This is the Woods cushion finished with contrasting velvet piping rather than a matching self edge, and the change is worth more than it sounds. A velvet outline introduces a second texture at the point where the eye naturally travels, and the difference in how linen and velvet take light gives the cushion a defined edge and a small amount of visual weight it would not otherwise have.
Inside that edge is the 1959 Woods screen print, the silver birch design that has become Cole & Son's most recognisable, made up in the same premium linen union used for the fabric by the metre. The linen face gives the print a slightly rough, matte surface; the velvet returns light where the linen absorbs it. Together they do what a well-made cushion should, which is to look considered from across the room and to reward being handled.
It measures 50 cm square, a size that works against the arm of a deep chair or as one of a pair on a large sofa, and the inner is feather and down, so it can be dressed by hand and will hold its shape. It is handmade in Great Britain, and coordinating wallpaper and fabric are available for a room that wants to take the reference further.
