A Reading by HarlanStar Poufs & Giant Star Floor Cushions
A Mustard Corduroy Star Floor Cushion, Felt by Hand
Low sun across a mustard star, and every rib stands up to be counted. Harlan on the hand of corduroy, the cloth that tells you which way it was brushed.
SaveThe quick answer
A corduroy star floor cushion feels soft and ribbed under the hand and looks most tailored when the wale runs straight across the top, with the nap lying one way on every panel. Brush it along the nap, never against it, and keep strong colors like mustard out of bare, direct sun. For a nursery, pick a shade two or three steps deeper than the wall.
The cushion, cut open
Cover fabric. A removable, zippered cover. Machine wash at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle and air dry.
Piping. A fabric-covered cord sewn into the seams. It sits on the seam line, so it does not change the size.
Fiber wrap. Polyester fiber (Dacron) batting around the foam: it fills the cover out and softens the edges.
Foam core. About 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) high-resilience foam, firm to medium-firm, cut to the ordered size.
Zipper. Along the back band, as hidden as possible. The zipper side faces down or toward the wall.
Base panel. The underside of the cover. A non-slip fabric backing can cover the whole of it instead.
The hand of corduroy, rib by rib
Lay your palm on corduroy and it answers in rows. Those rows are the wale, raised ribs of cut pile with a narrow channel between each one. Run your hand one way and it goes smooth; the other way it drags a little and the color darkens. That is the nap, and it is the first thing I check on any cord cushion.
On a star floor cushion the ribs should run straight across the top, and the nap should lie the same way on every panel. Cut one panel upside down and it will look a shade off in the light for as long as the cushion lives. A seam is a promise, and on corduroy the promise includes direction.
For wear, corduroy is a working cloth: the ribs take the rubbing first, and a deep mustard forgives more than cream does. For cleaning, brush along the nap, never against it, and keep the pouf out of bare sun behind glass; filtered light is kinder to strong dyes. The wale and nap Pattern and the corduroy swatches go deeper, and the glossary explains the wale and the nap.
Five pins in a honey-toned nursery
Five pins, from the sunlit cord to the dotted sheer, show how a mustard star warms a beige corner.
- Mustard cord in sun
Low sun rakes across the wale and shows the ribs running straight over the top.
- Teal star pillow
The single cool accent in an otherwise honey-toned corner.
- Cream cloud pillow
Keeps the back of the nook as pale as the canopy.
- Styled wall shelves
Toys and greenery on brackets keep the floor clear around the pouf.
- Dotted sheer curtain
Filtered light is kinder to mustard dye than bare glass.
- Mustard cord in sunLow sun rakes across the wale and shows the ribs running straight over the top.
- Teal star pillowThe single cool accent in an otherwise honey-toned corner.
- Cream cloud pillowKeeps the back of the nook as pale as the canopy.
- Styled wall shelvesToys and greenery on brackets keep the floor clear around the pouf.
- Dotted sheer curtainFiltered light is kinder to mustard dye than bare glass.
Reading the nursery corner in afternoon sun
Warm afternoon sun comes low through dotted sheer curtains and rakes across the star. Every rib stands up, and the mustard glows a few shades deeper than the beige walls. That is a tonal choice: the pouf is a richer version of the wall, so the corner glows instead of contrasting.
Self piping keeps the box edge quiet, so the star's points do the talking. A teal star pillow is the single cool accent; a cream cloud pillow keeps the back of the nook as pale as the white ceiling canopy above. Wall shelves hold a rainbow stacker and a eucalyptus vase, which keeps toys off the floor around the pouf, and a trailing plant puts a green note up high. A white dresser with black knobs and a round rattan mirror finish the room, and beige carpet lets the star sit low and warm.
My advice, my friend: pick a floor cushion two or three shades deeper than your wall. More star poufs and kids' room cushions are in the Atlas. What color are your nursery walls?
Seventy-four inches, for a little wiggle room
The same cloth, in anthracite corduroy, went into a floor sofa for a buyer in the US whose daughter had already fallen for it. She asked the workshop to hold the price until she could measure the new room. The workshop agreed and confirmed a 72 in (183 cm) width at no extra cost.
Then she measured, and asked for 74 in (188 cm) instead, to leave some wiggle room. The standard 78.5 in (199 cm) sofa in anthracite could have shipped within 2 days by express. The custom width added about a week, plus 3 to 5 days of shipping.
She took the week. I would have too. Measure the space first, leave a couple of inches spare, and let the cloth wait for the room, not the other way around. The modular floor sofas hub shows the builds.
Buyer questions: bed sizes, what is in the cloth, a mustard that looked green
- A common question
What size bed does the floor sofa turn into?
The workshop's answerEach mattress is 39 x 79 in (99 x 201 cm). Side by side they make a 79 x 79 in (201 x 201 cm) bed, which the workshop calls double size. An add-on ottoman opens into another 39 x 79 in bed.
- A common question
I'm looking for a low-emission couch. Is the fabric treated with flame retardants, and is there any fiberglass?
The workshop's answerNo fiberglass is used, and the fabric is not treated with fire retardants. The fabrics come from OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified mills. For stricter needs, the sofa can be made in a special fabric from the catalog, such as a cotton option that doesn't come in corduroy.
- A common question
Is the white a pure white? And is the green light or dark?
The workshop's answerThe white is an off-white, and the water green is fairly dark, so review photos help. When a mustard swatch looked greenish to one buyer, the workshop sent another shade until the buyer had the yellow-gold they wanted.
On the cutting table: the mustard star
| Piece | Star floor pouf |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Mustard corduroy |
| Piping | Self piping |
| Edge | Box edge |
| Wale | Straight across the top, nap one way on every panel |
| Light | Warm afternoon sun through dotted sheers |
| Accents | Teal star and cream cloud pillows |
| Care | Brush along the nap; keep out of bare direct sun |
| Best for | Nursery and reading corners |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Harlan’s workshop
Fabric has a temper and foam has a memory. Better to settle both in a conversation than to guess at them alone. — 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.
A corduroy star floor cushion looks tailored when the ribs run straight across the top. If the wale wanders, low afternoon sun will show it.
Harlan
Questions buyers ask next
Which way should a corduroy floor cushion be brushed?
Along the nap, the direction in which the pile lies smooth under your hand. Brushing against it roughs up the ribs and makes that patch look darker. Light, regular brushing keeps the wale standing evenly.
Why does mustard corduroy look deeper in afternoon light?
Low sun rakes across the ribs and fills the channels between them with shadow, so the whole surface reads a few shades richer. In this nursery the star looks deeper than the beige walls for exactly that reason.
Is mustard a practical color for a nursery floor pouf?
It forgives more than cream and sits warmly with beige or honey walls. Keep it out of bare, direct sun behind glass; dotted sheers or other filtered light are kinder to strong dyes over the years.
Can a corduroy floor sofa be ordered in a custom width?
Yes. One buyer's floor sofa was made 74 in (188 cm) wide instead of the standard 78.5 in (199 cm). The custom width added about a week, so measure the room first and leave a couple of inches spare.
Sit well. — Harlan
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