One of the most elusive tricks of the interior design trade is making a room look like it has been there forever, even when everything in it is new. We all know how it feels to walk into a space that feels smart and stylish, yet settled and comfortable – the sort of room in which you instantly want to put your feet up. A considered yet eclectic collection of styles, shapes and textures is the key to creating such an inviting interior, and the best furniture stores are those that bring all these together all under one roof. Few do it as well as sofa.com, whose new autumn/winter collection is a masterclass in artful combination.
It is not uncommon to see sofa.com’s sophisticated yet affordable designs within the pages of House & Garden as part of schemes by esteemed designers such as Nicola Harding and Todhunter Earle. The company’s latest collection looks set to catch the eye of industry insiders once again, with its versatile edit of contemporary, handcrafted pieces that can be combined without any sense of repetitiveness or excess coordination.
Beginning with the sitting room, as we so often do when we decorate, it is best to have a range of different types of furniture to suit different preferences. Some people prefer a large, soft sofa to sink into, while others might be comfortable with more support. Aesthetically, too, it is always preferable to have a range of different forms – some curved, some angular. The new collection at sofa.com caters to all these wants and needs.
This year curved forms are proving very popular, and one such standout piece is the modular ‘Cohen’ sofa, which is plump and inviting yet provides firm lumbar support and plenty of flexibility for different spaces – whether you need a loveseat size or an L-shaped sofa with space for the whole family. Meanwhile, the ‘Larsen’ sofa takes a mid-century approach to curves: it is just as supportive, but it is also lighter and more graceful in its design, making it ideal for smaller spaces. Also notable is the ‘Ginger’ armchair, which looks particularly inviting in sofa.com’s new bouclé fabric.
Renowned interior designer Rita Konig rightly advises against too much ‘puddingness’ in your sitting room furniture, so it is important to incorporate some strong lines as a foil to these softer forms. Brilliant in this respect are the wooden pieces of furniture in sofa.com’s new collection. The ‘Aspen’ table, which is conveniently extendable and crafted from solid oak, has an intriguing asymmetrical form, with black metal inlay along the rim and legs that lends a luxurious modern feel. Now that so many of us have workspaces in our sitting rooms, the ‘Dickens’ desk is another helpfully angular addition to a room; it is smart and efficient and avoids an overly corporate look. These more striking lines do not have to be limited to furniture; accessories can be deployed to vary the feel of the room. Sofa.com's new lighting collection with Tom Dixon is a perfect case in point, offering an injection of cutting-edge design.
This same mixing of shapes and materials should carry through to the bedroom, where there can be a tendency to overdo the soft, frilly elements of decoration. Sofa.com’s ‘Sunday’ bed brings a lovely sense of softness to the room while also introducing contemporary lines – doing for the bedroom what the ‘Cohen’ sofa does for the sitting room. Pair this with a neat ‘Turin’ bedside table in solid oak, and you have the optimum blend of cocooning luxury and clean lines.
Form and function should always be inseparable in any decorative scheme, and one of the benefits of sofa.com’s designs is their versatility. The ‘Astaire’ collection, for example, includes a coffee table that is available in a wooden or fabric finish, striking that balance between table and ottoman. The same applies to the delightful ‘Luna’ ottoman with its oversized curves: a pair of can sit together to make an extra large surface, ideal for setting down a tray of drinks or displaying a collection of books. For the bedroom, there are new wooden beds ‘Florence’ and ‘Ravello’, with asymmetrical panelling, which can be modified with ‘Verona’ headboard cushions for greater comfort.
Enhancing the appeal of sofa.com’s collections is the adaptability of each individual item, with more than 100 fabrics available for every upholstered piece of furniture, including wools, linens and velvets, weaves and prints. There is also the option to have furniture upholstered in your own choice of fabric. This is particularly key for those looking to build a room from scratch or integrate new furniture with existing pieces. An ever-popular retail choice, sofa.com also offers a leading service for industry insiders – interior designers can benefit from trade accounts with exclusive discounts, express delivery, bespoke products and a sampling service. Whatever the project or desired result, sofa.com’s new collection is sure to impress professionals and home owners alike – fresh and contemporary yet classic and well-made, and all under one roof.
