Snakeshead Floral Polyester Cushion - Berry/Natural

This is a printed cushion in William Morris's Snakeshead design, a floral pattern the archive dates to 1876. On this colourway the ground reads a deep berry red, worked over with a mirrored arrangement of stylised flowers and scrolling foliage in tan, cream, teal and soft pink. The whole face is bordered by a sage-green Oxford trim, the flat fabric frame you can see running around all four edges, and the cushion measures 40 x 60cm, a long lumbar shape rather than a square.

It is made from 100% polyester and finished for outdoor use, so its natural home is a garden bench, a patio seat or a covered veranda where a cotton cushion would struggle. The lumbar proportion suits the small of the back on a deep sofa or an outdoor sette, and the red ground sits comfortably against natural wood and warm neutrals. The Snakeshead pattern is offered in other colourways too, so if the berry red is too warm for your scheme there are cooler greens and blues in the same design to look at.

The face is a printed polyester with a soft handle, and the pattern is symmetrical, so the motif reads the same whichever way up you set the cushion. A zip closure runs along one edge, which means the cover comes off for cleaning and the pad can be handled separately. The Oxford border gives the print a clean, framed finish rather than a raw seamed edge. Being polyester, the fabric holds its colour well and does not absorb water the way a natural fibre would, which is what makes it sensible for a seat that lives outside. For anyone building a Morris-led outdoor scheme, this berry Snakeshead pairs naturally with the greener versions of the same print.

Can this cushion be left outside?

It is made from polyester treated for outdoor use with a water-resistant finish, so it is suited to garden and patio seating through the year, though bringing it in during heavy weather will always prolong it.

Does the cover come off?

Yes, there is a zip closure along one edge, so you can remove the cover from the pad for cleaning and handle the two separately.

What shape and size is it?

It measures 40 x 60cm, which is a long lumbar rectangle rather than a square, a shape that sits well in the small of your back on a deep seat.

What does the Oxford border mean?

An Oxford border is the flat fabric frame stitched around the printed panel, visible on all four edges, giving the cushion a neat framed finish rather than a plain seamed edge.

Is the pattern the same both ways up?

The Snakeshead motif here is mirrored and symmetrical, so it reads correctly whichever way round you place the cushion on a seat.

How does polyester behave outdoors?

Polyester holds its colour well and does not soak up water the way a natural fibre would, which is why it copes with the damp and sun of an outdoor seat.