A brief history of the sofa

Whether it’s there for a family evening watching television or a film or just a quick lounge before getting on with work, our sofas are one of the most important elements of our family homes. It’s hard to imagine how we would be able to function without a sofa as it provides the perfect social setting for us to discuss the day’s events and also provides us with a comfortable seat to enjoy reading a book or watching something on television.

From Ancient Benches

Sofas are certainly not a modern invention. They first began to make their appearance at the times of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. A long seat in which to talk to a client and discuss the affairs of the Pharaohs, or what a particular philosopher had come up with that week, required the space to be able to ponder and talk about society in general. However, these weren’t sofas as we would recognise them; instead we would think of them as strong benches with which to recline upon. A vintage style sofa from Vintage Sofa Warehouse would make a better alternative.

The Venetians and Comfort

It wasn’t until the 1600s that the Venetians got the idea that maybe these long seats would actually be something quite pleasant to sit upon for a longer period of time. Up until this point chairs were designed to keep the body straight and rigid; they certainly weren’t designed for comfort. So it’s a big thanks to the Venetians of the 1680s, as we owe them much in the way of our current comfortable surroundings.