Sofas

TUXEDO SOFA

As its name suggests, the tuxedo sofa is a luxurious, black tie-ready sofa that personifies cosmopolitan cool. Originating in the 1920s (in none other than Tuxedo Park, New York), this contemporary sofa is defined by its boxy silhouette created by panel-like arms that are the same height as the sofa’s back. The other hallmark of this modern sofa? Deep, pucker-up tufting on the back rest. While the straight-backed nature of the tuxedo sofa perhaps better suits it to formal living rooms than romp-y family rooms, a linen or cotton upholstery can downplay it glamorous Gatsby vibes. In terms of space, a tuxedo sofa can be an excellent option if you’re looking for a small sofa. Their square form lends them to easy downsizing, so you’ll readily find them in loveseat form.

CAMELBACK SOFA

If you’re aiming to make a traditional but subtly sexy statement, you can’t do better than a camelback sofa. A confidently structured sofa, with just a hint of romance (thanks to its meandering back), the camelback is believed to have originated from a Thomas Chippendale design. In fact, if you recall a Chippendale chair or armoire, it’s apparent that a camelback sofa shares many of the same traits, including claw-footed, cabriole legs and scrolled arms. While modern sofa iterations take many liberties with the camelback’s form, the center arch—or hump—is integral to making a sofa a camelback as opposed to a settee. While we’ll admit that this couch exudes prim and proper airs, a cheeky printed upholstery can freshen things right up. We also love this couch in loveseat sofa form—make that, velvet loveseat form.

CHESTERFIELD SOFA

A Brit by birth, the chesterfield sofa is something of an anomaly. One minute this tufted couch can feel grandly traditional, while the next it can read as unexpectedly funky. What's the story? Well, we think it’s the way this vintage sofa’s boxy silhouette—similar to the tuxedo sofa’s in that it features a level back and arms—is contrasted by playful details like scrolled arms and all-over tufting. You may think of chesterfields as purely leather sofas, but when swathed in a pretty pastel velvet a Chesterfield can feel whimsical and feminine. And cloaked in an uproarious red leather? Well, that’s a leather couch that will feel delightfully offbeat. In fact, the only thing mandatory for this tufted couch is a large room, since thanks to a deep seat, it packs one colossal footprint.

MID-CENTURY SOFA

Sometimes you want a couch that’s just that—a couch. One with no bells and whistles to get in the way of some deep R and R. That sofa? A Mid-Century sofa. Featuring a low, skimming profile, the Mid-Century sofa is an ode to function and simplicity. Even better is the fact that these sofas can pack a small footprint, making them perfect for tucking into compact spaces. That said, if you have a large space to fill, you can’t go wrong with a Mid-Century Modern sectional sofa. Thanks to their minimal silhouette, a Mid-Century sectional is just about the most unobtrusive sectional sofa on the market.