A canopy does one quiet, clever thing: it lowers the ceiling. Hang a soft fall of cotton over a bed, a floor cushion or an empty corner and suddenly there’s an inside and an outside, a little world your child can step into.
It uses almost no floor space, it hangs from a single point, and it can be moved when the room changes. Here’s where to put one, how to hang it safely and how to look after it.
Where a canopy works best
Over the bed
A canopy hung over the head of the bed turns the bed itself into the cosy spot, which for many children is exactly where they want to read and wind down anyway. Hang it so the fabric drapes behind the pillows and to either side, rather than across the middle of the mattress.
In a reading nook
A reading nook canopy over a floor cushion or a small armchair is the go-to for box rooms and shared bedrooms. Tuck it into a corner so two walls do half the work, add a rug and a basket of books, and the nook is ready. Our kids reading corner ideas have more layouts to try.
In a play corner or nursery
In a playroom or nursery, a canopy marks out a calm corner without walling it off. Our canopies are decorative from birth with adult installation, so they suit a nursery as long as the fabric is kept well clear of a cot.
Measure before you hang
Our cotton canopies are approximately 240 cm long, which suits a standard UK ceiling. The hoop or rim sits at the top, around 50 to 60 cm across depending on the design, and the cotton falls from there. Check each product page for its exact sizes.
- Measure from ceiling to floor where the canopy will hang.
- Decide whether you want the fabric to pool softly on the floor or stop just above it. Pooling looks dreamy over a floor cushion, but above the floor is tidier over a bed.
- Mark the spot directly above where you want the centre of the canopy to fall.
How to hang a cotton canopy safely
- Choose a ceiling hook. Each canopy hangs from a single ceiling hook, which isn’t included. Pick one suited to your ceiling type, and if you aren’t sure what’s behind the plaster, ask a DIY shop or a handyperson.
- Fix it firmly. Installation is a job for an adult. Make sure the hook is secure before anything is hung from it.
- Hang the canopy. Loop the top of the canopy over the hook and let the cotton fall around the hoop or rim.
- Arrange the drape. Open the front so there’s an easy way in, and let the sides fall behind the bed or cushion.
- Check the safety basics. Our canopies are decorative only, not a toy. Fix them securely, out of a child’s reach, and keep them away from fire and heaters.
Adding lights and garlands
Many of our printed and striped canopies have a metal rim with a loop for fairy lights or a handmade garland. Choose battery lights in a warm white, keep any cables well away from little hands, and switch them off when no one is in the nook. Our cosy accessories are chosen to work with the canopies.
Choosing your canopy
Every canopy in the range is breathable cotton, so there’s no plastic or synthetic sheen. The choice is mostly about mood:
- Most natural: the Raw Cotton organic canopy, undyed certified organic cotton on a wooden hoop.
- Soft and warm: Butter Yellow and Olive Stripes.
- Gentle pinks: Pink Check and Pink Stripes.
- Earthy and easy: Rusty Check and Brown Stripes.
- A little more playful: Rusty Check Circus, Spring Garden and Pink and Orange Stripes.
Each one is designed to sit alongside our cotton teepees, so a canopy and a teepee can share a room without clashing.
Caring for a cotton canopy
Our canopies are machine washable at 30°C on a gentle cycle. Take the canopy down, wash it, and hang it back up while still slightly damp so the creases fall out naturally. A quick shake every few weeks keeps the dust off in between.
Find their little world
Cotton canopies for beds, reading nooks and calm corners.