushion cut to the body leaves a ledge that catches your shin.
The print is a small mustard and white triangle repeat, which stays legible on a narrow seat without turning busy. Self piping lets the triangles run round the front corner instead of stopping at a colored line. A mustard knit throw on olive linen bedding repeats the color a step away, so bench and bed read as one set.
No pillows. The wicker baskets in the cube shelf, the pilea and pothos in terracotta pots, the books and the mug already supply texture, and a cream flatweave rug on honey oak boards warms the floor. The seat stays bare: a clean place to sit and pull on socks.
Pinned by Maggie: the bedside box
Start on the triangle-print top, then move to the piped corner, the mustard throw, the baskets and the pots.
- Triangle-print top
A small repeat like this stays legible on a narrow box without looking busy.
- Self-piped front corner
Self piping keeps the triangles running round the edge instead of stopping at a colored line.
- Mustard throw
The throw on the bed repeats the cushion mustard, so bench and bed read as one set.
- Wicker baskets
Woven baskets supply the texture, so the bench needs no pillows.
- Terracotta pots
Clay pots and green leaves sit happily next to warm mustard.
- Triangle-print topA small repeat like this stays legible on a narrow box without looking busy.
- Self-piped front cornerSelf piping keeps the triangles running round the edge instead of stopping at a colored line.
- Mustard throwThe throw on the bed repeats the cushion mustard, so bench and bed read as one set.
- Wicker basketsWoven baskets supply the texture, so the bench needs no pillows.
- Terracotta potsClay pots and green leaves sit happily next to warm mustard.
Five measurements for a lid that lifts
Lid width
Across the lid at its widest, edge to edge, to the nearest ⅛ in (3 mm). Not the box body, and not the old pad.
Lid depth, both ends
Front to back on the lid, at the left end and the right. Boxes are not always square; if the two differ, write both.
Hinge positions
Mark each hinge along the back edge, measured from the left end. Ties go on the hinge side only and land between the hinges, so the cushion lifts with the lid.
Swing clearance
Open the lid against the wall or headboard. A thicker cushion shortens the swing, so check the gap before choosing thickness.
Anything odd
Trim that sticks out, a clipped corner, an angle: draw the shape with every side measured and send it with a trapezoid order. The trapezoid calculator checks the numbers.
Quarter inches on a plywood nook
A buyer in the US building kitchen nook benches from plywood needed two cushions at 73.25 x 24.5 in (186 x 62 cm) and one at 20 x 31.5 in (51 x 80 cm), all in corduroy. The question was whether 3 in (7.5 cm) would be thick enough on bare plywood. The shop said yes, and quoted production at 5 to 7 days plus 3 to 5 days of delivery.
Look at those numbers: quarter inches and half inches, taken off the finished benches. That is the right habit. Over a hard plywood seat, 3 in of high-density foam is enough for everyday dining, and it is plenty for a bedside box where you sit for a minute, not an hour. The hinged-lid storage bench pattern and the bench cushion builder take it from there, and the bench cushion atlas has more seats. What does your lid measure?
On the cutting table: the bedside box
| Piece | Box cushion for a lift-lid storage bench |
|---|---|
| Small mustard and white triangle repeat | |
| Piping | Self piping, print carried round the corner |
| Fit | Lid edge to edge, no overhang |
| Fastening | Ties on the hinge side only, between the hinges |
| Thickness | 3 in (7.5 cm) of high-density foam suits a hard lid |
| Measure | Lid width, lid depth at both ends, hinge positions |
| Order note | Exact size, thickness and hinge spacing |
| Best for | Bedside and end-of-bed storage boxes |
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.
Buyer questions
- A common question
Roughly what does a custom bench cushion cost?
The workshop's answerIt depends on size: enter width and length on the listing and the price is calculated for you. Real quotes ran from an 18 x 18 in (46 x 46 cm) seat pad to a 17¾ x 78 in (45 x 198 cm) velvet bench, and at the same 58 x 17 x 2 in (147 x 43 x 5 cm) size, corduroy came in above linen with piping. A very low figure on a listing is for the smallest sizes, not a price drop.
- A common question
My size isn't in the drop-down menu. How do I order a custom size?
The workshop's answerPick the closest size, usually the next one up, and write your exact dimensions in the personalization box; the cushion is made to that size. A 16 x 42 in (41 x 107 cm) cushion went through the 16 x 40 in option, and a 43¼ x 43¼ in (110 x 110 cm) one through 47¼ x 47¼ in (120 x 120 cm). For larger or multi-part orders the shop adds your size as an option or makes a private listing.
- A common question
My bay window seat has three sides and isn't a rectangle. Can you make a cushion for it?
The workshop's answerYes. Angled bay seats are ordered through the custom trapezoid listing: upload a photo and a drawing with measurements, and the cushion is shaped to it. Benches with wood sticking out or other irregular edges are handled the same way.
A storage bench cushion should be measured on the lid, edge to edge, with the hinge positions marked so the ties land between them.
Maggie
Questions buyers ask next
Should a storage bench cushion be tied down if the lid opens?
Yes, if it tends to slide. Ties sewn on the hinge side only let the cushion lift with the lid. Send the hinge positions with your order so the ties land between the hinges, not on top of them.
Do I measure the lid or the box for a storage bench cushion?
The lid. It is the surface you sit on, and it often overhangs the box body slightly. Measure width and depth edge to edge, check the depth at both ends, and write the exact figures in your note.
Is a busy print a problem on a small bench cushion?
Not if the repeat is small. A tight triangle or dot repeat stays legible on a narrow seat, while a large motif gets cut off at the edges. Self piping keeps the print running around the corners.
Stitch straight — Maggie
