A Reading by HanaKids' Floor Sofas & Play Couches
A navy corduroy kids floor sofa, and what actually holds it together
Two seat blocks, a wedge back, a cloud and a star. Nothing is sewn to anything. I look at what keeps a kids floor sofa in place, and where the zipper belongs.
SaveThe quick answer
A kids floor sofa is held together by weight and friction, not fasteners: the seat blocks and wedge back aren't connected, so a rug underneath does most of the work, and metal bars hold the pieces in bed position. Zipped, removable covers are made only on non-tufted pieces; a tufted cushion is sewn closed.
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 build, from the floor up
Start at the floor. Herringbone boards, then a gray grid rug. The rug matters more than it looks.
Then two navy corduroy seat blocks, stacked. Together they make a low seat a small child can climb onto. Behind them sits a wedge backrest. Its slope keeps it upright when a toddler leans back hard.
At about 31 1/2 by 31 1/2 in (80 by 80 cm), the whole piece is sized to a toddler. It is the classic fold-out play sofa build, blocks and a wedge that open flat for floor play. There is no piping. The corduroy wale gives the edges enough line on its own.
Navy was chosen against a white room. It reads as furniture rather than a pile of cushions, and it forgives crayon and small footprints better than a pale shade. The bright building blocks and a wooden toy car stand out against it.
The props repeat the walls. A sherpa cloud echoes the cloud decals; a pale blue star softens the navy without adding a new color. A framed teddy bear print and a small bear sit on the white ledge, with sheer curtains and a cube shelf behind. Novelty pillows in two textures, sherpa and cord, look chosen rather than tipped out of a toy box.
Pinned by Hana
Five pins: the seat blocks, the wedge, two soft shapes, and the building blocks on the rug.
- Navy seat blocks
Two stacked blocks give a low seat a small child can climb onto.
- Wedge backrest
A sloped back that stays upright when a toddler leans on it.
- Sherpa cloud pillow
Its shape repeats the cloud decals on the wall above.
- Blue star pillow
A pale blue that softens navy without adding a new color.
- Building blocks
Bright toys pop against a dark sofa, which is why navy works here.
- Navy seat blocksTwo stacked blocks give a low seat a small child can climb onto.
- Wedge backrestA sloped back that stays upright when a toddler leans on it.
- Sherpa cloud pillowIts shape repeats the cloud decals on the wall above.
- Blue star pillowA pale blue that softens navy without adding a new color.
- Building blocksBright toys pop against a dark sofa, which is why navy works here.
Three things that keep it in place, and one zipper
Nothing on this sofa is fastened to anything else. That surprises people.
Weight. The pieces are heavy for their size. They stay where they are put, mostly.
Friction. A rug or carpet underneath does the rest. One parent told the workshop it fixed most of the drifting.
Bars. When the sofa folds out into a bed, metal support bars hold the sections. Extra bars can be bought, and the setup picture travels with their tracking number. Our Pattern on floor sofa support bars walks through it.
No ties. Ties belong on chairs and swings, where there is a post to tie to.
The zipper is the other fastening question. Zipped, removable covers are made only on non-tufted pieces, like these corduroy blocks. I would ask for the zipper along the back or underneath, away from small fingers and bare knees; see zipper placement.
Children measure comfort with their whole body. Where will yours land first? More builds live among our kids floor sofas, in corduroy and in kids room cushions.
A rug under the sofa. Bars when it becomes a bed. A zipper where no one sits.
Measuring a corner along the walls
A parent planning a kids reading corner asked the workshop how to measure for the corner floor cushion. The answer was short. Measure along each wall, from the back corner out. Never across the diagonal.
Another buyer needed a corner of 35 3/8 x 35 3/8 in (90 x 90 cm). There was no option that small. They were told to choose the 39 x 39 in (100 x 100 cm) size and note the smaller one in the order.
Walls give you the numbers. The diagonal gives you an argument.
- Sizes
- 39 x 39 in (100 x 100 cm) option; 35 3/8 x 35 3/8 in (90 x 90 cm) needed
The lesson: Corner cushions are sized by wall lengths, not the diagonal.
Buyer questions: a missing diagram, a zip cover and a sofa that drifts
- A common question
My floor sofa came without instructions for the metal frame. Where do I find them?
The workshop's answerThe workshop sends a setup picture along with the tracking number for the metal bars, and sends a digital copy on request if the paper one goes missing.
- A common question
I have a toddler and a dog. Could a tufted cushion come with a zip-off cover?
The workshop's answerOnly if you choose a non-tufted piece. The workshop makes zipped, removable covers on plain cushions, but tufted and French-style cushions are sewn shut, so their covers can't come off.
- A common question
The pieces of my floor sofa keep sliding apart. How do I keep it together?
The workshop's answerPut a rug or carpet under it; one buyer said that fixed most of the problem. Extra metal bars can be bought to hold the sections. The cushions aren't connected, but they're heavy, and in bed position the bars stop them moving.
On the cutting table
| Piece | Kids floor sofa: two seat blocks and a wedge back |
|---|---|
| Size | About 31 1/2 x 31 1/2 in (80 x 80 cm) |
| Fabric | Navy corduroy |
| Piping | None |
| Connections | None; the pieces rest on each other |
| Holding | A rug underneath; metal bars in bed position |
| Cover | Zipped and removable on non-tufted pieces |
| Best for | Nurseries, playrooms and reading corners |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Hana’s workshop
Leave your numbers and the height you like to sit at. The rest is a short conversation. — 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.
A kids floor sofa's seat blocks aren't fastened together; a rug underneath does most of the holding, and metal bars keep them in place in bed position.
Hana
Questions buyers ask next
What size is a toddler floor sofa?
The one in this nursery is about 31 1/2 by 31 1/2 in (80 x 80 cm), built from two stacked seat blocks and a wedge back. That makes a low seat a small child can climb onto, and it folds out for floor play.
Do kids floor sofas need ties or a non-slip base?
This one relies on weight and a rug instead. Ties work on chairs and swings, where there is a post to tie to. On a floor sofa, a rug underneath and metal bars in bed position do that job.
Why choose navy for a nursery floor sofa?
Navy anchors a pale room, so the sofa reads as furniture rather than a pile of cushions, and it hides crayon and footprints better than cream or pale gray. Soften it with pillows in a lighter blue.
Where should the zipper go on a kids floor cushion?
Along the back or underneath, where small hands and bare knees are less likely to find it. Zipped covers are possible on non-tufted pieces like these corduroy blocks, so say where you want it when you order.
— Hana
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