Behind the Design
Providing 360-degree style
By Susan Pantaleo, ASID -- Furniture Today, January 27, 2008
Like your favorite jeans, furniture should look good from any point of view. This is especially true for seating. It is important to remember that it will be seen from all angles once people are using it and moving about the room. Fortunately, some of the newest designs are providing 360 degrees of style.
Back in the 1980s, we usually used a sofa table to disguise the large plain upholstered back of a sofa. That still works, but the end result is a loss of nearly 15 square feet of floor space once you allow room to circulate. A much better approach is to make the sofa itself interesting enough to stand on its own.
When seating is good looking all around we can accomplish so much more from a design perspective by liberating it from the walls and floating it within the room. This is a fabulous way to create intimate conversation groupings and define functional areas. Special features on the back and sides of a piece will distract from a bulky frame, making it visually light enough to be featured center stage.
Here are some effective techniques:
-
Tufting, pleating and contrasting fabrics are good ways to add interest to the back of most upholstered pieces.
-
Wood frames that outline the shape will express a period of style and enhance the fabric used on the cushions.
-
Insets of carved wood or contrasting materials such as metal or cane can lend texture and interest to the shape.
-
Cutouts in the back or arms create a peek-a-boo playfulness that lets you glimpse through to the back layers in a room.
-
Flexible furniture sections allow you to configure the seating shape to a particular space and approach it from multiple angles.
When you select furniture with style that is expressed around the entire piece, you have the added advantage of extending its usefulness in the future. Whether moved room to room, or to a completely different home, you will not be disappointed with the view.
-
Occasional
Apr 6, 2011 -
Stationary Upholstery
Apr 12, 2010 -
Array of product on tap for Las Vegas Market
Feb 4, 2007 -
'Crossovers' gain appeal in youth arena
Jul 13, 2009
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
