A Reading by HarlanBolster Pillows
A powder blue velvet bolster against black iron scrolls, and what the cloth is like to live with
Velvet remembers. Brush it one way and it tells you so; brush it back and it forgets. That's the whole character of this pale blue roll on an iron daybed.
SaveThe quick answer
Powder blue velvet on a bolster pillow is a short, tight, non-shiny polyester pile that looks lighter or darker as the pile leans and the light moves, and it spot-cleans easily. It is an indoor cloth. Zippered velvet covers wash at 86°F (30°C) maximum, inside out on a gentle cycle, then air-dry. Standard bolsters are 8 in (20 cm) across.
High Point ·
To whoever sleeps nearest the window,
A letter on velvet, from beside an iron daybed
Run your palm along this powder blue bolster pillow and it goes a shade darker; run it back and it pales again. That's the first thing to know about the cloth, and the reason it looks alive in the photograph.
It's a polyester performance velvet with a short, tight pile and next to no shine. Where the fibers lean toward you, the blue deepens; where they lean away, it turns pale and a little silvery. Around a round body that shading rolls from light to dark, and it gives the bolster its shape without a seam down the middle.
Now read the picture. A straight, smooth cylinder sits in front of black ironwork that curls and spirals. Soft color against hard line is the whole composition. A dark velvet would sink into the frame; powder blue stays light, and the scrolls stay visible behind it.
The end caps carry self piping, so the pale circle keeps a clean edge without a hard ring of another color. The ivory seat cushion underneath is a shade warmer, which makes the blue read cool and fresh. And the light is soft window light, the kind pale velvet likes; hard sun can make it look chalky.
An iron daybed has no soft arm. The bolster is that arm, my friend. Measure the inside width between the front and back posts and order it a little shorter, so it settles between them instead of wrestling them.
Pinned by Harlan: five marks against the ironwork
Five pins, from the tonal end cap to the window light that keeps pale velvet from going chalky.
- Powder blue end cap
Tonal piping keeps the pale circle soft against the dark ironwork.
- Smooth velvet body
A perfectly straight cylinder is the counterpoint to the curling metal behind.
- Iron scroll detail
A pale bolster keeps the frame visible; a dark velvet would merge with it.
- Ivory seat cushion
The seat is a shade warmer than the bolster so the blue reads cool and fresh.
- Window light
North-facing style light suits pale velvet, which can look chalky in harsh sun.
- Powder blue end capTonal piping keeps the pale circle soft against the dark ironwork.
- Smooth velvet bodyA perfectly straight cylinder is the counterpoint to the curling metal behind.
- Iron scroll detailA pale bolster keeps the frame visible; a dark velvet would merge with it.
- Ivory seat cushionThe seat is a shade warmer than the bolster so the blue reads cool and fresh.
- Window lightNorth-facing style light suits pale velvet, which can look chalky in harsh sun.
Living with pale velvet: four habits
Read the pile before you judge the color
Lighter and darker patches after someone leans on the bolster are the pile lying in different directions, not a mark. Smooth it one way with your palm and it evens out.
Blot, then spot-clean
Velvet is not water-resistant, but it spot-cleans easily. Blot a spill first, then wipe gently with a damp cloth and a little mild soap.
Wash cool, dry in the air
Zippered velvet covers follow the same care as the linens: 86°F (30°C) maximum, turned inside out, gentle cycle, mild detergent, no bleach. Air-dry, and iron only on low if you must.
Keep it indoors and out of hard sun
This is an indoor cloth. A covered porch is the limit, and strong, prolonged sun can fade any indoor fabric.
A velvet bolster pillow shades lighter or darker as the pile leans; on a daybed with iron ends, order it slightly shorter than the gap between the posts.
Harlan
Two twin mattresses, covers only, 8 inches deep
A buyer in the US was turning two standard twin mattresses into daybed seating and wanted covers only, with contrast piping. Each mattress measured 38 in wide, 75 in long and 8 in thick (97 x 191 x 20 cm).
The workshop first pointed them to the regular cushion-cover listing. Then we looked again at that 8 in depth. A box cover that deep is a different job from a bench cover, so it went through a custom listing and was quoted for the pair that way.
Give the full depth of a mattress when you ask, not just the top. Once the seat is dressed, a bolster at each end turns two beds into a sofa, and bolster diameter and length shows how to size them. Pile care is in velvet: pile, shading and care.
What's the inside width between your daybed's posts?
- Sizes
- 38 x 75 x 8 in (97 x 191 x 20 cm), two covers
- Fabric
- Shop fabric with contrast piping
The lesson: Give the full depth of a mattress; box covers for 8 in mattresses are quoted as a custom job, not as bench covers.
Buyer questions: another brand's sofa, bolsters to length and covers without foam
- A common question
Could you make replacement covers for a teddy-style modular sofa from another brand?
The workshop's answerYes, as long as you give the exact size of each piece.
- A common question
Can you make bolsters to my own length and diameter, with contrast piping?
The workshop's answerYes. One order was two 31 1/2 in (80 cm) and two 15 3/4 in (40 cm) bolsters, all 6 in (15 cm) across, in linen L19 with L23 piping, set up through a private order link. Production starts as soon as the order is placed.
- A common question
How much do I save ordering covers only instead of full cushions with foam?
The workshop's answerIt depends on the job. In three real quotes, a 13-piece patio set came to about two-thirds of the full price as covers only, eight seat and throw covers were about an eighth less than with foam inserts, and three large trapezoid window cushions were about a third less as covers.
On the cutting table: the powder blue bolster
| Piece | Round bolster pillow with flat end caps |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Powder blue polyester performance velvet, short non-shiny pile; indoor use |
| Piping | Self piping around each end cap |
| Diameter | 8 in (20 cm) standard, 10 in (25 cm) possible, any size to order |
| Length | The seat depth, or about 4 in (10 cm) shorter; between iron posts, a little under the inside width |
| Fill | Comes filled; no straps as standard |
| Care | Spot-clean; zippered velvet covers 86°F (30°C) maximum, inside out, air-dry |
| Best for | Iron and wood daybeds, window seats, the foot of a bed |
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
Why does my powder blue velvet bolster look two-toned in some light?
Velvet has a directional pile. Where the fibers lean toward you the color reads deeper, and where they lean away it reads lighter. Nothing is wrong with the cloth; smooth the pile one way and the shading settles.
How long should a bolster be for a daybed with open iron ends?
Measure the inside width between the front and back posts and order the bolster slightly shorter, so it sits between them without pushing. On an upholstered seat the usual rule is the seat depth, or about 4 in (10 cm) less.
Can a velvet bolster live on a porch?
Only under a roof. Velvet is an indoor cloth with no water resistance and limited UV resistance, so a covered porch is the limit, and strong, prolonged sun can fade it. For an open porch, choose from the outdoor fabric range.
Sit well. — Harlan
Bolsters and velvet: deckchair stripes, violet, cranberry and navy lumbar pillows
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