SaveA Reading by HarlanStar Poufs & Giant Star Floor Cushions
A petrol-blue corduroy star, seen straight on, and the foam that holds its points
Five points, one color, two pillows and a canopy of fairy lights. The corduroy is what you see; the foam is what keeps a star a star.
Swatch strip measured from the photograph
- dusty dark denim blue#35434f24%
- stone#98858624%
- sand#c4b2a622%
- dusty pale brick red#d9cecd18%
- dusty pale brick red#e5ddde13%
The quick answer
A star floor cushion is foam-filled under a boxed corduroy cover, so its five points and its seat keep their shape. It ships vacuum-packed: take it out within a few days, since long compression can damage foam, then allow 48 to 72 hours before judging size and firmness. Stars have been made about 35 1/2 in and 50 in (90 and 127 cm) across.
The color story
Named by eye from the photograph; the strip above is measured from it.
- Petrol blue#35434fThe star itself: blue with gray and a drop of green. In the canopy's shade it reads nearly slate.
- Mustard#c49a3aThe upright pillow. Warm against cool, and echoed by the yellow giraffe lamp.
- Dove gray#a3a3a0The lumbar in front. A quiet middle step between the blue and the white walls.
- Rose taupe#988586The soft shadow color of the corner, where the light falls off.
- Canopy white#e5dddeVoile and wall. It lets the dark star sit forward in the frame.
Straight on: the star, the pillows and the foam
Most folks photograph a star pouf from above, where it looks like a cookie cutter. This one was taken straight on, and I'm glad of it. Straight on, you see the symmetry, the box wall standing up around the points, and the soft crown in the middle of the top panel where the five points meet.
That crown is the foam talking. A star floor cushion is foam-filled, and foam cut to a star holds its points the way a good seat holds its edge. The seams are left unpiped, so the corduroy rolls over the edge in a plush curve instead of a crisp line. On a seat for small people, soft edges are the kinder ones.
The pillows follow the old rule: the mustard square stands upright against the wall as the back layer, and the gray lumbar leans in front. Two are enough on a star this size. The voile canopy with its fairy lights frames the corner, the cloud lamp hangs high enough to glow without glare, and the road-map rug gives the floor a game of its own.
Now the part you can't see. The star ships vacuum-packed, in a box much smaller than the cushion. Open it within a few days, because foam left squeezed too long can struggle to come all the way back, then give it the first 72 hours before you measure it or judge how firm it is. Buy the cushion once, cry once, my friend, and let the foam finish arriving.
If firmness matters, ask before you order. On the children's play couch the foam is about 1.75 lb/ft³ (28 kg/m³), with about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) for more support, and the same question is worth asking about a star. Will yours be sat on, flopped on, or leapt on?
Pinned by Harlan
Five places on this star where the making shows.
- Star top panel
The center of the top panel crowns softly where the five points meet.
- Unpiped front seam
No piping gives a plush, rounded edge rather than a crisp tailored line.
- Upright mustard pillow
The square stands against the wall as the back layer.
- Gray lumbar in front
The rectangle leans in front, the classic two-pillow layering.
- Cloud wall lamp
Mounted high enough to glow over the canopy without glare.
- Star top panelThe center of the top panel crowns softly where the five points meet.
- Unpiped front seamNo piping gives a plush, rounded edge rather than a crisp tailored line.
- Upright mustard pillowThe square stands against the wall as the back layer.
- Gray lumbar in frontThe rectangle leans in front, the classic two-pillow layering.
- Cloud wall lampMounted high enough to glow over the canopy without glare.
Brick corduroy beside an orange sofa
A buyer in the US already owned a designer-brand teddy sofa in orange and wanted a matching extension that cost less. Rather than promise a match in a message, the workshop sent photos from other buyers' homes and a brick-colored corduroy swatch for the cost of shipping, credited against the next order, so the two could be compared side by side.
That is how corduroy should be matched. Its ribs look lighter from one side and deeper from the other, and a screen shows you neither. Hold the swatch against the sofa in daylight, then again at night.
- Sizes
- Standard
- Fabric
- Brick corduroy swatch
The lesson: Put a physical swatch next to the piece you want to match before you buy.
Buyer questions: bars, parcels and corners
- A common question
Does the teddy floor sofa have back support if it isn't against a wall?
The workshop's answerYes. The frame has 4 metal bars, 2 at the sides and 2 along the back, so the sofa doesn't need a wall behind it. There is no single long back rail; the two back bars work together.
- A common question
Only the box of metal bars has arrived. Where's the rest of my sofa?
The workshop's answerThe sofa ships as several packages: two vacuum roll packs for the cushions, a small box for the bars, and separate parcels for any ottoman or angled pieces. FedEx often delivers them on different days, sometimes with separate tracking numbers. Wait a day or two; if a piece really is missing, the workshop sends it again.
- A common question
Can I make an L-shaped corner sectional from two teddy sofas?
The workshop's answerYes. Order 2 teddy sofas and the workshop configures them as a corner, adding a straight backrest where needed, and colors can be mixed piece by piece. There is also a ready-made L-shape, the teddy sofa with its ottoman, offered as its own option.
A star floor cushion ships vacuum-packed; open it within a few days and give the foam 48 to 72 hours before judging its size or firmness.
Harlan
Inside the star
| Cushion | Five-point star floor cushion |
|---|---|
| Sizes | About 35 1/2 in or 50 in (90 or 127 cm) across the points |
| Fabric | Petrol-blue plush corduroy, indoor only |
| Piping | None; unpiped seams give a soft, rounded edge |
| Edge | Box wall standing around the points |
| Fill | Foam, shipped vacuum-packed |
| Unpacking | Open within a few days; allow 48 to 72 hours to recover |
| Other fabrics | Outdoor fabric on request |
| Best for | Playrooms, reading corners and canopy nooks |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Harlan’s workshop
Old upholsterers will tell you the real cutting happens in the conversation, long before the shears come out. Tell the workshop what you sit on, and they will talk it through with you. — Harlan
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.
Questions buyers ask next
Can a star floor cushion be made in outdoor fabric?
Yes. Choose a code from the outdoor fabric chart and write it in the order notes, and the star is made in that fabric. Corduroy itself is indoor-only, with no water or UV resistance.
Can I keep a vacuum-packed star in its box until a birthday?
Better not. Long compression can damage the foam, so the workshop asks buyers to unpack within a few days of delivery. If the star is a gift for later, order closer to the date instead of storing it sealed.
Why is there no piping on a corduroy star?
Corduroy floor pieces are made without piping by design. The ribs already draw the line, and an unpiped seam lets the plush roll over the edge in a soft curve, which suits a seat for children.
How many pillows suit a star floor cushion?
Two, on a star this size: a square standing upright against the wall and a lumbar leaning in front of it. A third pillow starts to crowd the points and hides the shape of the star.
Sit well. — Harlan
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