Sofa Land

A couch, also known as a sofa, settee, chesterfield, or davenport, is a cushioned piece of furniture that can seat multiple people. It is commonly found in the form of a bench with upholstered armrests and is often fitted with springs and tailored cushion and pillows. Although a couch is used primarily for seating, it may be used for sleeping. In homes, couches are normally put in the family room, living room, den, or lounge. They are sometimes also found in non-residential settings such as hotels, lobbies of commercial offices, waiting rooms, and bars. Couches can also vary in size, color, and design.

Etymology

The term ''couch'' originally denoted an item of furniture for lying or sleeping on. ''Couch'' is predominantly used in North America, Australia, South Africa, and Ireland, whereas the terms ''sofa'' and ''settee'' (U and non-U) are most commonly used in the United Kingdom and India. The word ''couch'' originated in Middle English from the Old French word ' ("ledge/bench"), cognates with the Aramaic word ' ("mat"). Nathan Bailey in his ''Dictionarium Britannicum'' (1730) defines sofa as a "a sort of alcove much used in Asia ... furnished with rich carpets and cushions."

The word ''settee'' or ''setee'' comes from the Old English word ', which was used to describe long benches with high backs and arms, but is now generally used to describe small upholstered seating structures. Both "sofa" and "settee" terms came into use in the beginning of the 18th century. Originally the settee defined a smaller sofa, but by the 20th century the distinction was lost.

Other terms which can be synonymous with the above definition are divan'', ''davenport'', ''lounge'', and ''canapé''.
In Canadian English, the word ''chesterfield'' is used to describe any couch or sofa, particularly among older Canadians. According to a 1992 survey conducted in the Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario, the term is quickly vanishing.

Types

The most common types of couches include the two-seater, sometimes referred to as a loveseat, and the sofa. The loveseat is designed for seating two people, while the sofa has more than two cushion seats. A sectional sofa, often just referred to as a "sectional", is formed from multiple sections (typically two, three, or four) and usually includes at least two pieces which join at an angle of 90 degrees or slightly greater. Sectional sofas are used to wrap around walls or other furniture.

Other variants include the divan, the fainting couch (backless or partial-backed) and the canapé (an ornamental three-seater). To conserve space, some sofas double as beds in the form of sofa beds, daybeds, or futons.

A furniture set consisting of a sofa with two matching chairs is known as a "chesterfield suite" or "living-room suite". In the UK, the word ''chesterfield'' was used to refer to any couch in the 1900s. A chesterfield now describes a deep buttoned sofa, usually made from leather, with arms and back of the same height. The first chesterfield, with its distinctive deep buttoned, quilted (or "tufted") leather upholstery and lower seat base, was commissioned by Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773).

Materials

A couch consists of a frame, springs, padding, and a covering. The frame is usually made of wood, but can also be made of steel, plastic or laminated boards. Sofa padding is made from foam, down, feathers, fabric or a combination thereof. Sofa coverings are usually made out of soft leather, corduroy or linen. Couches commonly have springs under the padding for more support, although some don't.

Image gallery

File:N°0407 canapé 'Vallois' réalisé par les Ateliers Allot Frères.jpg, A two-seater upholstered loveseat
File:Sofa3800ppx.jpg, A leather couch
File:ملایر .مبل.jpg, Sofa steel production malayer
File:Couch Furniture.JPG, An upholstered couch
File:Settee Attributed to Joseph Walter, c. 1770.jpg, English Settee, c. 1770
File:Couch MET figure 178R7 24B.jpg, Roman style couch for reclining

See also

* Bean bag chair
* Chaise longue, a similar elongated piece intended for a single person
* Couch potato
* Davenport (sofa)
* Divan (furniture)
* Klippan (sofa)
* Ottoman (furniture)
* Settle (furniture), wooden furniture with similar usage
* Slipcover
* Wing chair
* Window seat (type of sofa)

Citations

General and cited references

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Further reading

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Furniture
Upholstery