A Reading by HarlanCorner Floor Cushions & Poufs
A letter about a sage corduroy corner, and sitting long enough to finish the book
No canopy, no built-in, no fuss. One ledge, two frames, a basket and a quarter-round of sage corduroy, and a child has somewhere to stay put until the last page.
SaveThe quick answer
A quarter-round corner floor cushion in a soft cloth like corduroy makes a reading nook a child will stay in: pillows against the walls for a back, books within arm's reach, and a mid-tone like sage that shows dust less than white. Measure only the two straight sides along the walls; the largest corner size is 48 in (122 cm).
High Point ·
My friend,
Your photograph came in on a gray morning, and it warmed the shop.
What I see first is restraint. A quarter-round cushion in sage corduroy, box-edged, no piping, sitting on a concrete-look floor in a white corner. Corduroy does not need a welt; the ribs are the line. The sage sits easy on that gray-beige floor and forgives a day's dust better than white ever could.
There is no canopy here, and none is missed. The wall does the framing: a narrow wooden ledge on the right with a plant and books turned face out, two framed prints on the left, one of animals and one of shapes. A round jute rug keeps the palette earthy. Three pillows, a cream star, a blush flower and a white cloud, bring in pink and white without clutter, and the cloud repeats the wall. At the cushion's edge sits a wicker basket of books. That basket is the whole argument. Put the books where the sitting is, and reading becomes the obvious thing to do.
Five spots I would tap with a pencil
Five places on the photograph, and the job each one is doing.
- Sage corduroy gusset
A soft green sits well on gray-beige floors and shows dust less than white.
- Wall book ledge
A narrow ledge shows book covers without taking up floor space.
- White cloud pillow
White brightens the sage and repeats the wall color.
- Wicker book basket
Books in a basket at the cushion's edge make reading the obvious thing to do.
- Round jute rug
A natural-fiber rug keeps the palette earthy.
- Sage corduroy gussetA soft green sits well on gray-beige floors and shows dust less than white.
- Wall book ledgeA narrow ledge shows book covers without taking up floor space.
- White cloud pillowWhite brightens the sage and repeats the wall color.
- Wicker book basketBooks in a basket at the cushion's edge make reading the obvious thing to do.
- Round jute rugA natural-fiber rug keeps the palette earthy.
On sitting a long while
A child will stay for an hour if three things are right. Something soft behind the back: here the pillows lean on the walls, and the corner itself holds them upright. Something within reach: the basket at the edge and the low ledge above. And a seat that keeps its shape when a small reader wriggles; a box edge helps, because it keeps the sides standing.
Corduroy suits the job. It is soft under hands and knees and has a warmth a flat weave lacks. Velvet remembers, the old saying goes, and corduroy remembers too, so brush it along the ribs and it will look after you.
For sizes, the quarter-round sizing guide has the table. There are more corner floor cushions to study, the cloth has its own page under corduroy, and other small rooms live under kids' room cushions. Which corner in your house has been waiting for a reader?
A corduroy corner sofa, and a count of metal bars
A buyer in the US wrote to the workshop after a corduroy corner sofa, 79 × 118 in (201 × 300 cm), arrived in several boxes. The ottoman was missing, and there were only two L-shaped metal bars in the parcels. They could not see how it went together.
The shop apologized and shipped the ottoman, which needs no metal at all. Then it sent a full set of bars and gave the buyer the number that would have saved the worry in the first place: a corner set uses 8 large and 8 small pieces, and any extras are spares.
A parts count is a small kindness. It belongs in every box.
- Sizes
- Corner set 79 × 118 in (201 × 300 cm)
- Fabric
- Corduroy
The lesson: Count the bars before you assemble: a corner set uses 8 large and 8 small.
Buyer questions
- A common question
Are your linen covers 100% linen, or blended with synthetic fibers?
The workshop's answerNot always pure. In one order the production team had used a linen blend where the buyer expected natural fiber. The workshop remade that cushion at a shared cost in a natural cotton fabric from its chart. If fiber content matters to you, ask for it in writing before you order.
- A common question
Can the corner floor cushion be made bigger, say 56 × 56 in, or as a half circle?
The workshop's answerThe corner floor cushion goes up to 48 in (122 cm), so 56 in is beyond it. For a half circle, order two corner cushions and the workshop makes them up into a half-circle shape.
- A common question
How do I measure for a quarter-round corner floor cushion? Do I need the curve?
The workshop's answerNo. Give the two straight sides along the walls; the curve does not need measuring.
A corduroy corner floor sofa set uses 8 large and 8 small metal bars; count them before you start to assemble it.
Harlan
On the cutting table
| Cushion | quarter-round corner floor cushion, box edge |
|---|---|
| Fabric | sage green corduroy |
| Piping | None; the ribs make the line |
| Measure | The two straight sides along the walls only |
| Largest size | 48 in (122 cm) along each wall |
| Half circle | Two corner cushions made up together |
| Pillows | cream star, blush flower, white cloud |
| Best for | Kids' reading corners and playrooms |
Have it made
Have this made — ask Harlan’s workshop
The best cushions I have known began with somebody asking one more question. Ask yours here. — 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
Is corduroy a good choice for a child's floor cushion?
It is soft under hands and knees and warmer to the touch than a flat weave. Pick a mid-tone: sage, as here, shows dust less than white does. Brush along the ribs now and then to keep the face even.
How do I make a reading corner without a canopy?
Let the wall do the framing. One narrow ledge with books turned face out, two framed prints and a basket of books at the cushion's edge are enough to tell a child exactly what the corner is for.
What should a child lean on in a floor cushion corner?
Pillows set against the two walls. The corner holds them upright, and friendly shapes like a star, a flower and a cloud give small readers a reason to settle in. For grown-ups, a fitted backrest along one wall is steadier.
Sit well. — Harlan
P.S. Sage shows dust less than white does. In a playroom, that is no small thing.
Corduroy corners, some with canopies and some without
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