Custom Outdoor Cushions: Options & Examples
Do you have a unique set or piece of patio furniture with outdated, faded, or stained cushions that you’re looking to upgrade? Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to find high-quality replacement cushions that fit properly and don’t look out of place.
This leaves you with several options– replace the piece of furniture or patio set completely, replace the cushions with custom outdoor cushions, or cover your existing outdoor cushions with custom cushion covers.
The first option is expensive, not to mention wasteful, so going the custom route is a great solution! In this blog post, we’ll explore your custom cushion cover options and share examples of different styles to inspire your patio revamp.
Reasons to Invest in Custom Outdoor Cushions
Here are some key benefits of customizing your outdoor cushions:
Save money and minimize waste: Covering up your old patio cushions with custom cushion covers rather than tossing them out is a sustainable solution, good for both your wallet and the environment. (It can take up to 200 years for synthetic outdoor fabrics to decompose!)
Choose from high-quality fabrics: When you customize your outdoor cushions, you can choose from high-quality fabrics that are more durable, fade-resistant, and mildew-resistant than those used for your average outdoor cushions.
Create a unique patio setting: Customization allows for personalization. You can mix and match different colors and patterns to create a one-of-a-kind look for your outdoor patio furniture.
Customize the details: Do you prefer plush or firm throw pillows? Boxed-edged cushions or knife-edged cushions? When you go custom, you can ensure all the details are to your liking.
Ensure a perfect fit: Maybe your patio chairs have tapered edges or you opted for a curved outdoor sofa. Whatever the design, custom cushions will fit your furniture as if they were the original cushions. Our cushion covers easily slip over your existing cushions– they’re stretchy and come with an adjustable elastic cord on the back to create a form-fitting cover for each cushion. Best of all, our customized covers are designed to fit the measurements of your cushions, no matter what custom size or shape they are. So you can be sure of a perfect fit every time!
Top 3 Materials for Custom Outdoor Furniture Cushions
Are you ready to start dreaming up your custom cushions? Select a high-quality outdoor fabric for the cushions and go from there.
There are many different outdoor fabrics to choose from for your custom outdoor furniture cushions. These are the top three we recommend and use for our cushion covers here at Fig Leaf:
Poly-Knit Blend: For our standard cushion covers, we use a poly-knit fabric with a fiber content of 95% poly and 5% spandex, offering fade, stain, and mildew resistance. The poly-knit fabric allows for an optimal fit and ensures that your custom cushions maintain their shape and color over time.
Waterproof Canvas: If you’re looking for something more waterproof, we recommend going with Ottertex® waterproof canvas, a durable and versatile outdoor fabric that is 600×600 denier and 100% polyester. With a polyurethane solution (PU) backing and a waterproof coating, this fabric is highly resistant to water, dirt, mildew, and UV rays. It is an excellent choice for outdoor furniture, particularly in rainy climates and around pools. The flexibility of the fabric allows for easy sewing and shaping into various cushion sizes and shapes, making it ideal for custom cushion covers. We use this fabric on our standard waterproof cushion covers.
Premium Acrylic Waterproof Canvas: Ottertex® also offers a premium acrylic waterproof canvas fabric that we use for our premium waterproof cushion covers. Unlike traditional Ottertex canvas, the color is applied to the fibers during production, resulting in improved color lock-in and increased resistance to UV rays and mold. The acrylic canvas fabric is even bleach-safe, allowing for the removal of tough stains without compromising the color. This high-quality fabric ensures longevity and durability for your outdoor cushions. It’s truly the best of the best when it comes to outdoor fabrics!
Popular Colors & Patterns for Custom Patio Cushions
Next up is one of the most fun parts of designing your custom outdoor patio cushions: selecting the colors or patterns you want to use!
You can keep it simple with one solid color, or get creative and mix and match several different colors and prints. To get your ideas flowing, below are some of our most popular solid colors and prints:
This Oatmeal color is the perfect neutral shade that will go with anything and provide a classic look. It pairs well with black or other natural colors. Because it’s so clean and simple, you can get more creative with your throw pillows or other patio decor.
If you want something that seamlessly blends in with your natural surroundings, this rich Hunter Green color would look right at home in a wooded or lush green landscape.
If you’re after more contrast, this Pacific color is our most popular solid color by far. The vibrant teal shade is exuberant and summery.
When it comes to prints, this Tan Trellis print adds visual interest without being too bold or distracting. It gives off a feeling of luxury and elegance.
If you’re looking for a more vibrant print that’s still classic, you can’t go wrong with some colorful stripes like this Multi-Stripe print.
This Paradise print is so whimsical and joyful. It would look perfect in a tropical setting with some brightly-colored accent pillows.
Keep in mind, because we make Fig Leaf Cushion Covers here in the United States, we can quickly and economically create custom covers for any type of outdoor cushion. If you would like a specific size or color that isn’t listed on our website, we can contact our suppliers to see if it is available. Just email us with what you’re looking for and we’ll do the rest!
Boxed Edge vs. Knife Edge Custom Outdoor Bench Cushions
Once you decide on the color palette, it’s time to focus on the details. There are two main types of cushions used for outdoor furniture: boxed-edge cushions and knife-edge cushions. The choice between the two styles depends on your personal preference.
Cushion styles with a boxed edge are constructed with a vertical sidewall that is the same height as the thickness of the cushion. These types of cushions are made by assembling the top and bottom sections of the cut fabric to the sidewall fabric to form a box. Boxed edge cushions feature a visible fabric border, providing more structure and a more traditional look.
A knife edge cushion style is made by sewing the top and bottom fabric panels together to make a sewing seam, which is mid-height on the sides of the cushion. Knife edge cushions have a sleek, modern look and are easy to clean.
5 Examples of Custom Cushions for Outdoor Furniture
As you can see, when you go custom with your outdoor cushions and cushion covers, the possibilities are endless! You can customize the type of fabric, the colors and patterns of that fabric, and even the type of cushion edge. You can keep things clean and simple or add some flair to your patio with vibrant colors and eye-catching patterns.
To help you envision what’s possible, check out some of the custom cushion covers we’ve made for our recent customers:
1. Starting off with something simple yet strikingly beautiful, these rust-colored cushion covers really complement the exterior of this home and the surrounding high desert landscape.
2. Looking for a custom cushion for a patio set with a circular ottoman or another unusually-shaped piece of furniture? No problem! As you can see, we created this custom set of Navy cushion covers that fit the curved outdoor bench cushions and round ottoman perfectly.
3. This custom set of outdoor cushions takes a classic solid color and pairs it with a complementary striped print to create a dynamic and inviting patio environment.
4. This custom daybed cushion cover made with our premium waterproof fabric is the perfect backdrop for a bunch of colorful throw pillows. With this durable fabric, you can lounge in a wet swimsuit without having to worry about damaging your outdoor cushions!
5. This one-of-a-kind set of outdoor cushions and pillow covers creatively combines two of our most popular solid colors, Sky Blue and Pacific, with a unique yet complementary pattern. This is a great example of what can be achieved when you think outside of the box and mix things up!
Measuring for Custom Outdoor Cushion Covers
From shoes to clothes to outdoor seat cushions, there’s nothing worse than a bad fit.
If your patio furniture is unique or customized, it can be hard to find cushions to fit the design. By choosing custom cushions, you can be sure that the fit will always be perfect, no matter what shape or size you need.
If you’re investing in custom cushion covers for your outdoor cushions, it’s important to take accurate measurements to ensure a seamless fit. For square or rectangle cushions, first measure the width of the cushion (side to side), then measure the length of the cushion (front to back), and then measure the depth of the cushion (thickness). Measurements are typically in inches. It’s always easier to adjust or tighten the cushion covers after the fact, so round up with your measurements.
For any other shape of cushion, take as many measurements as you can, and be sure to include some pictures of the cushions or outdoor furniture with your order.
Where to Buy Covers for Custom Outdoor Cushions
Our durable Fig Leaf Cushion Covers come in different fabrics and a wide variety of colors and patterns, so you can personalize them to your liking. If there’s a color or pattern that you’re not seeing on our website, just reach out to us and we’ll help bring your vision to life. And if you have any unusually-shaped outdoor cushions that you’re looking to revamp with our cushion covers, we’ll work with you to ensure the custom outdoor covers fit perfectly.
Contact us today to start designing your custom outdoor cushions!
