The sofa suite has taken center stage through history as far back as the Renaissance era in France. While peasants did well, during that time, to have simple wooden chairs on which to sit, royalty and the social aristocrats lounged in opulent splendor on the finest fabrics that covered the new trend in furnishings – the elongated seat or “settee” and grand chairs suited for the resplendent haute couture of the day.
These days, sofa or “settees:, are typically found in the den, living room or family room of a home and have become a statement of stability and worth. Human beings evolved over time, from the nomadic days when they carried everything they owned on their backs, to modern times when a sofa in a parlor or sitting room evoked a subliminal “settled” or permanent lifestyle, especially when considering the fact that a family sofa often becomes an heirloom to be cherished, maintained and protected generation after generation.
At one time sofas were commonly referred to as Davenports, because of the unmistakable style of sofas created by the A.H. Davenport Company of Boston. A person born prior to the Second World War is most likely to call a sofa a “Davenport”. Likewise, many people today would most likely refer to a sofa as a “couch”, though the traditional couch was originally called a “fainting couch”.
While a sofa has two armrests and a full back, the “fainting couch” had a partial back and armrest on one end – much like a day-bed – on which ladies could sit back in a “lady-like” fashion when they felt weak or faint. Movie star Mae West was often seen reclining on a “fainting couch” in a most provocative fashion, establishing a pose that was frequently copied by the many Hollywood sex symbols that followed.
By adding a matching or fashionably coordinated chair or two, the combination became a sofa suite – a place where people could lounge and converse in comfort. By the 20th century, a variation of the sofa suite became known as the “Corner” sofa – in which the chair and the sofa were joined in an “L”-shape fashion to provide more sitting space for additional guests and a focal point around a coffee table or television.
Nowadays, Corner sofas often have one or two “recliners” built in, which include an elevated footrest. These are most popular for watching television or a movie rather than holding a conversation with a group. In addition, while fabric is still a mainstay of choice for sofa upholstery, leather has made a fashion statement all its own in recent years.
However, whether covered in leather or fabric, or purchased as a “Corner” or separate from the chairs, many people are buying their sofas direct from the manufacturer. Sofas are even bought over the Internet.
The selection of styles seem endless; from ultra modern to antique and from the cheaply made – found at discount stores – to priceless works recently restored to their original glory, a sofa suite is a mainstay in homes everywhere.
