The Dream Sofa
These are the sofas that designers lose their minds for. When we specify them for our clients, we get insanely jealous and possessive, we just want them for ourselves.
1. Maralunga by Cassina from Space
When I asked my designer friends what their favourite sofa is, the Maralunga (available at Space Furniture) came up more than a few times! Another design from the 70s that is relaxed and instantly recognizable with its folding backrest. If you can find an original in good condition, its better than winning the lotto!
2. Sesann Lounge by Taccini from Stylecraft
This sofa gives me that feeling of walking out of Baby Pizza wishing that I wasn’t wearing jeans, apart from that, I am in love with this sofa. Bulky and soft at the same time, the Sesann Lounge was designed in 1969 and later went into production.
3. Maker &Son
I am seriously concerned that if I sit in this sofa by Maker & Son, I may never be able to move again! The commitment to serious comfort is just beyond comparison!
Constructed with pure comfort in mind, this couch is built in the traditional way, using materials like French jute webbing, traditional horsehair layered with soft clouds of cotton, wrapped in hessian and canvas all topped with feather and down plump cushions. It means that there are no poly-materials at all. This is a sofa that’s really going to look after you, and give you permission to just… flop.
4. The Cloud Sofa by & Tradition
If you ask me what my favourite sofa is, well it changes…. at home we have the Togo and it’s a great sofa for a young family. It doesn’t need any plumping up and the kids can jump all over it, and it doesn’t matter. It always looks good. However if I had to choose another, the Cloud by & Tradition is a firm favorite. It has the right amount of structure and softness, it looks good from all angles, and it’s comfortable and elegant.
And, if all else fails…
If all of the options above left you feeling a bit, meh….? There is a secret weapon out there that allows you to have the extra deep seat if you’re tall, or the wider arm at the perfect height, so that you can rest your head and fall asleep within three minutes. Or the perfect fibre fill that you don’t need to fluff up all the time. Maybe you’re more driven by the things you don’t even see, like an all-natural fibre filling free of formaldehyde, that you don’t want to inhale. You may need an extra hard-wearing sofa, which uses a luxury outdoor performance fabric such as the Perennials 100% solution dyed acrylic. These outdoor fabrics might sound a little but believe me they are GORGEOUS!
There is another world of sofas that are custom-made to your specific requirements, if you work with an interior designer to help realise your vision.
Beyond choosing a different leg or fabric, there are so many options out there that an interior designer can introduce you to. Interior designers have a wealth of resources when it comes to sourcing the perfect fabric, as well as furniture fabricator contacts that are trade-only (sometimes the ones who actually supply sofas to your favourite stores). It means that you will own a sofa that your neighbours won’t have… because your sofa is about what fits perfectly for YOU!