Hard wooden kitchen and dining room chairs beg to be softened with chair cushions, but choosing chair cushions that don't overwhelm your kitchen set isn't easy. You can pick up a set of chair cushions for $5 at the local dollar store – but will they fit into your room's décor – or detract from your style?



Face it – you get what you pay for. Cheap chair cushions have thinner padding, less durable fabric and shoddy workmanship. If you take the trouble to choose well-made, quality chair cushions for your kitchen or dining room set, you'll be rewarded with a set that lasts longer, is far more comfortable and requires less care in the long run.

What To Look For When Choosing Chair Cushions

When choosing chair cushions for wooden chairs, take these things into account.

- Pick the right size for the seat. If the cushion is too small, it will be uncomfortable. If it's too large, it will look bulky – and the edges of the chair seat will add to the wear on the fabric and cut the life of your cushions.

- Make sure that any ties are sewn into the seam of the cushion. Chair ties take a lot of pulling and tugging when people sit and stand. If the ties are sewn into the seam, they're far more likely to stay attached.

- Buy chair cushions treated with stain guard to make it easy to keep them clean. If you find the perfect cushions and they're not stain resistant, invest in a can of stain resist or stain guard to make it easier to keep them looking fresh and new. After all – this is your kitchen, and your kids eat here, right?

- Choose washable chair cushions – or one with removable, washable covers. See above for the reason! Even with stain guard, some spills are going to soak in. Being able to toss your chair cushions into the washer will make your life easier.

- Pick cushions in a durable fabric that will stand up to the wear of lots of seats on the seat. Corduroy, denim, chintz, canvas and duck are all good choices for fabric that wears like iron.

- Rolled edges, piping and ruffles should all be firmly sewn into the seam between the top and bottom of the cushion. Examine the seam carefully for any breaks and gaps, and give a little tug on the ruffle or piping to make sure that it doesn't come free easily.

- Tufted cushions are pretty – but they can be uncomfortable if you sit on them for long periods of time. If you do choose tufted cushions, make sure that any buttons are sewn on through all layers of the chair cushion to avoid losing buttons to wriggling bottoms.