5 Timeless Sofas That Will Never Go Out of Style

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Let’s face it, sofas are a big ticket item in our home decor budget and spending a bit more on a high quality one, if we can afford it, is good investment. A timeless silhouette with great bones that is both beautiful and comfortable is really what where’re after when we buy sofas; something we can take with us from one stage of life into the next, updated, slipcovered or recovered as necessary. Here are five timeless sofa styles that I believe make great investments.  

The English Roll Arm, my favorite, has been around since the 1800s and, obviously, isn’t going away any time soon. It has been made popular by British furniture designer George Smith, whose company still makes the finest examples available.  With a tight back or loose cushions, it adds a touch of relaxed country charm to any design scheme yet it is elegant enough to work in any context. We could call it the chameleon of sofas.  

A beautiful example of a 3-seat English Roll Arm sofa:

A two-seat English roll arm sofa:

A Signature George Smith Sofa:

The Tuxedo: Neat and tidy, the Tuxedo sofa is a space saver and a great choice for transitional spaces as it does well in both traditional and modern settings. Its distinctive feature is its rectangular shape with arms as high as the back.  The Tuxedo sofa takes its name from the village of Tuxedo Park in New York, the same place that christened the formal wear. Notable residents of upscale Tuxedo Park included at one point Dorothy Draper and Emily Post, the grand dame of good manners. Tuxedo sofas appeared in the 1920’s, and with their clean lines and simple shape, hinted at modernism on the way.  The Tuxedo sofa is remains a mark of good taste hints makes any living room feel upscale.

A beautiful example of a Tuxedo style sofa covered in Moss Green velvet:

The Camelback. It’s history dates back to the 18th-century, to the studios of furniture designer & maker Thomas Chippendale. Camelback sofas are all over Facebook Marketplace these days and if you have a good upholstery workroom to work with, it could be worth buying one in used but good condition and having it reupholstered. Modern versions with a slimmer silhouette are a mixture of the tuxedo and the camelback and are great choices for apartments and rooms where space (the lack of it) is an issue.

A modern version of a camelback sofa, upholstered in velvet :

Same sofa, different upholstery:

The Chesterfield: You can’t go wrong with a classic and the Chesterfield is that and so much more. Available in velvets, leathers and a variety of linens, this sofa is the epitome of comfortable, old-world elegance. With its deep buttoning, low back, and high arms, this classic piece has graduated from the gentlemen’s clubs and stately homes of the old British Empire to become a coveted piece for homeowners across the globe, and across cultures.  Stories have it that in the 18th-century, Lord Philip Stanhope, the fourth Earl of Chesterfield,  wanted a sofa where a gentleman could sit without creasing his suit so he employed local craftsmen to come up with a suitable design. Their solution is, as the story goes on to say, a close replica of the modern day version of Chesterfield sofas we are so familiar with. 

An example of a Chesterfield sofa with a classic nailhead trim:

The Lawson style is the quintessential American sofa, the one we picture when we hear the word ‘couch’. Designed for comfort, overstuffed and generously proportioned, the Lawson style was created at the turn of the 20th century for copper magnate Thomas Lawson. Generously sized with three separate seat cushions, the Lawson style sofa makes a great perch for movie lovers and bookworms alike. 

A beautiful version of the Lawson sofa with a tight back and loose seat cushions:

Same sofa, covered in an Ivory fabric:

The standard loose back cushions, loose seat cushions Lawson sofa:

There are other styles of sofas, of course, especially modern ones, but these are the classic shapes that I feel one can never go wrong with. Times and fashions may change but these old friends have seen it all and are still going strong…

Take care!