Sofas are a vital part of the living room. They’re the most-used piece of furniture and typically the largest. Yet most people don’t know very much about the styles of sofas or anything about their history. If you know your sofa styles and their histories then you’ll be one step closer to being able to properly choose the right sofa for your own living room!
The Chesterfield is one of the oldest sofas that is still popular in modern design. It’s an elegant style defined by its tight, buttoned leather and rolled arms. It’s a sofa for executives and was originally designed to keep suits from wrinkling when seated.
Speaking of suits, the tuxedo sofa was one of the first designs to usher in the era of modernism in the ‘20s. Its arms are squared off with the back and it also features a buttoned design, albeit with fabric this time. The entire design is squared off, with sharp, straight lines defining every edge.
Perhaps the oldest of sofas, the Knole sofa is really a glorified, cushioned bench. It has a straight, high back with arms that fold up to create a complete enclosure. The arms are adjustable so as to fold down to more appropriate angles. The arms are held in place with cords fastened to finials. This old-fashioned sofa design still shows up in modern homes.
The camelback sofa is instantly recognizable, although you probably never knew it had a name. A true camelback sofa is defined by its arching back that has a large hump in the middle and is slightly raised at the arms. These sofas traditionally have exposed legs and use either rolled or squared-off arms. It’s a comforting, welcoming look that is still as popular as it was when it was introduced in the 18th century.
The Bridgewater sofa is a very standard style of sofa that works in all different types of living rooms. It has a softly rolled back and low, set-back arms. The cushions are extra padded and supremely comfortable. It’s wide and welcoming and features a skirt to hide the legs. In many ways the Bridgewater has become the default sofa for design.
These are only a few of the many styles of sofa that you can bring into your living room. Now that you know the actual names of these sofas and a little bit about their history you can start to make better, more informed design decisions! Check out the complete list of sofa styles along with photo examples in the full article below!
Read the full article here: 10 Sofa Design Styles to Add Character to Your Home