The importance of the sofa
Lifestyles change with the passage of time, it is inevitable, the secret of a great decoration doesn’t lie only in appearance, but more in how it is adapted to our needs and how it has the chameleon capacity to change when our life “style” changes.
Even-though all the rooms of a house have gone through different moments and therefore styles, we will be focusing our attention in the living room, concretely on the sofa.
The sofa choice has not always been done according to the same criteria. Nowadays, comfort is above all, what we are searching for as well as moments of peace, entertainment or recreation, and a sofa is the place where we could spend hours or entire afternoons, sitting in comfort.
For years, family gatherings took place in the kitchen, and the living room was a place that was only used to receive visitors, friends, family members or for any type of celebration. At that time, the comfort of the sofa was not the most important consideration because nobody just sat there at odd times of the day, but just for the few minutes wile the visits lasted.
The decision was based on aesthetics, prints, coordination. From that time period we have inherited impossible forms, seats marked with sheer volume in the middle, turned armrest with wood moldings, back supports sure to test your cervicals…a full mismatch between aesthetic and comfort.
With the introduction of the television, the gatherings were moved to the living room, and it is at this moment when the space paid particular importance to comfort. The comfort of the sofas begins to be a fundamental pillar on which to base the selection of these pieces is made, but always from the point of view the user makes while they are in a sitting position.
We spend a great deal of time sitting on the sofa, so the height of the backrests will be the main issue we should deal with when the time comes to purchase a sofa. The entire family gathers, frequently, many members, and therefore the priority is to make sure everyone has a place to sit. The “sitting area” (three pieces, a three seater sofa and two one sitters) become the undisputed king of the living room. The high backrests and the numerous seats are an indisputable fact to when considering the age of the sofa.
Nowadays our lives, our family, our positions and out concept of entertainment and relaxation have changed. Families have been reduced in terms of the number of the members, therefore the capacity for space it is no longer needed.
The living room has become the principal space in our homes, in it we develop all our activities.
Our life has changed, we get to our homes after many hours of city life, our position has been converted to the horizontal. With this postural change, we have reduced the number of seats favoring the size of the same. We look for ergonomics for the most part, rocking chairs, reclining backs, models that include the chaise longe, curved forms, take on and off armrests, covered tapestries, deep seating..
The living room is an excellent place for entertainment in our homes, the sofa is one of the key pieces to be able to enjoy it to the fullest. Our body will rest on it just as it does on a mattress, therefore the fabrics they are made of, the filling of the cushions, the height of the backrest and armrest, are the most important things to look at, we must be able to feel that the sofa is tailor made for us.
Smooth tapestry with thick fabrics such as corduroy, or canvas, with really low armrests to be able to comfortably support our head when we lay down are key for comfort. The backrests have lowered their height in favor of aesthetics and on occasion, the backrest as we know it is replaced by many cushions, allowing us to mold the backing to our needs, and at the same time giving the sofa a casual flair.
We must be clear which will be the use we are going to give our sofa, in order to establish a clear search criteria. A sofa designed to fit our needs will take care of our health, it will help us rest and will allow us to enjoy pleasant moments in the company of friends and family.
Photographs: Roche-Bobois
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