$895
H 40 in W 67 in D 30 in
Antique Eastlake Victorian Carved Walnut Floral Upholstered Parlor Sofa Loveseat
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique Eastlake Victorian Carved Walnut Floral Upholstered Parlor Sofa Loveseat. Circa Late 19th
Walnut
$1,800
H 41 in W 67 in D 32 in
Vintage Victorian Style Cherry Wood Floral Tapestry High Cameo Back Sofa
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Victorian Style Cherry Wood Floral Tapestry High Cameo Back Sofa. Circa Late 20th Century
Fabric, Cherry
$13,775
H 33.47 in W 71.86 in D 37.01 in
Luxury Victorian Hand Dyed Aged Brown Leather Two Seat Sofa Hand Carved Floral
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
leather two-seat sofa This sofa is just about as fine as you find anywhere, it has been reupholstered
Leather
$27,551
H 31.89 in W 141.74 in D 76.38 in
VINTAGE HOWARD & SON'S LONDON BRIDGEWATER LARGE 5 SEAT CORNER SOFA FLORAL FABRiC
By Howard and Sons, Howard Chairs Ltd., Howard & Sons Ltd
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
collectable Howard & Son's / Howard Chairs LTD London, corner sofa which was commissioned by Lord Palumbo
Upholstery, Hardwood
$950
H 32 in W 60 in D 36 in
Vintage Floral Print 60" Fully Upholstered Channel Back Loveseat Sofa by Harden
Located in Philadelphia, PA
. High Quality Floral Print 60" Fully Upholstered Channel Back Loveseat Sofa by Harden. Item features
Fabric
$2,650
H 30 in W 31 in D 15 in
Antique English Sofa Side Table Decoupage Botanical Floral Black Gold c1890
Located in Shreveport, LA
Antique English Sofa Side Table Decoupage Botanical Floral Black Gold c1890. Direct from southern
Wood
Antique Carved Victorian Sofa With Floral Tapestry Upholstery
Located in West Hartford, CT
Extravagant carved Victorian sofa has been restored and reupholstered in a colorful tapestry fabric
Fabric, Textile, Mahogany
Sold
H 51.5 in W 73 in D 28 in
1800's Antique Victorian, Ornately Carved, Floral, Upholstered Parlor Sofa!!
Located in Austin, TX
Gorgeous Antique Parlor Sofa, Victorian, Ornately Carved, Floral, Upholstered, 1800's, 19th
Fabric, Wood
Sold
H 38.19 in W 75.99 in D 27.56 in
Rare 19th Century Hardwood and Satinwood Sofa Howard & Sons Floral Upholstery
By Howard and Sons
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Swedish sofa with Howard & Son’s style upholstery A very good looking and well made piece, the woodwork
Upholstery, Hardwood
Victorian English Sofa with Floral Upholstery, Late 19th Century
Located in Southampton, NY
Victorian English Sofa with Floral Upholstery This Victorian English sofa features a classic
Upholstery, Wood
Sold
H 32.68 in W 76.78 in D 41.74 in
Very Comfortable Feather Filled Back & Base Floral Linen Upholstered Howard Sofa
By Howard and Sons
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
sofa with Floral linen blend upholstery and deep feather filled back and seat cushions What a find
Upholstery, Beech
$233,903Sale Price|33% Off
H 51.19 in W 55.12 in D 201.58 in
Rare Victorian Firescreen with Taxidermy Hummingbirds by Henry Ward
By Henry Ward
Located in Amsterdam, NL
England, third quarter of the 19th century On two scrolling foliate feet with casters, above which a rectangular two-side glazed frame, with on top a two-sided shield with initial...
Other
$4,900 / item
H 34 in W 86 in D 42 in
Custom Made Modern English Arm Sofa in Performance Linen Velvet - 86"
By Bloom Home Inc
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
This beautiful english arm sofa has a modern twist, with its single bench cushion, and beautiful curved apron sides. It’s upholstered in a Linen Velvet Performance fabric. Shown in...
Linen, Velvet
Carl-Johan Boman, Finnish 1940's curved sofa for Boman Oy
By Carl-Johan Boman, Boman OY
Located in Turku, Varsinais-Suomi
Introducing the Carl-Johan Boman Finnish 1940's curved sofa, a classic piece of Scandinavian modern design from the prestigious Boman Oy. This vintage sofa bears the signature qualit...
Fabric, Birch
$10,555
H 46 in W 70.9 in D 30.5 in
Gothic Revival Oak Fireplace Mantel with Carved Church Window Panels & Guards
Located in Lisse, NL
Wonderful Gothic Revival fire-place mantle surround with an amazing presence and patina. If you like Gothic Revival furniture then we are certain you will like this quality made and...
Wood, Oak
Victorian Chaise Longue Couch Day Bed Mahogany 1860
Located in Potters Bar, GB
This Pretty Victorian Mahogany Chaise Longue is Raised Upon Shaped and Carved Legs Which Retain Their Original Brass and Porcelain Castors. Circa 1860 The Chaise Longue Has Recently ...
Mahogany
$2,830Sale Price|20% Off
H 38.78 in W 89.77 in D 28.35 in
Antique Large Biedermeier Sofa in Green with brass details, circa 1860
Located in Opole, PL
We present you this massive sofa, typical for the Biedermeier style, with a softly upholstered seat and backrest. This article of furniture has characteristically rolled outwards, vo...
Walnut
$41,327
H 28.35 in W 30.32 in D 12.21 in
Antique Tiffany Studios Adjustable Lamp Base with Later Stained Glass Shade
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Tiffany adjustable bronze lamp base, stamped "Tiffany Studios, New York, 7984", circa 1915. The base was acquired with its current Tiffany Style stained glass shade with Dragonfly mo...
Bronze
$11,020
H 27.56 in W 68.51 in D 32.88 in
Small Restored Chesterfield Victorian Whisky Brown Leather Sofa
By Chesterfield
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning fully restored Victorian circa 1880 hand dyed Chesterfield two-seat sofa with fully buttoned base A very good looking piece, rare to ...
Leather, Mahogany
Maison Jansen Stamped Sofa, Louis XV Style, France
By Maison Jansen
Located in Montreal, Quebec
Rare Maison Jansen stamped French Louis XV style sofa with original grey patina, and clean lined cream upholstery. Lovely classical Louis XV shape, good width, seats three comfortabl...
Wood
$5,441
H 21.66 in W 83.86 in D 26.38 in
EXTRA LARGE 213CM WIDE ViNTAGE CHROMED BROWN LEATHER CHESTERFIELD CLUB FENDER
By Chesterfield
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this fully restored extra large very important looking Art Deco chrome club fender with hand dyed brown leather Chesterfield seat ...
Chrome
$8,265
H 31.7 in W 58.08 in D 37.01 in
Circa 1920 Art Deco Fully Restored Chesterfield Brown Leather Sofa Part Suite
By Chesterfield
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer this exquisite original circa 1920’s Art Deco fully restored Chesterfield club sofa which is part of a suite This sofa is very stylish, it has those Metr...
Leather
Curved Banana Shape Loveseat or Sofa in Floral Wool, Denmark 1940s
By Slagelse Mobelvaerk
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Viggo Boesen style banana shaped or curved Loveseat made in Denmark, around late 1930s or early 1940s. This small sofa will make a strong statement in any room. Beautiful round volup...
Wool, Beech
$3,300Sale Price|20% Off
H 46.86 in W 84.26 in D 24.41 in
Outstanding Quality Antique Victorian Carved Mahogany Chaise Longue
Located in Suffolk, GB
Outstanding quality antique Victorian carved mahogany chaise longue having an outstanding quality mahogany shaped back with carved scrolls, flowers, leaves and grapes, scroll shaped ...
Other
$4,240Sale Price|20% Off
H 32.5 in W 85 in D 28 in
Antique 19th C. American Empire Flame Mahogany Claw Foot Parlor Sofa Couch 85"
Located in Dayton, OH
Fine American Empire parlor sofa / couch with classical form and masterful carvings. Made of flamed mahogany featuring carved back crest and flared rolled arms accented with carved f...
Mahogany, Burl
$1,033 / item
H 13.78 in W 29.53 in D 11.82 in
1970s Industrial Cast Aluminium, Glass and Brass Flameproof Strip Light & Shade
By Daeyang
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
Korean flameproof strip light made by Daeyang circa 1978 with a polished finish. Originally these would have illuminated hazardous areas on super tankers, cargo ships and military v...
Aluminum, Brass
$3,500
H 39 in W 69 in D 25 in
Antique American Empire Figural Carved Mahogany Recamier Gold Chaise Lounge Sofa
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique American Empire Figural Carved Mahogany Recamier Gold Chaise Lounge Sofa. Item features a carved face to lower crest ands further carved wooden frame throughout raised on paw...
Fabric, Mahogany
Black leather, silk velvet cushions, breathable bouclé fabric — when shopping for antique or vintage sofas, today’s couch connoisseurs have much to choose from in terms of style and shape. But it wasn’t always thus.
The sofa is typically defined as a long upholstered seat that features a back and arms and is intended for two or more people. While the term “couch” comes from the Old French couche, meaning to lie down, and sofa has Eastern origins, both are forms of divan, a Turkish word that means an elongated cushioned seat. Bench-like seating in Ancient Greece, which was padded with soft blankets, was called klinai. No matter how you spell it, sofa just means comfort, at least it does today.
In the early days of sofa design, upholstery consisted of horsehair or dried moss. Sofas that originated in countries such as France during the 17th century were more integral to decor than they were to comfort. Like most Baroque furnishings from the region, they frequently comprised heavy, gilded mahogany frames and were upholstered in floral Beauvais tapestry. Today, options abound when it comes to style and material, with authentic leather offerings and classy steel settees. Plush, velvet chesterfields represent the platonic ideal of coziness.
Vladimir Kagan’s iconic sofa designs, such as the Crescent and the Serpentine — which, like the sectional sofas of the 1960s created by furniture makers such as Harvey Probber, are quite popular among mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts — showcase the spectrum of style available to modern consumers. Those looking to make a statement can turn to Studio 65’s lip-shaped Bocca sofa, which was inspired by the work of Salvador Dalí. Elsewhere, the furniture of the 1970s evokes an era when experimentation ruled, or at least provided a reason to break the rules. Just about every area of society felt a sudden urge to be wayward, to push boundaries — and buttons. Vintage leather sofas of that decade are characterized by a rare blending of the showy and organic.
With so many options, it’s important to explore and find the perfect furniture for your space. Paying attention to the lines of the cushions as well as the flow from the backrest into the arms is crucial to identifying a cohesive new piece for your home or office.
Fortunately, with styles from every era — and even round sofas — there’s a luxurious piece for every space. Deck out your living room with an Art Deco lounge or go retro with a nostalgic '80s design. No matter your sitting vision, the right piece is waiting for you in the expansive collection of unique sofas on 1stDibs.
There are many lessons to be learned from the lofts, apartments and townhouses of architects and decorators in Manhattan and beyond.
Enriching rooms with layers of visual interest is key to the New York– and Toronto-based decorator’s signature style.