LOVIN' ON YOUR SOFA

Love Your Sofa

You know I have a love affair with mine...

It is my friend, I come home to it every day and I love the warm, embrace it gives me after a long, hot day—unconditionally!  ( I don't have a dog) 

Don’t you want to love your sofa too --- it’s the centerpiece of your room and a lot of lovin’ takes place on our sofas!

How many do you have ?  One or two or three!  Do you need a new one?  Maybe we can help.  

Sofas come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and price points. I think when it comes to your upholstered furniture, I recommend to my clients to buy the best sofa you can afford.   A piece of furniture that is used daily is one of your ‘investment’ or ‘splurge’ items for your home.  

Sofas all work differently:  some can seat two people, three people, your family or maybe just one!   Some sofas have armrests, other don’t.   Your sofas can be completely upholstered or just partially upholstered.   The cushions can be tailored or casual and can be attached or loose.

I know most of you have at least one sofa in the living room, but a lot of people use sofas in their bedrooms, sitting rooms or sunrooms.  Think of it as your center of comfort and that’s a destination for a sofa.

The sofa is to you, a place of rest, but the sofa is much more than just a pretty face for your family room.  A sofa is made of several parts including a frame, padding, springs, cushions and the covering. The sofa frame can be made of different materials.   Fine furniture will have all hardwoods as the frame and your more affordable sisters will have veneers, MDF as your frame.   You may have heard the phrase, “ 8-way hand tied”.  This describes the springs a that are found in your finest furniture and will last for generations.  This is when the springs are placed by hand into the frame using old world techniques to create a superior support for years to come.

The sofa cushions and padding can be made out of feathers, foam, down, or a combination. Comfort is something very personal for everyone and will vary with each one of you.   As a decorator, I sit test all of my brands, so I can accurately recommend the best sofa for each of my individual clients’. 

The creative and fun part for me is the covering, the outside, the beauty of the sofa.  The fabric choices are endless and can reflect your personality!  Function and durability of the fabric you select should be based on the type and amount of wear, tear use and can I also mention, abuse, your sofa will receive.  For my clients with pets and small children or for the rowdy adventurous clients who don’t like a lot of rules, I always recommend an outdoor fabric or a very durable fabric that can really stand up to what they may dish out every day.  On the other extreme, for my clients purchasing a settee for a living room that doesn’t get much use, I love using linens, silks, and other fine, luxurious fabrics. 

We all like choices and  you have a lot of options when you choosing a sofa. Depending on where you want to place the sofa and for what you want to use it, you need to carefully select which sofa is Mr. Right Now.  

You know my style and my favorite types of design so you can probably guess what’s on my list of all-time favorite sofas --- and they are …… in no particular order:

CHESTERFIELD SOFAS

Filled with Downton Abbey like history, is the Chesterfield.  In the 18th century the fourth Earl of Chesterfield, England commissioned what is now called a Chesterfield sofa - I think he was pretty pompous.  His goal in life was to have craftsman hand make  a piece of furniture that would let him sit completely upright and comfortable, yet not wrinkle his suits.  That's pretty ingenious. That’s a little bit of history here and to me, the Chesterfield is still noble, sophisticated and full of charm. 

Chesterfield sofas are easily recognized by their “tufted” or “quilted” style. Some include the tufted design on the seating bench and on the back and arms while others only have tufting on the back and arms.

Although at an initial blush, you may think it doesn't look so well in a modern designed room, but the fusion of an old design mixed with new pieces creates a unique interest. 

CAMELBACK SOFA

I remember so well walking into my grandmother’s and aunt’s camelback home and seeing them relaxing on their camelback sofa.   It’s another piece of upholstered furniture with a rich history attributed to 18th century Thomas Chippendale, a London cabinetmaker and furniture designer whose style we still cherish and seek out today in 2016.     Camelback sofas are so English and oh so beautiful!  They look great in an English style home, French country or even in a Shabby Chic room.  Camelbacks are identified with an arched, curved back and rolled or square arms.  The legs are exposed and typically have no back cushions.  Of course if you like the look and added depth and color of cushions, go ahead and throw them on. 

Eye for Design Blogger 

CABRIOLE SOFA

If you follow KHB INTERIORS on facebook, you know how I drool and swoon at the sight of an antique and how working with clients who also appreciate and want to furnish their home using pieces of art, puts me in my happy place,  you are not surprised by my next choice. 

I’m still way back, still talking 18th century,  and along with that comes the beautiful and feminine cabriole leg.  The S shape of the leg is the mark of the cabriole with the upper part of the leg having an outward curve and the lower portion of the leg curves inward.  The cabriole leg came about during the Louis XV period of furniture design.  

A Cabriole sofa will have a carved and exposed wooden frame.  The as of the sofa are lower than the back of the sofa which has a continuous line with no back cushions.  

Cabriole sofas are great pieces in a foyer, or a sitting room.  They make me want to go grab a mint julep and fan myself!  

ENGLISH ROLLED ARM SOFA

We are still across the pond – in the British countryside.  We can thank the Brits for a very cozy, traditional,  but upbeat sofa we call an “English Rolled Arm” Sofa.

It’s typically large, cozy and comfortable.   The tight back and soft, large cushions seem to scream out, “sit on me”!   Typically, the traditional style is on casters but I’ve been known to specify one without casters.  This sofa is the perfect piece for a transitional home or can bring in a touch of history to a more modern interior..

There are many more sofa types but these are the ones that I love using in my client’s home as often as I can.

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Until next time~~~

Kelly