A Reading by CallumChaise Lounge & Sunbed Cushions
A two-fabric sunbed cushion on a vineyard-pool chaise: leaf-print back, plain sage seat
Two fabrics on one chaise and not a quarrel between them. Here's how a print and a plain split the work, and what sits under the cloth.
SaveThe quick answer
On a two-fabric chaise or sunbed cushion, put the print on the backrest, where it faces the viewer, and a plain on the seat, where it gets sat on. Pull the plain from the print's background color and pipe each piece in its own fabric. Order both from outdoor-rated fabric, and label each piece's thickness separately.
The seat, cut open
Outdoor cover. Two outdoor fabrics: tonal leaf print on the backrest, plain sage on the seat. Water-repellent and UV-resistant, zipped and removable.
Self piping. Each piece is piped in its own fabric, so no edge argues with the print.
Fiber wrap. Polyester fiber (Dacron) batting around the foam: it fills the cover out and softens the edges.
Foam core. Standard foam, about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³), cut to size. It is not a quick-dry outdoor foam, so keep it out of standing rain.
Zipper. Along the back band, as hidden as possible. The zipper side faces down or toward the wall.
Base panel. The underside of the seat. Two ties at the back corners can be added free to hold it on the chaise.
Two fabrics, one chaise
Wine country, clear sky, and a chaise dressed for it. Look closer and it's two fabrics. The backrest carries a tonal palm-leaf print, sage on paler sage. The seat is plain sage.
That split is the smartest thing in the picture. The back faces you, so it gets the pattern. The seat gets sat on, lain on and dripped on after a swim, so it stays plain and calm. The plain was pulled straight from the print's background, so the two read as one cushion, not two leftovers.
The setting does the rest. Lavender beds, olive trees and grapevines are all gray-greens from the cushion's own family. The black wrought iron draws a hard line around soft color on pale travertine. And the wheels are there for a reason, friend: roll it into shade when the sun climbs. Sun is weather too.
For your own chaise and sunbed cushions, the rule travels: pattern where people look, plain where people sit. What's growing around your pool?
Five pins by the pool
Five spots where the print, the plain and the setting meet.
- Leaf-print backrest
A tonal palm-leaf print on the back puts pattern where it is seen most.
- Plain sage seat
A plain seat in the same sage stops the print from looking busy when someone lies down.
- Scroll iron arm
Black wrought iron outlines the cushion sharply against pale stone.
- Chaise wheel
Wheels make it easy to roll the chaise into shade.
- Lavender beds
Lavender's gray-green leaves belong to the same family as the sage cushion.
- Leaf-print backrestA tonal palm-leaf print on the back puts pattern where it is seen most.
- Plain sage seatA plain seat in the same sage stops the print from looking busy when someone lies down.
- Scroll iron armBlack wrought iron outlines the cushion sharply against pale stone.
- Chaise wheelWheels make it easy to roll the chaise into shade.
- Lavender bedsLavender's gray-green leaves belong to the same family as the sage cushion.
Mixing a print and a plain: my rules
- Print on the backrest, where people look.
- Plain on the seat, where people sit and drip.
- Pull the plain from the print's background, not its accent.
- Pipe each piece in its own fabric.
- Order both from the outdoor charts, never the indoor listing.
The seat and back that were almost twins
A buyer messaged the workshop about an outdoor daybed. The first message gave the seat as 71 × 31.5 in (180 × 80 cm). Then came the real numbers: a seat base of 88½ × 25½ in (225 × 65 cm) and a tall back of 88½ × 25¼ in (225 × 64 cm). They had a date to meet, and ordering that same day kept them on schedule.
The workshop asked for one more thing before cutting: a separate thickness for the seat and for the back. Two pieces that close in size are easy to swap on a cutting table. Label them, and nobody has to guess. The same care applies to measuring a chaise at its hinge.
- Sizes
- Seat 88½ × 25½ in (225 × 65 cm); back 88½ × 25¼ in (225 × 64 cm)
The lesson: When seat and back are nearly the same size, label each piece's thickness to avoid mix-ups.
Three questions about outdoor fabric
- A common question
Can I use a fabric from the indoor listing for my outdoor cushions?
The workshop's answerNo. Indoor-listing fabrics are for indoor use only. Order outdoor cushions through the outdoor listing and choose from its charts, which are all outdoor-rated, water-repellent and UV-resistant. An outdoor code picked from samples goes through the outdoor listing too.
- A common question
Can I send you my own fabric, or ask for Sunbrella?
The workshop's answerNo on both. The fabric is chosen from the workshop's own charts, and Sunbrella isn't used. There are close to 200 outdoor options, so there's usually one near what you had in mind.
- A common question
Can you add ties to the back corners so the cushion stays put?
The workshop's answerYes, free of charge. Ties can go on the two back corners of a bench or lounger cushion, or on the back of chair pads. Write the request, with your exact size, in the personalization section.
On a two-fabric chaise cushion, the print goes on the backrest and the plain goes on the seat. Pull the plain from the print's background color.
Callum
The chaise, piece by piece
| Cushion | Chaise cushion in two pieces: backrest and seat |
|---|---|
| Fabrics | Tonal sage leaf print on the back, plain sage on the seat |
| Piping | Self piping on each piece |
| Thickness | Standard 4 in (10 cm); state seat and back separately |
| Outdoor fabric | Water-repellent, UV-resistant; outdoor charts only |
| Foam | About 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³); not a quick-dry foam |
| Ties | Two back-corner ties on request, free |
| Best for | Pool chaises, sunbeds, wrought-iron and teak loungers |
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.
Questions buyers ask next
Can one chaise cushion use two different outdoor fabrics?
Yes. Fabrics can be mixed on one order, so a print backrest and a plain seat are easy to ask for. Write each piece's fabric code, size and thickness separately so nothing gets swapped.
How do I measure a chaise with a separate back and seat?
Measure each piece on its own: seat length and depth, back length and height, then each thickness. When the two come out close in size, label them clearly on your drawing.
Do outdoor chaise cushions need to come in for winter?
They last longer if they do. The fabric is water-repellent, but the foam isn't a quick-dry type, so store the cushions dry through rain and snow. More in water-repellent vs waterproof.
Fair winds — Callum
Loungers that mix a print and a plain
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