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Sofas, should they be weird and wonderful or classy and comfortable?

Most people choose a sofa with just a simple brief; they want comfort, style, and value for money. Some people, however, want something that makes a statement about them, or something with that ‘wow’ factor. Inevitably, such sofas will not always have been designed with comfort in mind.

Fashion in furniture these days is as diverse as it is in clothes, and there are some weird and wonderful designs available that, if they were used as seating, would cause considerable discomfort. Designers like to use every technique and fabric type as they can, and there are sofas today, for example, that are made completely of wood, with no consideration for comfort at all. Whilst such a sofa would definitely carry the ‘wow’ factor, its usefulness is almost non-existent. Similarly, sofas made in bright, garish colours have a limited lifetime, because they will date too easily.

Styles in décor change as rapidly as that in furniture and the state-of-the-art sofa will not always sit comfortably in every colour scheme. One concept in furniture design lately has been in the use of faux animal prints; great in the right setting but not so great if the fashion changes. A recent sofa being advertised was made in the style of a chaise longue, covered completely in faux tiger print fabric, complete with a tigers head at one end. This sofa is bizarre albeit really quite clever but, comfortable or destined for a long and useful life? Most likely not.

A traditional design of sofa, especially if chosen in a neutral colour, will fit into more or less any colour scheme and style of room, so it will not need replacing very often. It will be classically stylish, but not at the expense of comfort.

Some of our best designers have become so because of their bold adventurous use of fabric and colour. They are creative, ambitious, and positive in their work, and in their outlook. As a showcase of their talents, the sofa is a great piece to work on. It is a large item so illustrates not just the sometimes bizarre ideas the designer has come up with, but also the skill with which they have created them. Many of these designers will continue creating great furniture but, as time moves on, they will veer towards the traditional and be making pieces that will grace any home. Their wackiest designs will have become their ‘apprentice’ pieces, still striking but not seating anyone in comfort.