Mid-Century Modern Velvet Curved Sofa
Located in Wilmington, DE
Mid-Century Modern Velvet Concave Front 92" sofa Offered is a mid-century modern sofa with Yellow
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Wood
Midcentury Modern Velvet Sofa
to
268
1,595
1,120
2,451
299
86
2,749
35
9
2
2
6
4
2,441
385
6
1,473
837
2
1
23
79
563
404
697
80
15
2,734
2,507
1,199
764
379
1,891
1,208
710
677
166
2,831
2,573
2,620
141
104
87
76
60
Sort By
Mid-Century Modern Sofa in Blue Velvet
$8,855 / item
Mid-Century Modern Sofa in Blue Velvet
Located in Greenwich, CT
This Mid-Century Modern inspired sofa (known as "The Carlton") was hand built at our studio in
Category
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet
Mid-Century Modern Sofa Restored in Designer Velvet
Located in North York, ON
Vintage Mid-Century Modern sofa. Custom reupholstered with a designer velvet fabric. Classic
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Metal
Mocha Velvet Platform Base Mid-Century Modern Sofa
By Milo Baughman, Harvey Probber
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Long angular design Mid-Century Modern design base light coffee color sofa.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Upholstery, Velvet
Mid-Century Modern Italian Velvet Curved Sofa, 1950s
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Curved four-seat sofa of Italian design, structure and legs in solid wood, velvet upholstery, 1950s
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Beech, Fir
Restored Vintage Mid-Century Modern Blue Velvet Curved Sofa
$12,760Sale Price|20% Off
Restored Vintage Mid-Century Modern Blue Velvet Curved Sofa
Located in North York, ON
Restored Vintage Mid-Century Modern blue velvet curved sofa. Masterfully restored by the artisans
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Wood
Mid-Century Style Green Velvet Sofa
Located in Alhambra, CA
Contemporary manufacture with mid-century flair. Elegant and practical sofa, upholstered in green
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet
Mid-Century Modern Italian Damask Velvet Corner Sofa, 1950s
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Original Italian corner sofa from the 1950s, the upholstery is from the time, in damask velvet, in
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Beech
Mid-Century Modern Sculptural Sofa in Teal Velvet
Located in Waalwijk, NL
-century modern aesthetic, give the body of this sofa a lift, creating a feel of grounded solidity and
Category
Vintage 1960s European Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Fabric, Beech
Handcrafted Mid-Century Modern Sofa, Teal Velvet Upholstery, Spain
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Finish ebony on wood. Upholstered in rich teal velvet. 100% cotton velvet. Available in COM
Category
2010s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Italian Modular Sofa, Original Brown Velvet, 1960s
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Italian Modular sofa, original brown Velvet, 1960s.
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet
Mid-Century Modern Italian Velvet Sofa with Chrome Structure, 1970s
Located in Prato, IT
Mid-Century Modern Italian sofa with chrome back details and original velvet upholstery. Overall
Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Chrome
Vladimir Kagan, Directional, Mid-Century Modern, Serpentine Cloud Sofa, Velvet
By Directional, Vladimir Kagan
Located in Manhasset, NY
Vladimir Kagan, Directional, Mid-Century Modern, Curved Cloud Sofa, Beige Velvet, Lucite, USA
Category
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Lucite
Modern Mid-Century style sofa with plush velvet upholstery
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
A mid-century style sofa with a sleek angular silhouette upholstered with plush camel-colored
Category
20th Century Unknown Sofas
Materials
Upholstery, Velvet
1950s Gigi Radice Style Mid-Century Modern Wisteria Velvet Italian Sofa
By Gigi Radice
Located in Aci Castello, IT
A stylish Mid-Century Modern sofa designed and manufactured in Italy in the Fifties, brass it's in
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Brass
Mid Century Velvet Geometric Patterned Sofa
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
This richly patterned sofa has a classic equestrian 1970's Gucci or Hermes vibe that’s to die for
Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Upholstery, Velvet, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Black Velvet Lounge Sofa Two Piece Set
$6,600Sale Price|20% Off
Mid-Century Modern Black Velvet Lounge Sofa Two Piece Set
Located in North York, ON
Mid-Century Modern black velvet lounge sofa two piece set. Mid-Century Modern design with
Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Italian Velvet four Seater Curved Sofa, 1950s
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Curved four-seater sofa, Italian design, solid wood structure and legs, original vintage chenille
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Chenille, Velvet, Beech
Marco Zanuso Style Mid-Century Modern Velvet Sofa "Lady", 50s
By Marco Zanuso
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Lady Marco Zanuso style sofa. The sofa has been restored and upholstered in blue velvet, the feet
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Beech, Fir
Mid-Century Modern Style Sculptural Sofa In Balic Blue Velvet
Located in NEW YORK, NY
A sculptural interpretation of midcentury modern elegance, this curved sofa is upholstered in rich
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Walnut
Mid-Century Modern Style Sculptural Sofa In Portofino Pink Velvet
Located in NEW YORK, NY
A sculptural interpretation of midcentury modern elegance, this curved sofa is upholstered in pink
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Walnut
Amazing Regency Modern Silver Grey Velvet Tufted Sofa Mid-Century Modern
By Adrian Pearsall
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Amazing totally restored and restyled Regency modern tufted sofa. Ohhh is what you will say when
Category
Vintage 1960s American Hollywood Regency Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Foam, Wood
Attributed Gio Ponti Mid-Century Modern Velvet Sofa for ISA, 1950s
By Gio Ponti, ISA Bergamo
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Elegant and splendid three-seater sofa with high backrest attributed Gio Ponti, 1950s, for ISA
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Beech, Fir
Mid-Century Modern Sofa Upholstered in Turquoise and Abstract Patterned Velvet
By Jhon Ortiz, The Tailored Home
Located in Greenwich, CT
This luxurious Mid-century Modern designed Sofa is upholstered in a unique combination of deep
Category
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Maple
Gigi Radice Mid-Century Modern Italian Velvet Sofa for Minotti, 1950s
By Gigi Radice, Minotti
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Sofa designed by Gigi Radice for Minotti. Made with solid wood structure and light gray velvet
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Brass
Harvey Probber American Mid-Century Green Velvet Round Sofa
By Harvey Probber
Located in Queens, NY
American Mid-Century large round sofa with a low curved partial backrest and emerald green velvet
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Metal, Brass
1950s Mid-Century Modern Italian Sofa in Moss Green Velvet and Brass
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Sofa, velvet, brass, Italy, 1950s This gorgeous sofa is an iconic example of Italian design from
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Brass
A MODERNIST MID-CENTURY-MODERN FREE-FORM Grey Velvet SOFA, France, 1950
Located in PARIS, FR
A beautiful and confortable sofa in light grey velvet, Moderniste, Forme Libre, with generous
Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Wood
Mid Century Modern French Large Sofa with Green Velvet Upholstery, circa 1945
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A French large sofa with green velvet upholstery on angled square tapering legs, circa 1945.
Category
Vintage 1940s French Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Wood
Sofà Mid-Century Italian Design Velvet and Brass
$1,206Sale Price|64% Off
Sofà Mid-Century Italian Design Velvet and Brass
By ISA Bergamo
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Sofà Mid-Century Italian design velvet and brass, Isa Bergamo production. The velvet is original
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Brass
Modern Technical Sofà Mid-Century Italian Design Beige Velvet Tecno D70 Borsani
$5,471Sale Price|30% Off
Modern Technical Sofà Mid-Century Italian Design Beige Velvet Tecno D70 Borsani
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Modern Technical Sofa, current and trendy, original fabric in good overall condition.
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Iron
Mid-Century Modern Ochre Velvet Dust Sofa 4-Seat with Wooden Feet
By Mambo Unlimited Ideas
Located in Lisbon, PT
Dust sofa is a tribute to comfort and discreet elegance. With a comfy structure and available in
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Wood
Gigi Radice Mid-Century Modern Italian Velvet Curved Sofa for Minotti, 1950s
By Minotti, Gigi Radice
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Sofa designed by Gigi Radice for Minotti. Made with solid wood structure and ivory velvet
Category
Antique 1650s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Brass
Gigi Radice Mid-Century Modern Midnight Blue Cotton Velvet Curved Italian Sofa
By Gigi Radice
Located in Madrid, ES
A stunning curved three-seat sofa designed by Italian designer Gigi Radice and edited by Minotti
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Metal, Brass
Iconic, 1960s Gigi Radice Style Mid-Century Modern Brass and Velvet Italian Sofa
$2,501Sale Price|46% Off
Iconic, 1960s Gigi Radice Style Mid-Century Modern Brass and Velvet Italian Sofa
By Gigi Radice
Located in Catania, IT
Iconic Mid-Century Modern, Italian modern sofa in velvet in shades of light blue, in the manner of
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Brass
DOOQ Mid-Century Modern Off-white Bouclé Malibu Sofa, Green Velvet, w=240
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
strong curves with softness and Fine detailing resulting in a must-have piece. The Mid-Century Modern and
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Bouclé, Velvet
DOOQ Mid-Century Modern Off-white Bouclé Malibu Sofa, Green Velvet, w=240
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
strong curves with softness and Fine detailing resulting in a must-have piece. The Mid-Century Modern and
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Bouclé, Velvet
DOOQ Mid-Century Modern Off-white Bouclé Malibu Sofa, Havane Velvet, w=240
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
strong curves with softness and Fine detailing resulting in a must-have piece. The Mid-Century Modern and
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Bouclé, Velvet
Mid-Century Modern Off-white Bouclé Malibu Round Sofa, Green Velvet, w=240
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
proportions and strong curves with softness and Fine detailing resulting in a must-have piece. The Mid-Century
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Bouclé, Velvet
Mid-Century Modern Off-white Bouclé Malibu Round Sofa, Blue Velvet, w=240
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
proportions and strong curves with softness and Fine detailing resulting in a must-have piece. The Mid-Century
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Bouclé, Velvet
Mid-century Modern Nancy Sofa Cotton Velvet by Ottiu
$8,176Sale Price / item|20% Off
Mid-century Modern Nancy Sofa Cotton Velvet by Ottiu
Located in RIO TINTO, PT
tailored, the deluxe Nancy sofa is upholstered in smooth cotton velvet. Designed to adorn the opulent
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Sofas
Materials
Textile
Swedish Mid Century Modern Curved Sofa in Dark Green Velvet Upholstery, 1930s
Located in Stockholm, SE
Rare two seater Swedish mid century modern curved sofa in style of Otto Schultz. The dark green
Category
Vintage 1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Beech
Mid-Century Modern Sofa in Smoked Pewter Velvet & Ebonized Walnut by Jules Leleu
By Jules Leleu
Located in New York, NY
This elegant Mid Century Modern sofa was realized by the legendary Jules Leleu in France circa 1960
Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Walnut
Mid-Century Modern Cocktail Sofa Made with Lacquer, Velvet and Textile, Handmade
Located in Seroa, PT
design found in the details of the interior limits. Covered in a velvet fabric, the Cocktail sofa
Category
2010s Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Textile, Velvet, Lacquer
Mid-Century Italian Velvet 3-seater Sofa, 1950's
Located in Antwerp, Antwerp
A mid-century italian designer sofa from the 1950’s. Upholstered in a maroon red velvet with an
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Brass
Osvaldo Borsani Boomerang curved grey velvet Sofa mid-century modern Italian
By Osvaldo Borsani
Located in Barcelona, ES
Curved sofa Manufactured by l’Atelier di Varedo, Italy. Italy, 1947 Chesnut and upholstered in grey
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-Century American Rust Velvet Upholstered Two Seater Fringed Sofa
Located in Queens, NY
English Victorian style (Mid-20th Century) two-seat sofa upholstered in rust velvet having roll
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
DOOQ Mid-Century Modern Off-white Bouclé Malibu Sofa, Soft Cotton Velvet, w=240
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
strong curves with softness and Fine detailing resulting in a must-have piece. The Mid-Century Modern and
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Bouclé, Velvet
Mid century modern 70s italian modular sofa
Located in Palermo, PA
Step into the vibrant world of 1970s Italy with this stunning modular sofa, a true gem of mid
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Metal
DOOQ Mid-Century Modern Off-white Bouclé Malibu Round Sofa, Red Velvet, w=200
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
proportions and strong curves with softness and Fine detailing resulting in a must-have piece. The Mid-Century
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Bouclé, Velvet
DOOQ Mid-Century Modern Off-white Bouclé Malibu Round Sofa, Green Velvet, w=200
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
proportions and strong curves with softness and Fine detailing resulting in a must-have piece. The Mid-Century
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Bouclé, Velvet
DOOQ Mid-Century Modern Off-white Bouclé Malibu Round Sofa, Blue Velvet, w=200
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
proportions and strong curves with softness and Fine detailing resulting in a must-have piece. The Mid-Century
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Bouclé, Velvet
DOOQ Mid-Century Modern Off-white Bouclé Malibu Sofa, Red Cotton Velvet, w=240
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
strong curves with softness and Fine detailing resulting in a must-have piece. The Mid-Century Modern and
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Bouclé, Velvet
Handsome Milo Baughman Style Plinth Base Velvet Sofa Mid-Century Modern
$4,320Sale Price|20% Off
Handsome Milo Baughman Style Plinth Base Velvet Sofa Mid-Century Modern
By Milo Baughman
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Handsome Milo Baughman style low profile velvet sofa on a plinth base. The turquoise crushed velvet
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Off-white Bouclé Malibu Round Sofa, Soft Cotton Velvet, w=240
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
proportions and strong curves with softness and Fine detailing resulting in a must-have piece. The Mid-Century
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Velvet, Bouclé
DOOQ Mid-Century Modern Off-white Bouclé Malibu Round Sofa, Cotton Velvet, w=200
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
proportions and strong curves with softness and Fine detailing resulting in a must-have piece. The Mid-Century
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Bouclé, Velvet
Mid-Century Modern Off-white Bouclé Malibu Round Sofa, Red Cotton Velvet, w=240
By DOOQ
Located in Lisbon, PT
proportions and strong curves with softness and Fine detailing resulting in a must-have piece. The Mid-Century
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Sofas
Materials
Bouclé, Velvet
- 1
- ...
Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "Midcentury Modern Velvet Sofa", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.
Midcentury Modern Velvet Sofa For Sale on 1stDibs
Find many varieties of an authentic midcentury modern velvet sofa available at 1stDibs. Frequently made of fabric, velvet and wood, every midcentury modern velvet sofa was constructed with great care. Find 1083 options for an antique or vintage midcentury modern velvet sofa now, or shop our selection of 118 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished piece. Your living room may not be complete without a midcentury modern velvet sofa — find older editions for sale from the 18th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 21st Century. A midcentury modern velvet sofa made by Mid-Century Modern designers — as well as those associated with Scandinavian Modern — is very popular. You’ll likely find more than one midcentury modern velvet sofa that is appealing in its simplicity, but Milo Baughman, Edward Wormley and Mario Bellini produced versions that are worth a look.
How Much is a Midcentury Modern Velvet Sofa?
A midcentury modern velvet sofa can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $6,514, while the lowest priced sells for $513 and the highest can go for as much as $175,000.
A Close Look at Mid-century Modern Furniture
Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.
ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Emerged during the mid-20th century
- Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
- A heyday of innovation in postwar America
- Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
- A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
- Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
- Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
- Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
- Promotion of functionality
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Eero Saarinen
- Milo Baughman
- Florence Knoll
- Harry Bertoia
- Isamu Noguchi
- George Nelson
- Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
- Eames lounge chair
- Nelson daybed
- Florence Knoll sofa
- Egg chair
- Womb chair
- Noguchi coffee table
- Barcelona chair
VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.
Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively.
Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer.
Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.
The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by celebrated manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.
As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.
Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.
Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.
Finding the Right Sofas for You
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.
Read More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair Shook Modernism and Charmed Hollywood
The enduring appeal of the Barcelona chair is in the details.
Herman Miller Got Its Start in the Office, but Its Legacy Is in the Home
The brand that turned Charles and Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi and George Nelson into mid-century household names is just as relevant today as it was six decades ago.
May’s Most Popular Interiors on Instagram
Our feed is filled with the world's most beautiful spaces. See the rooms our followers have deemed the best of the best this month.
April’s Most-Liked Interiors on Instagram
Our feed is filled with the world's most beautiful spaces. See the 10 our followers have deemed the best of the best this month.
See How New York City Designers Experiment on Their Own Homes
There are many lessons to be learned from the lofts, apartments and townhouses of architects and decorators in Manhattan and beyond.
Jeff Andrews Captures Old Hollywood Glamour in His Cinematic Spaces
Having created extravagant homes for reality TV’s biggest stars, the designer is stepping into the spotlight with his first book.
New Orleans’ Lee Ledbetter Makes Design Magic by Mixing Past and Present
The Louisiana-born and -bred architect talks to 1stdibs about the art of making timeless places that matter.
More Ways To Browse
Chartreuse Sofa
Lampert Sofa
Low Profile Sectional
Murani Sofa
Japanese Parrot
Japanese Plique A Jour
Japanese Rat
Japanese Singing Bowl
Japanese Stoneware Plate
Japanese Tea Service Antique
Japanese Tetsubin
Japanese Traveling Shrine
Japanese Trinket Dish
Japanese Usubata
Japanese Wood Dresser
Jean Andre Lepaute
Jean Arp Brass
Jean Baptiste Germain Bronze