Our Favorite Timeless Sofas
Sofas are anchor pieces. For many of us, they’re the first pieces of furniture we ever purchase, be it for dorm rooms or studio apartments. They help to create both spaces for socializing and at times, spaces for solitude. This week I’m sharing the timeless sofa shapes that I come back to in my work again and again.
Camelback sofa designed by John Derian | Photograph: Steven Kent Johnson
Camelback sofa as featured in Architectural Digest | Photograph by: Miguel Flores-Vianna
The Camelback Sofa
The camelback sofa is such a favorite. I love the formality of this 18th century silhouette. It feels elegant, crisp, and uniquely feminine. Traditionally, as they were when introduced by designer Thomas Chippendale, camelback sofas feature a hump or arched back in the center of the sofa. With a curvilinear silhouette and exposed legs, camelback sofas have a certain lightness to them. They are a chic and playful addition to any space – I love them in sitting rooms, dressing rooms, foyers and beyond.
English roll arm sofa as featured on Domino | Photograph: Brittany Ambridge
English Roll Arm in a London Sitting Room | Design by Jacques Grange
The English Roll Arm Sofa
Tighter, shorter, and more compact than the traditional roll arm, the English roll arm is the answer for anyone who wants that sink right in, extra cushion, cozy sofa without sacrificing style. This sofa is comfortable and perfect for lounging, but it’s recessed, low arms give it a more refined, English aesthetic.
Sibella Court | Photograph: Sibella Court’s Instagram
Tuxedo sofa as featured on Elle Decor | Photograph: Douglas Friedman
The Tuxedo Sofa
There is perhaps no sofa more glamorous than the tuxedo sofa. With high, straight arms and a streamlined back, the tuxedo sofa is sleek, geometric, and adds formality to any space. This sofa shape is a product of the Art Deco era but I always love how this traditional silhouette still feels modern and fresh.
Chesterfield sofa | Design: Nathasha Bermann | Photograph: Natasha Bermann
Modern Chesterfield | Design by Kit Kemp | Drawing Room at Ham Yard Hotel
Chesterfield Sofa as featured on Architectural Digest | Designer: Neal Beckstedt | Photograph: Stephen Kent Johnson
The Chesterfield Sofa
Like the tuxedo sofa, the chesterfield sofa’s arms are the same height as its back. You often see these upholstered in rich leathers and decadent velvets, these sofas are substantial, grand, and have an old school gentlemen’s club feel that I absolutely love. Rumor has it that the chesterfield sofa was born in an effort to create a sofa that would allow men to sit up straight without their suits wrinkling. Chesterfield sofas are tufted, with roll arms and no back cushions. Their heft and silhouette make them an amazing focal point for sitting rooms and libraries alike.
