---
title: "Banquette Cushion in Two Lengths: a Saffron Courtyard Bench"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/readings/saffron-outdoor-banquette-cushion-italian-courtyard/"
section: "Readings"
author: "Margaret Holloway, The Piping Queen of Newport"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/"
published: "2026-01-02"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "banquette cushion, banquette seating cushions, outdoor bench cushion, outdoor cushions, waterproof outdoor cushions, patio cushion"
---

# Saffron banquette cushions in two lengths, and the nook with a sill that stuck out

*A long bench is two cushions pretending to be one. This courtyard pulls it off beautifully, and a buyer's L-shaped nook pulled it off with an inch to spare.*

> **The quick answer:** A banquette cushion longer than about 8 ft (2.4 m) is usually made in two lengths that butt together, because very long cushions are made and shipped in two pieces. One buyer's L-shaped nook took seats of 82 × 18 in (208 × 46 cm) and 29.25 × 18 in (74 × 46 cm), 3 in (7.5 cm) thick.

![Saffron outdoor cushions with white veining on a long plastered banquette beside marble bistro tables and rattan chairs](https://cushionguide.com/media/banquette-cushions/saffron-outdoor-banquette-cushion-italian-courtyard-1600.webp "Two saffron cushion lengths line a built-in plaster banquette in a sun-washed courtyard set for lunch.")

## Two lengths and a pillow on the joint

Look at the middle of the bench first. The saffron cushion is two lengths butted end to end, and an olive-green pillow sits right on the joint. That is not decoration, dear. That is a cover-up, and a good one. Each length lifts out on its own.

The fabric is a saffron [outdoor weave](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/outdoor-acrylic/) with fine white veining, piped in its own cloth. Self piping keeps a busy surface calm at the edge, and the box edge squares up neatly against the plaster.

Every prop earns its place. Lime plaster and terracotta tiles are warm, so saffron glows instead of shouting. The olive pillows repeat the ivy and the olive tree. Marble bistro tables pulled close turn the bench into a dining seat. Red geraniums in the window boxes are the only other bright, and they stay up high, well away from the cushion.

The idea to copy for your own [banquette cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/banquette-cushions/): split a long run into two lengths and put a pillow where they meet. For an L, read [which piece owns the corner](https://cushionguide.com/guides/l-shaped-cushion-corner-joint/) first. What does your bench measure, end to end?

## Pinned by Maggie: five spots on the bench

Five spots on the courtyard bench, and the job each one is doing.

1. **front cushion length**: The banquette is cushioned in two lengths so each lifts out easily.
2. **olive-green pillow**: Olive pillows pick up the ivy and olive tree in the courtyard.
3. **second cushion length**: A pillow placed at the joint hides where the two lengths meet.
4. **figs on marble table**: Marble bistro tables set close make the bench a dining seat.
5. **terracotta tiles**: Saffron on terracotta keeps the whole courtyard sun-warm.

## The L-shaped nook and the sill that stuck out an inch

A buyer in the US wrote to the workshop about an L-shaped window nook. The first quote was for two 3 in velvet cushions with contrast piping. Then came a second round with the tape measure, and the real numbers: 82 × 18 in and 29.25 × 18 in. Measure the bench, not the cushion you used to have. Same fabric, same price, better fit.

The seats were loved. But the window sill sticks out about an inch, right where shoulders land. So the buyer came back for two slim back cushions, 82 × 5.75 in and 45 × 5.75 in, only 2 in thick, to hold the sitter just forward of the sill. As a returning customer they paid less, and the piping cost nothing extra.

## My notebook list before you send the message

- ✓ A photo of the whole bench, taken straight on.
- ✓ A drawing with every side labeled A, B, C, D, plus the depth.
- ✓ Each run of an L, and every break in a bay, measured on its own.
- ✓ Seat and back thicknesses, written separately.
- ✓ Anything that sticks out over the seat: a sill, trim, a ledge.

## Three questions from buyers with long benches

**A common question:** Our bay seat is an odd shape. How do I send you the measurements?

**The workshop's answer:** Send a photo of the space and a drawing with every side labeled A, B, C, D, plus the depth. In a bay, measure at every break. If a side is missing, the D side for example, the workshop asks for it before quoting. Centimeters are the preferred unit.

**A common question:** Roughly what does a custom bench cushion cost?

**The workshop's answer:** Each one is priced from its own size and fabric. Past quotes ran from a 41.5 × 13 × 2 in bench pad to a 98 × 22 × 4 in velvet bench. Send length, depth, thickness and fabric for yours.

**A common question:** Can you make one cushion 8 to 11 feet long?

**The workshop's answer:** Usually not. Very long cushions are made and shipped in two pieces: requests for 98, 105, 136 and 141 in were all offered as pairs. A 75 × 38 in daybed cushion can be one piece.

> A banquette cushion over 8 ft is usually made in two lengths. Put a pillow on the joint and nobody at the table will notice.
>
> — Maggie, on long benches

> **Tailor's margin:** If a window sill sticks out 1 in over the bench, a 2 in back cushion moves you forward past it. Measure the overhang before you order backs.

## On the cutting table: the courtyard banquette

|   |   |
|---|---|
| Cushion | Outdoor banquette cushion, box edge, in two butted lengths |
| Fabric | Saffron outdoor weave with white veining |
| Pillows | Olive green, one placed on the joint |
| Piping | Self piping, top and bottom seams |
| Thickness | 2, 3, 4 or 5 in (5 to 12.5 cm), same price |
| Outdoor fabric | Water-repellent and UV-resistant; close to 200 options |
| Best for | Built-in patio benches, courtyard dining, L-shaped nooks |

## Questions buyers ask next

### Where should the joint go on a two-piece banquette cushion?

Where it can hide: under a pillow, behind a table leg or at the corner of an L. Each length then lifts out on its own for cleaning.

### Why would a back cushion be only 5.75 in tall?

It isn't there to lean into like a sofa back. A slim strip, 2 in thick, holds you forward so a window sill that sticks out about 1 in never meets your shoulders.

### Does piping cost extra on a banquette cushion?

No. Piping is included, whether self piping, contrast piping from any chart color or none at all. Write the piping code separately from the body fabric code.

## Related at the atelier

- [Banquette Cushions in Coral: A Café Terrace Makeover](https://cushionguide.com/readings/coral-banquette-seat-backrest-provencal-cafe-terrace/): An outdoor banquette cushion set works best as a separate seat and backrest in one fabric code, with the back sitting flush on the seat so the bench reads as a single upholstered block.
- [Banquette Cushions in a Terracotta Stripe for Long Dinners](https://cushionguide.com/readings/terracotta-stripe-outdoor-banquette-cushions-courtyard/): For long sitting on an outdoor banquette, use separate seat and back cushions and write 'firm, backrest-style' on the back pillows, or they may be made as soft throw pillows.
- [Banquette Cushions in Coral Stripe with Solid Coral Backs](https://cushionguide.com/readings/coral-stripe-solid-back-masonry-banquette-terrace/): For a two-fabric banquette cushion, use one color twice: a stripe on the seat and a solid on the backs, joined by piping in the solid.
- [Can my long, shaped bench cushion be one piece, or should it be split into sections?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/long-shaped-bench-cushion-one-piece-or-sections/): Often, yes: a long or shaped window seat cushion can be made in one piece, but it costs more, takes more custom work and fits less reliably than sections.
- [Can you make a cushion for an odd-shaped window seat or nook?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/odd-shaped-window-seat-nook-cushion/): Yes, an odd-shaped window seat or nook cushion can be made in any size and shape.
- [Can an L-shaped cushion have a cut-out for a pillar or corner?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/l-shaped-cushion-cutout-pillar-notch/): An L-shaped cushion can have a cut-out: either one piece with a precise notch around the pillar or corner, or separate sections that butt together around it.
- [How to measure a curved cushion with a chord, a rise and one formula](https://cushionguide.com/guides/curved-cushion-chord-rise-radius/)
- [Waterproof outdoor cushions, honestly: fabric, seams, zippers and foam](https://cushionguide.com/guides/water-repellent-vs-waterproof-cushions/)

*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/saffron-outdoor-banquette-cushion-italian-courtyard/