Whatever it is to you – a couch, a settee, or a sofa – it will undoubtedly be one of your most-loved pieces of furniture. Where did the story begin for the sofa, though? Do you know the history of this piece of furniture that we rely on daily? The story of the sofa is longer than you might think.
During the mid-20th century, a journalist suggested that those who call it a sofa were upper class, and those from the lower classes used the terms settee and couch. There is no real evidence that this remains the case, and it doesn’t matter what you call this fantastic piece of furniture that sees so much of family life that it is practically a family member.
The words we use to describe this form of seating come from different languages and have slightly differing meanings. The word sofa derives from the Arabic word ‘soffah,’ meaning a raised floor section with cushions and rugs. The word couch originates in French, with ‘coucher’ meaning to lie down. Settee comes from the verb ‘to settle’ and implies that one should settle down and get comfortable. For a Vintage Style Sofa, consider a site like https://vintagesofawarehouse.co.uk
What we know is that this seating style has been around for many thousands of years. In the distant past, they were synonymous with wealth and stature, as the rich were the only ones who could ever afford to relax in such luxury.
It would still take almost another century for the sofa to become necessary in most homes. The 20th century saw the actual rise of the sofa for the ordinary person, when nearly every household would recline on an evening and initially listen to the wireless, then later watch the television. The mid-20th century saw giant leaps forward in innovation in design and production.
