Just like clothing fashion trends can be a ‘fickle mistress,’ so, too, can design trends in furniture, in particular sofas and easy-chairs. The changes tend to be subtle and finely balanced and, because of that, are difficult to spot over a couple of years. But if you leave the country and live abroad for several years, you'll return to a very different fashion colour scene.
This Season’s Colours and Sofa Shape
According to my localsofa workshopthe popular colours this year are a mix of bold colours, as seen in the image above, although softer, less bold tones are still popular and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. Subtle, neutral colours such as grey, light ochre and the mix of colours you would find in an autumn landscape are still immensely popular.
The shape of the sofa has changed, too; the hankering for the cottage interior feel has meant that there is a wide selection of sofa designs, which, although having a distinctly rural idyll theme, wouldn’t look out of place in an modern loft apartment or typical suburban home.
Recent History
Just a few years ago these colours combined with the designs of sofa pictured were not as popular or as easily available. It is interesting to see that the corner unit, favoured by furniture manufacturers and interior designers of the late 70s and early 80s, has made a strong comeback in recent years. For many it was not a favoured choice and fell from grace in the early-to-mid 80s, replaced by a more traditional but relaxed, chunky style sofa.
These large units are a distinct disadvantage if you like the colours and design but do not have the space to fully complement them. A room which is overcrowded by a single- or double-unit piece of furniture such as a corner unit can be left wanting, and it is difficult to mix and match. Leaving a room bereft of light and space, these types of sofa are really only good if you have a lot of space to display them.
Changes in Pattern and Covering Material
Patterning in the 80s and 90s typically featured bold floral patterns with splashes of reds, pinks and oranges; yet, alongside these patterns, solid bold colours such as reds, blues and greens were also extremely popular. Beige and brown, while not being the choice of everyone, have remained a constant as the nature of the colours and shade will complement (almost) any interior design style and décor.
Anyone remember dralon? Once, it was a fixture in bedrooms and living rooms up and down the country, and was so popular even clothing was made from it - yes, really. Thankfully, today the more traditional materials reign supreme, but it is also nice to see leather emanating from many a sofa workshop and becoming increasingly popular as a fashion statement and lifestyle choice.
However, ultimately a sofa, set of chairs and other furniture accessories are a matter of personal taste and choice. It is good that we do not all like the same thing; otherwise, the world would be an extremely boring place, indeed, and I for one love mixing and matching. How bland is bland?
