Corner Sofas

!±8± Corner Sofas

The word sofa is an Anglicized version of the Arabic word suffah, and it means bench. The original sofa is believed to be a section of floor that was built up and covered with fine fabrics and pillows. The sofa originally was made from hard raw materials including stone and wood. Accouterments of fine fabrics were used to soften the seating surface. Different styles evolved based on the specific application of need. Infirmaries developed a sort of wheeled chaise lounge for sickly people. It was believed that the best medicine for breathing ailments was to be placed in a reclined position and exposed to the elements. As always, necessity is the mother of invention.

Of course, the sofa evolved into the luxurious furniture we recognize today, taking on many forms and comprising a variety of materials. The sofa has been used in modern art to make conceptual statements and convey ideas. Sofas that bend up walls have spikes on the seating surface are pure artistic objects not practical for sitting. The sofa has been and continues to be viewed as an architectural object in its own right. Le Corbusier called housing structures "machines for living," and he called sitting furniture "machines for sitting." These machines are to be designed by master architects. The housing structures were to be designed as well as the interior machines as he viewed furniture as a holistic part of architecture. In 1929, Corbusier revealed the "Grand Confort" at the Salon d'Automne in Paris. This sofa is arguably the most iconic sofa produced in the twentieth century.

Corner sofas are usually two or more sofas connected together often forming a ninety degree angle. This design can be very useful. For the small home, corner sofas can maximize seating space while taking less floor space. For the large home, this type of sofa can be used to separate the living space while maintaining an open floor plan. The more fun types can be arranged in different configurations creating a variety of linear shapes. Corner sofas are practical. A person can sit and watch a movie while another person can lay down maintaining the same line of site as the seated person. The ninety degree corner makes it possible. The ninety degree angle helps create a more intimate gathering space encouraging conversation. This is what the corner sofa is all about, comfortably sitting and sharing with family and friends.