Sofas, chairs and love seats all come with cushions that are designed to exactly fit the dimensions of the base. While these cushions are typically squared off, sometimes they're designed to be slotted into the base. These cushions that snugly wrap around the sofa are called t-cushions.
What Is a T-Cushion?
As you may be able to guess, a t-cushion is shaped somewhat like a capital T. More accurately, a t-cushion is shaped like one half of a T, and the two together make the T shape that fits into the sofa or chair base. In bottom cushions, the arms of the T wrap around the base of the armrest. In back cushions, the T wraps around the top of the armrest. They give a more cushioned surface area to a sofa. Some also find the look of t-cushions more attractive than their rectangular or square counterparts.
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Where Are T-Cushions Used?
T-cushions can be used on sofas or couches, armchairs and love seats. Their use is really dependent on couch arm styles. On a seat that's designed for t-cushions, the arms will be set further back from the seat's edge, allowing space for the T to wrap in front.
Pros and Cons of T-Cushions
T-cushions tend to make a sofa look more even and aesthetically pleasing. They also give more of an even cushioned area, making the couch more comfortable.
However, t-cushions do come with some problems. The first is that most people tend to sit at the edges of a couch rather than evenly across it. While with square and rectangular cushions, flipping them around can ensure equal wear and tear across them, this isn't possible with t-cushions. Therefore, the cushions may wear down on their outer portion much faster and need more frequent replacement. T cushions can be flipped (you just need to swap the two ends), but the wear will always be worse on the edges next to the armrest.
Another issue is that t-cushions are more difficult to find replacement covers for than rectangular or square cushions. You may even need to get cushion covers specially made. One way around this is to purchase a slipcover for your whole couch. There's a wide selection of Wayfair slipcovers for couches. These fit over the entire sofa, acting as a protector. Slipcovers can be designed specifically for t-cushion sofas and chairs. Once they're sullied, they can be easily removed and washed. Surefit is a leading manufacturer of couch slipcovers. There are many size options, and Surefit returns mean any mistakes can be easily rectified.