Coveted Cupboards

We have been umming and arring about whether to change our current interior sprung mattresses for foam.  On Yarwood we have a traditional back cabin (a boatmans cabin) which means that during the day the bed gets stored away leaving a very useful living space.  We presently have three mattresses, each are 2'x 4'6" x 7" and they live in the boatman's cabin bed'ole during the day.  At night we remove the cushion on the side bed and lay out the mattresses to provide a very comfortable bed across the back cabin. It sounds long winded but it actually only takes less than fifty seconds to make up the bed.

The reason we have been toying with a change is that the 'comfortable mattresses' take up all the space in the bed'ole - conventionally all the bedding should also live in this space leaving the cupboard above  the bed for 'other' storage.  In Yarwood we store the duvet, pillows etc. in this cupboard and I have been coveting this space.... 

If we change to foam cushions we could get all the bedding in the bed'ole...
With this thought in mind Joe has been surfing the net for suppliers, what type of foam should be used and how much will it cost.  I can tell you, the costs for foam are eye-watering, we were getting prices in the region of £200 per cushion!    It looked like that coveted cupboard space was a lost cause. 
However, yesterday Himself spotted an upholsterer on line who is based in Godmanchester and we were due to be passing through Godmanchester so maybe  we could check with them?

"Good idea, I'll call them" says I.

I called.

'Two pieces of appropriate foam, ie. bedding quality, this size and removable calico covers, how much?'
'And the lead time?'

Today we picked up our new mattress cushions with removable washable covers. 
Pedlar Upholstery ordered our foam yesterday after I had called them, it arrived at their workshop after lunch today and they made the fitted covers this afternoon. 
A very, very impressive service indeed and the cost was reasonable. 
So it you are out in these waters and want something in the upholstery line for your boat I can recommend this family run company.  They do caravan and boat work in addition to the conventional chair and settee stuff.

So now I have an enormous cupboard going spare and you  know how important that can be on a narrowboat!

' No Joe, it's MY cupboard!!'