CushionGuide

The Cushion Atlas · Floor cushions & poufs

Modular sofas that sit on the floor, from one low couch to a full corner

A floor sofa is four pieces of foam and four metal bars. You arrange it once, then again after every move. Here is what each piece measures, and why it matters.

  • 32readings
  • 146answers
  • 12photographs

Get a quote for a modular floor sofa

Low floor sofa in oat velvet with rust velvet side bands, two back pads and an arm block on oak boards by a jute rugSave
A floor sofa built from separate pads: oat velvet on every face you sit on, rust velvet wrapped around the edges where scuffs usually show first.

The quick answer

A modular floor sofa is a frameless couch built from thick foam seat mattresses and separate backrests that sit directly on the floor. The standard set is two 79 x 39 x 6.5 in (200 x 100 x 17 cm) mattresses, two L-shaped backrests and four metal bars, with a seat about 14 in high. Covers zip off and machine wash at 86°F (30°C).

Shapes to choose from

Every one is cut to your measurements. The number is how many readings the atelier has published for that shape.

Sizes & measuring

What each piece measures

Measure the wall you have first. How long is it, and what else must stand there?

Seat mattressesTwo, each 79 x 39 x 6.5 in (200 x 100 x 17 cm), stacked
L-shaped backrestsTwo, each 39 x 39 x 15 in (100 x 100 x 39 cm)
Metal support barsFour: two at the sides, two along the back
FootprintAbout 79 x 39 in (200 x 100 cm)
Seat heightAbout 13.5–14.5 in (34–36 cm)
LengthShortened, or extended to about 82–83 in (210 cm), through the order note; shorter costs the same
Mattress layerAbout 6.5 in (17 cm) each; this thickness can't be changed
Backrest depth15 in (39 cm) standard; slimmer custom backrests about 7 in (18 cm) deep have been made
Closed cornerAbout 79 x 118 in (200 x 300 cm): 3 L-shaped and 1 straight backrest, reversible left or right
Open cornerAbout 117 x 78 in (297 x 198 cm): 2 L-shaped and 2 straight backrests

Fabrics that work

The count is how many published readings use each family. Open a family for its swatch book, care notes and neighbors.

What a modular floor sofa is, and who it suits

Height is a feeling. A modular floor sofa seats you about 13.5–14.5 in (34–36 cm) off the floor, low enough to change how a whole room feels.

It has no frame. Two thick seat mattresses stack on the floor, backrests stand behind them, and four metal support bars keep the backs from tipping. Nothing is glued or bolted. That is the point. It fits a first apartment, then a bigger living room, then unfolds into a guest bed; see sleeping on a floor sofa.

It suits people who move often, sit cross-legged, or want a sofa a child can climb without worry. If you want to sink in at knee height, a framed sofa will serve you better. The floor sofa buying guide is an honest place to decide.

Straight, L or corner: the backrest decides

The sofa grows by backrest shape. Two sofas plus a straight backrest make an L or a corner sectional, and the two halves can be different colors. A single sofa can be upgraded to an L or a corner later by paying the difference.

On the classic modular sofa the backrests are separate, so they go where you want and the bars hold them. There is also a one-piece model whose backrest is solid foam fixed to the upper mattress: nothing slides, no bars, less freedom. Choose between arranging and forgetting.

Edges are a flat seam by default, with no raised piping, and every piece is sewn to match. A welt has been offered on request on one listing, so write your preference and wait for an answer. Modular floor sofa layouts draws each arrangement.

Velvet, corduroy, teddy and linen-look

Most sofas photographed here are velvet: cream seats with colored end bands in rust, navy, raspberry, cobalt, camel or sage. The seat stays quiet; the ends carry the color.

  • Velvet gives that banded look and spot-cleans well.
  • Corduroy on these sofas is 100% polyester plush cord. It is indoor-only, with no UV or water resistance, and is made without piping.
  • Bouclé and teddy is the soft, curly one people call a teddy couch. The bouclé modular couch can't be customized in size.
  • Linen-look weaves read calm and matte, like the ivory set in the limewashed room.

Fabrics come from a mill certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100 (03.T.3239). To match a color you already own, order a sample first.

Foam, firmness and the first 48 hours

Seat mattresses are medium-hard, high-density cold foam, usually quoted as T28: 28 kg/m³, about 1.75 lb/ft³, with an ILD of 42. It softens slightly with use. Backrests are softer, filled with shredded foam or polyester cluster fiber.

The pieces arrive vacuum-compressed and rolled. They look flat and small. Unwrap every piece. Most fill out in 24–36 hours, reach the photographed shape in 36–48, and full firmness after 3–5 days, sometimes a week. Shaking helps, and you can sit on the sofa while it expands.

Read foam density vs firmness, and compare feels in the foam firmness finder.

A real project

A corduroy sofa that became a corner after a move

A buyer in the US had lived with a corduroy modular sofa for about a year when the zipper on the L-shaped top cover came off and a few seams opened. The workshop sent a replacement cover at no charge; she paid only the shipping.

Then she moved to a bigger place and asked about a second sofa. The workshop suggested a second unit sent with one straight and one L-shaped backrest, so the two would join as a corner set, and refunded the difference for the cheaper straight backrest.

The sofa did not change. The room did, and the sofa followed.

Measured
standard modular sofa, then a second unit with one straight and one L-shaped backrest
What it taught
A modular floor sofa grows into a corner by swapping one backrest shape.

What goes wrong, and the fix

  • Reading the starting price as the sofa's price. On the modular listing the lowest price is one backrest; each set shows its own price and a picture of its pieces.
  • Judging the shape on day one. Compressed foam needs 36–48 hours to look like the photos and up to a week for full firmness.
  • Leaving bars in the box. Use all four, or the backrests lean and drift.
  • Setting bare metal bars on hardwood. Fit felt pads or fabric under them, and lay a rug or grip mat under the sofa.
  • Washing the white non-slip bottom piece. Take it off first; it must not go in the machine.
  • Not counting pieces on arrival. Check seats, backrests and bars against the current piece list the day it lands.

A modular floor sofa grows by backrest shape: two sofas plus one straight backrest make an L, and 3 L-shaped plus 1 straight make a closed corner.

Hana

Styling a low sofa, and where to go next

Keep the space above it light. A shelf of trailing pothos, a brass floor lamp, framed line art hung a little lower than usual. A jute rug underneath grounds it and stops it creeping.

Color-blocking works. One buyer in the US ordered a second sofa with blue and rust bases, a green L backrest and a blue straight backrest. They chose any listed color at checkout and described the layout in the note.

To raise the seat, read raising a floor sofa's seat height and try numbers in the seat height calculator. For bars, support bar assembly. For a new color later, replacement covers. Small rooms: floor sofas for 50 to 96 inch walls.

Four pieces of foam. Four metal bars. As many rooms as you will live in.

Buyer questions

  1. A common question

    I picked the wrong color for my floor sofa. Can I still change it?

    The workshop's answer

    Usually yes, if production hasn't started. The workshop checks with production, then switches it. Send the exact color name or number from the chart; if you only chose a general color, the workshop will ask for the code. If the order is already made, it ships as ordered, and an extra cover set in the other color is the fix. Sizes can be corrected too if you message quickly.

  2. A common question

    Do the floor sofa covers come off, and can they go in the washer?

    The workshop's answer

    Yes. Every cover on the modular sofa unzips and comes off, and machine washes at 86°F (30°C) maximum on a gentle cycle; spot-cleaning works between washes. Remove the white non-slip bottom piece first, because it must not go in the machine. Spare cover sets let you keep using the sofa on laundry day, and the workshop has sent a video when a cover was hard to get back on.

  3. A common question

    What's the difference between the one-piece floor sofa and the classic modular one?

    The workshop's answer

    On the one-piece model the backrest is solid foam fixed to the upper mattress, so nothing slides and no metal bars are needed. The classic modular sofa has separate backrests filled with shredded foam, softer and free to place, held up by metal bars. The separate pieces make it more comfortable and more flexible to arrange.

  4. A common question

    How many metal bars come with the sofa, and does it need a wall behind it?

    The workshop's answer

    A standard sofa comes with 4 bars: 2 for the sides and 2 along the back holding the back cushions. There's no single long rail; the two back bars work together, so the sofa doesn't need to lean on a wall. A closed corner uses 4 L-shaped frame sets. The bars come in a silver/chrome finish.

  5. A common question

    Can I buy just one replacement piece, like a straight backrest?

    The workshop's answer

    Yes. Straight backrests, L-shaped backrests, seat cushions and cover-only sets are sold individually through the ottoman listing or a custom link, each quoted on its own. A straight backrest can fill an empty middle gap, and a damaged piece can be replaced. Owners can also buy a set of four metal bars through a private link.

  6. A common question

    My floor sofa arrived flat and folded. Is something wrong?

    The workshop's answer

    No, that's the vacuum packing. Unwrap every piece. Most fill out in 24–36 hours and reach the photographed shape in about 36–48 hours, with full firmness after 3–5 days, occasionally a week. Shake the cushions by hand to help, and sit on it if you like. If a piece is still flat after another 4–5 days, photograph it and message the workshop; replacement inserts have been sent in such cases.

Have it made

Have your modular floor sofa made — ask Hana’s workshop

A good size is a quiet thing. You notice it only when it is wrong. Let the workshop check yours first. — Hana

Leave your details and the workshop will call you to confirm measurements, fabric, foam and piping. No prices, dates or payment on this page: it is a request, not an order.

Fabric · Foam · Pipingwhat the workshop will confirm with you

Fabric
The cover cloth: weave, color and care code.
Foam
The core: its density and thickness set the feel.
Piping
The corded seam edge: matching, contrast or none.
Only for this request: no marketing calls or texts. Outside the US, add the country code.
In inches: length × depth × thickness, plus any angles or cut corners.

* Required. A member of the workshop team will call you to talk it through; nothing is charged and nothing is made until you have agreed on every detail with them.

We use these details only to answer this request and make your cushion: your name and contact details, the cushion details and photos you send, the page you came from and the ad or link that brought you, if any. The workshop that makes the cushions receives them. We don't sell them or share them for advertising, and we delete requests after 24 months. Privacy notice for requests.

Nothing is made or charged until you approve the details.

Want to pick the shape and add photos? Use the full quote form

Before you choose a layout

Can a floor sofa be made longer or shorter than standard?

Yes, through the order note. The standard 78.7 in (200 cm) length can be shortened, or extended modestly to about 82–83 in (210 cm), and smaller sizes cost the same. The 6.5 in (17 cm) thickness of each mattress layer can't change.

Can I turn a single floor sofa into an L later?

Yes. A single sofa can be upgraded to an L or a corner by paying the difference. Two sofas plus a straight backrest make an L or a corner sectional, and the two halves can be different colors.

Does a modular floor sofa come with piping?

Not by default. The cushions are sewn with a flat seam and every piece matches. Corduroy is always made without piping. A welt edge has been offered on request on one listing, so write your preference and wait for confirmation.

How firm is a floor sofa seat?

Medium-hard. The seat mattresses are high-density cold foam, usually T28 with an ILD of 42, which softens slightly with use. The backrests are softer, filled with shredded foam or cluster fiber, so you lean into them rather than against them.

Can a corduroy floor sofa go on a sunny porch?

Keep it indoors. The plush corduroy used on floor sofas has no UV or water resistance, so sun and damp will age it quickly. A screened porch or sunroom sofa needs a fabric chosen for that light and weather.

Is a modular floor sofa the same as a boneless sofa?

Close cousins. A boneless couch has no internal wooden frame; foam gives it its shape, which makes it light and easy to rearrange. The workshop's modular floor sofa works the same way: foam seat mattresses and backrests with no frame, plus steel bars behind the backs to hold them upright, shipped compressed in roll packs.

How long can a compressed floor sofa wait in its packaging?

Not long. Foam shouldn't stay vacuum-packed for more than two or three weeks, and never more than a month, because long compression can damage it; boxed-sofa makers give limits from two to eight weeks depending on the model. If you're moving, have delivery timed to arrive after move-in rather than storing the sealed rolls.

— Hana

Readings

Photographs read by the masters: modular floor sofas & teddy couches

Real cushions made for real rooms, each read for proportion, fabric and fit.

All 32 readings