It looks cool, but is it comfortable?
By Christa Terry
I like furniture like this Blue Dot Bonnie sofa and Clyde loveseat…in a showroom or on the pages of a magazine, that is. It’s fun to imagine buying a thoroughly modern house and decorating with futuristic furnishings, but I’ve always gravitated toward a countryish aesthetic because the associated furniture tends to look comfortable and inviting. Whether or not it is…that’s an entirely different story.
For all I know, this sofa is a dream to sit on, but it simply does not make me want to “take a load off.” When confronted with seating like this, I tend to park myself on the very edge and sit up very straight. It almost looks as if it belongs in the lobby of a rather nice hotel where it’s understood that while people do need to sit down, they won’t be sitting down very long.
I look at this sofa and can’t help but wonder: When does design trump comfort? Does it ever?
June 14th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
“It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic,
Of all things physical and metaphysical,
Of all things human and all things super-human,
Of all true manifestations of the head,
Of the heart, of the soul,
That the life is recognizable in its expression,
That form ever follows function. This is the law.” Louis Sullivan
I find all too often that many designers allow the shape of things to supercede the utilization of the piece. I love contempory design and it is possible to have clean, beautiful spaces that are comfortable. I have the following sofa in a deep red leather.
http://www.eq3.com/cat-eq3/process/locale/en_US/currency/en_US/30010-01.html
The arms make it one of the best sleeping sofas of all times! Furniture has to hold up to the use it is meant for, be welcoming, and then please the eye. This is the primary goal of a kitchen/bath designer. Form always follows function. If it doesn’t work then who cares what it looks like. The piece shown above is very architectural but doesn’t allow for comfortable lounging. Too often, people don’t thing of modern/contempory as warm but I think it’s what you make it!!
June 14th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Sorry, people don’t THINK!!!
June 14th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
That sofa is indeed as inviting as it is modern. I think what nails it for me is the gentle curve of the armrests, which balances out the sharper corners everywhere else!
June 16th, 2008 at 10:12 am
I’m with Jennie. Ultimately, if it isn’t comfortable it isn’t a good sofa. I also have to admit I’m not wild about a lot of contemporary design furniture for looking at, either. I don’t like the sharp angles and stark minimalism. My eye is drawn strongly to things with organically curvy lines and little touches of whimsey.
That sofa/loveseat combo up there, for instance, makes my back hurt just looking at it. Even if I had the room for such a big piece in my home, it would never be allowed in the door.
June 16th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
I have this sofa from Room & Board, and I can tell you that it’s the most comfortable thing I’ve ever sat on… and every one of my guests has thought so, too. The only thing I’d counsel is actually sitting on ANY sofa you’re considering purchasing… and if you can, bring a book or a magazine and actually spend some time in the sample before making the leap.
June 17th, 2008 at 5:26 am
That looks pretty comfy (and curvy and pillowy!), Omnibus Driver. I like it.