Nothing says home quite like the comfort of a sofa. Today, acknowledged as a necessary component of any living room, the sofa wasn’t always a part of our lives. It’s been developed over centuries, coming to us in various incarnations to arrive at its current, iconic status.
Sophisticated sofas: the elegance of classic padded elements is all about how we came to love this piece of furniture and what it symbolizes today, as part of the modern home. Comfort. Relaxation. Family. For modern people, it seems that the sofa has always existed.
But nothing could be further from the truth.
An Elite Past
If there’s one thing you can say for the elite of the Roman Empire, it’s that they knew how to relax. Probably the most famed precursor to the modern living room sofa is the Roman dining sofa.
The “lectus” was also used for sleeping, reading and reclining and was prized as one of the most important items of furniture in any noble Roman home. Because Romans enjoyed lounging (the wealthy ones, at any rate), these provided relaxed seating which allowed the indolence of wealth to lounge to its heart’s content.
But the lectus was most probably developed in the wake of encounters with the Far East, where it’s believed that the sofa’s birthplace is properly located.
But it wasn’t until the late 17th Century that the sofa arrived in something close to its modern form, in Europe. Sparsely cushioned, it was not the most comfortable seating arrangement, but was lavishly upholstered and again – only for those of some means.
In very short order, the luxury-obsessed elites of the Continent urged furniture designers to make the “canape” (as it was called then) more comfortable. It was slightly later that the word “sofa” (derived from an Arabic word meaning cushion) came into vogue to describe this style of seating.
So, at the dawn of the 18th Century the elegant padded elements we now associated with a desirable sofa were pioneered.
Italian Sofa Sophistication
There’s no question that the elegance of classic padded elements is most richly expressed in the boundless sophistication of Italian furniture’s interpretations of the form.
Lavishly and strikingly realized, Italian sofa sophistication spans every genre from sleek modernism to Baroque excess. At Michelangelo Designs, we honor the tradition of Italian design excellence, with an exclusive collection of Italy’s most acclaimed furniture design houses.
EgoItaliano is just one the collections on the floor of our showroom and warehouse. Known for elevating the art of upholstered furniture, a sofa from this designer both thrills with its elegance and coddles with its comfort.
Silik brings the traditional and contemporary together to create uniqueness in a world of bland conformity. If that describes your style, you’ll find it here at Michelangelo, where we cure the common.
Trade professionals find inspiration at the first and only Italian Design Center in the USA. Come be inspired by the riches of Italy. Impress your discerning clients with singular vision.
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