SaveA Reading by MaggieDining Chair Cushions & Pads
A sage T-shaped chair cushion, a sleeping cat, and what belongs under the cover
Right, then. The cat has approved the fabric. The foam is our department, and it deserves more thought than most people give it.
Swatch strip measured from the photograph
- camel#9f8e7527%
- sand#c4bbaa22%
- dark walnut#58483022%
- oatmeal#d9d3c717%
- linen#e3dfd513%
The quick answer
A replacement T-cushion for an armchair should be solid seat foam with a stated density, about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) for daily use, with firmness chosen separately. Density says how long foam lasts; firmness says how it feels. Match the old cushion's height, trace the T outline on paper, and choose a tight weave if a cat sleeps there.
The palette, pulled from one armchair
- Sage green#9CAF88The new seat, and the only strong color on the chair.
- Cream linen#EDE6D6The frame stays; the seat becomes the accent.
- Fig-leaf green#4F6B3AA darker green companion from the plant.
- Walnut#5C4033The coffee table, warm and low.
- Tabby#A07850Not ordered, but always present.
- Cream wool#F3EEE3The rug that softens the floor under it all.
Why sage, why the T, and what sits under the cover
Replacing only the seat is the cheapest way to change an armchair's color, and the cat does not care either way.
This photograph shows a new chair cushion in sage on a cream linen armchair. A dining chair cushion with ties needs spindles to knot to; a T-cushion needs none, because the arms hold it. The frame stays exactly as it was; the seat becomes the accent. Sage sits well on cream, and the fiddle-leaf fig in its woven basket gives it a darker green companion across the room. The walnut coffee table, with a stack of books and a ceramic mug within reach, tells you what this chair is for. The cream wool rug keeps the whole corner soft in the afternoon light.
The shape is a T. The cushion widens in front of the arms so it fills the seat edge to edge. Those two inside corners are where replacements go wrong, and the self piping is what keeps them crisp instead of rounding off.
The tabby asleep on top is the real test. A tight, flat performance weave resists claws better than a loose bouclé, whose loops catch. No weave lasts forever under a cat, dear, but a tight one gives the claws nothing to hook. What does your cat sleep on now?
Now, under the cover. A seat cushion takes solid foam, not the shredded fill used in back pillows. Ask for the density number: around 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) is a solid everyday seat foam, and it is the workshop's standard because it doesn't sag. Density predicts how long foam lasts, not how firm it feels, so choose firmness as its own decision. The foam firmness finder helps with that part.
Thickness is the third number. Match the cushion you are replacing so the seat stays level with the arms. Foam settles when you sit: a 3 in (7.5 cm) cushion rides nearer 2 1/2 in (6.5 cm). I once ordered by the thickness I wished an old cushion had been, and the chair looked as if it were wearing a hat. Trace the old one on paper instead.
Pinned by Maggie, corner by corner
Five pins, from the T-shaped notch at the arm to the books waiting on the coffee table.
- T-shaped notch
The cushion widens in front of the arms so it fills the seat edge to edge.
- Sleeping tabby
A tight pet-friendly weave resists claws better than a loose bouclé.
- Piped front
Self piping keeps the T-shape crisp at the tricky inside corners.
- Fiddle-leaf fig
The fig gives the sage seat a green companion in the room.
- Books and mug
A coffee table within reach sets the chair up for reading.
- T-shaped notchThe cushion widens in front of the arms so it fills the seat edge to edge.
- Sleeping tabbyA tight pet-friendly weave resists claws better than a loose bouclé.
- Piped frontSelf piping keeps the T-shape crisp at the tricky inside corners.
- Fiddle-leaf figThe fig gives the sage seat a green companion in the room.
- Books and mugA coffee table within reach sets the chair up for reading.
Two tiny seats and an address with a missing line
A buyer messaged the workshop needing two very small seat cushions, 9 7/8 x 13 in (25 x 33 cm) and only 2 in (5 cm) thick, in beige from the color chart. On a pad that thin you feel the seat underneath if the foam is soft, so thin cushions want the sturdy kind.
The cushions were made promptly. The delivery was not. The carrier couldn't find the door because the address was incomplete, so the parcel went all the way back to the workshop and out again, with the buyer paying the second shipping.
My checklist, learned the hard way by other people: full street address, apartment or unit number, gate or door code, and a phone number the driver can call. For the seat itself, the dining chair pad measuring guide covers the rest.
The cutting ticket
| Cushion | Replacement T-cushion for an armchair seat |
|---|---|
| Shape | T outline, wider in front of the arms |
| Edge | Box edge with self piping |
| Fabric | Tight sage performance weave |
| Fill | Solid seat foam, about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) |
| Firmness | Chosen separately from density |
| Thickness | Match the old cushion's height |
| Template | Paper tracing of the old cushion or the seat deck |
| Best for | Armchairs with a resident cat |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Maggie’s workshop
Numbers first, fabric second, piping last. Jot down what you have, and the workshop will go down the list with you, item by item. — 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
Could you make a chair cushion about 5 in (13 cm) thick, with ties at the back?
The workshop's answerYes. The workshop asked for a photo of the chair and its measurements, a 21.5 in (55 cm) seat base in that case, then sent close-up photos of smoke, beige, brown and mint along with a linen swatch card to choose from.
- A common question
My dining chairs have back supports that come down into the seat. Can the pads be notched around them, or arched at the back?
The workshop's answerNotches for back supports can't be made reliably from a distance, so the workshop suggested an arched back edge. On one drawing a 20 in (51 cm) chord with a 12.5 in (32 cm) radius gave a 5 in (13 cm) arc, with sharp corners where the arc meets the sides, about 1 in (2.5 cm) rounded front corners, the zipper along the arc, ties inset 4.5 in (11 cm) and a non-slip base.
- A common question
Can I buy just the round ottoman from the floor lounge chair set? And are the chairs heavy?
The workshop's answerYes, the small round ottoman can be ordered on its own through a custom order link. The corduroy floor lounge chairs are light, easy to pick up and carry to another room.
Self piping keeps the two inside corners of a T-cushion crisp where the seat widens in front of the arms; without it they round off.
Maggie
Questions buyers ask next
Does foam density tell me how firm a chair seat will feel?
No. Density predicts how long foam lasts; firmness is measured separately, often as ILD. A foam around 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) can be made soft, medium or firm, so ask for both numbers and decide each on its own.
How do I replace a T-cushion without the original pattern?
Trace the old cushion or the bare seat deck on paper, mark the front edge, and label the wide front and the narrow back. Guessing the steps of a T outline from a tape measure alone is where replacement cushions go wrong.
Is a performance weave better than bouclé for a cat's favorite chair?
A tight, flat weave gives claws little to hook, while bouclé's loops catch and pull. No fabric stays claw-resistant for good, so choose the tightest weave you like and a cover you can clean easily.
Stitch straight — Maggie
Other seats, other palettes
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