As sofas evolved, certain designers around the world became renowned for redefining comfort in seating furniture. These individuals went beyond simply building sofas—they studied seating ergonomics, foam compositions, backrest angles, seat depth, and even human relaxation behavior, turning these insights into form.
In this article, we trace the origins, transformation, and influential figures of this style of furniture from a global perspective—a journey that still continues with every change in home architecture and seating habits.
The beginnings of sofa design and production worldwide (Origins before the 20th century)
The idea of soft and informal furniture is far older than the term "sofa." The first soft-seated chairs and benches date to ancient civilizations. The Egyptians built seating for nobles with leather straps and thin, fiber-filled cushions. The Greeks and Romans introduced the kliné (kline) and precursors to the chaise lounge, where people would recline to eat or rest.
(These were lounge pieces but lacked the familial and modern couch forms we know today.)
During the Middle Ages, most furniture remained firm, upright, and wooden. Comfort in seat and back wasn’t prioritized, as people didn’t sit for extended periods like we do today. Nearing the Renaissance, cushions became more common, although sitting still had class distinctions and formalities.
The true start of "comfort-based furniture" can be found from the late 17th to 19th centuries. In this period, France introduced curved, plush chaise lounges to salon culture, taking the practice of reclining from royal quarters to urban living rooms. In 18th-century England, designers experimented with wingback chairs and seats filled with feathers or animal hair, marking the first scientific attention to soft seats and supportive backs.
The 19th century saw the U.S. take a defining step. As the urban middle class grew, larger and notably softer sofas entered homes. The invention of coiled springs and, later, early foams enabled long and comfortable sitting. The "sofa + soft back + deep seat" formula—the forerunner of the modern sofa—became established and gradually moved away from formal styles.
Up to the 20th century, the sofa was more of a domestically softened design than a defined category with global standards. The 20th century, however, saw it transform into a true revolution in design and mass consumption, which we will explore in detail below.
Transformation and industrialization of sofas by country
France, the starting point of comfort’s identity
France was the first country to take soft furniture beyond aristocratic confines and turn it into a design trend. By the 19th century, Parisian workshops were bringing "soft seating for extended use" from ceremonial horse-drawn carriages and royal halls into urban homes. Although mass industrial production came to France later than to the U.S., the French focus on artistic form, curves, and plush seat combinations set the primary character of the sofa.
England, standardizing backrests and seats
In England, the emphasis was less on excessive curves and more on "supportive and warming backrests." From the 18th to 19th centuries, English designers made feather-filled sofas, wingback chairs, and upholstered seats with early spring systems. Regions like London and Manchester steadily advanced industrial production through growing wood and textile factories.
America, the first industrial revolution
The U.S. was the first to transform the sofa into a household, soft, multi-seat, industrial product. With a growing middle class in the mid-19th century, furniture factories flourished in New York, Chicago, and the Carolinas. The introduction of steel coil springs, S-spring suspension, modular division, and standardized sizes made sofas no longer rare luxuries but essential household goods. Later, with polyurethane foams and mass molds, America popularized the style worldwide in the 20th century.
Germany, ergonomics and engineering comfort
Germany approached sofa design from an engineering perspective. With the rise of the Bauhaus school in the early 20th century, sofas evolved beyond "mere softness" to ergonomics, scientifically calculated angles, minimal forms, and suitability for mass industrial production. Cities like Berlin, Weimar, and Dessau became hubs of this design and production. In Germany, popularity stemmed from "engineered comfort" rather than ornamentation.
Italy, luxury comfort and modern identity
After World War II, Italy redefined sofas as an artful—yet industrial—expression of "modern luxury." Milan and the Brianza area became centers for minimalist, stylish, high-quality sofas. Italian designers, trendsetting brands, and innovations in foams and fabrics turned Italy into a flag-bearer for this style in Europe and, later, the world.
Scandinavia (Denmark, Sweden, Norway), comfort as lifestyle
In Scandinavia, sofas became deeply embedded in "lifestyle culture." Rooted in hygge and lagom philosophies, sofas were made soft, simple, practical, and more human-centered. The greatest popularity was in Denmark and Sweden, where families chose sofas for long sessions of sitting, reading, or conversation.
Japan, industrial adaptation rooted in minimalism
Japan’s widespread use of sofas in the home came later than in the West, but expansion was swift and highly industrialized. From the 1960s, Tokyo and Osaka began modern production of simple forms with lower backs and relatively firm but comfortable seats—all scaled down to fit the compact, minimalist Japanese home.
Popularity and usage by the end of the 20th century
By the end of the 20th century, America claimed the highest volume of sofa production and use, while Europe—especially Italy and Denmark—achieved the greatest influence and design prestige. Popularity came to mean not just how many were sold, but which country "defined comfort" for the world at large.
The evolution of sofa design from 1900 to today
1900 to 1930 — The dawn of modernity
Sofas still featured classic upholstery but now incorporated steel springs and engineered structure. Backrests were tall, seats softer, and deeper seating became popular. The focus began shifting to "relaxation seating" over formal entertaining.
1930 to 1950 — Practical comfort
The Depression and wartime made sofas simpler and less ornamental. Early foams replaced feathers, and forms became bulkier to suit family use.
1950 to 1970 — Midcentury and the form revolution
Softer angles, slender legs, lower backs, and streamlined silhouettes made sofas modern and desirable. "Family lounging" rose in popularity, so multi-seat sofas became bestsellers.
1970 to 2000 — Mass-produced, soft, and high-use
Polyurethane foams became industry standard. Sofas grew softer and deeper, seating became more segmented, arms wider, and modular shapes appeared to suit new lifestyles.
2000 to today — Lifestyle, technology, globalization
- Smaller sizes for modern urban homes
- Modular, reconfigurable designs
- Stain-resistant fabrics, memory foams, cold foam
- Lower arms and backs, deeper seats
- Neutral colors gain favor
The modern sofa is now a product for long sitting, media viewing, work, conversation, and relaxation. The boundary between form and function is narrower and more scientific, yet its spirit remains one of "comfort."
Popularity, consumption, and appeal by region worldwide
USA — The world’s most sofa-loving market
Sofas are integral to daily life in America. Families spend plenty of time watching TV, chatting, or relaxing on the sofa. The most popular models are sectional, large, deep, and soft, prioritizing multi-person comfort.
Europe — High popularity, selective consumption
Sofas are widely loved in Europe, but consumption is driven by quality and personal choice.
- Italy: Modern comfort with a luxury, designer identity
- Denmark & Sweden: Long, relaxed sitting with simplicity and people-centered design
Shapes are usually more minimal and ergonomic than the American style. Useful beauty and durability are valued over sheer plushness.
Middle East — Rapidly growing consumption
Sofa use in the Middle East has surged over the past 20 years.
- Iran, Iraq, and Turkey are major growth markets, with a strong culture of family seating.
- Soft, multi-seat sofas with plenty of cushions are most popular.
- In Turkey, there is also demand for sofas that combine comfort with subtle classic ornamentation.
Asia — High popularity, smaller sizes, firmer comfort
Sofas are favored across Asia but adapted to living space and architecture:
- Japan and Korea: More compact, lower backs, and relatively firm (but comfortable) seats
- China: Massive production, high use, and a more economical focus
Comfort means lumbar support and good seat comfort, not always maximum plushness.
Regional summary of sofa popularity and consumption
- USA: Largest production and sales, soft and spacious
- Italy and Scandinavia: Most influential design and qualitative popularity
- Middle East: Fast-growing, family-focused demand
- Asia: Popular, but tailored to small spaces and smart use
Major icons and influential sofa designers worldwide
The art of sofa design has been shaped by designers who treated comfort as philosophy, form, and function all at once.
Charles and Ray Eames were one of the earliest influential design duos. They approached seating from the perspective of human anatomy and proved that comfort could be modern, simple, and industrial.
Florence Knoll brought architectural thinking to furniture design. She saw the sofa as part of the room’s structure, not just a separate object. Her designs featured a grid-like order, balanced backs, and functional seating.
Arne Jacobsen, the Danish designer, defined Scandinavian comfort with compact, minimal forms. His sofas were calm, human, and well-suited for long sitting sessions.
Le Corbusier and his team demonstrated with their LC models that the sofa could be a "sitting machine"—combining metal frames, soft materials, and engineered structures.
In Italy, Marco Zanuso made sofas more family- and media-oriented. His deep seats and plush cushions changed European home habits.
Mario Bellini became a trendsetter in modern times. He popularized frameless, voluminous, foam-based sofas. His concept of comfort was "flexible volume."
Patricia Urquiola in the contemporary era combined comfort, art, and a unique sense of style. Her sofas are soft, inviting, and reconfigurable.
Philippe Starck designed with a minimal yet playful spirit, creating sofas that rescued comfort from rigid modernism while maintaining simple, functional structure.
Each of these designers provided a new vision for comfort and shifted sofa design from "decoration-driven" to a "seating experience."
Trendsetting sofa brands and companies worldwide
Throughout sofa history, some brands have not just manufactured but defined comfort for the world.
Vitra – Switzerland/Germany
Vitra is a symbol of engineered comfort and modern design. Collaborations with Eames, Le Corbusier, and Bellini have made it a global reference in seating.
Knoll – USA
Knoll, led by Florence Knoll’s architectural vision since the 1940s, brought structured and standardized comfort to sofas. Its products have guided residential and office design worldwide for decades.
B&B Italia – Italy
One of the most renowned luxury and modern sofa brands. With Mario Bellini’s designs like the Camaleonda, it brought Italy’s sculptural comfort to the world.
Cassina – Italy
The key player in modern luxury European furniture. Official production of the LC series by Le Corbusier has made Cassina an icon in seating.
IKEA – Sweden
IKEA is the world’s largest consumer brand, bringing sofas into the everyday lives of billions. Though not high-end, it’s unrivaled in global reach, usage, and popularity.
Roche Bobois – France
An emblem of artistic modern comfort in Europe, making plush, inviting, and distinctive designer sofas with a focus on style and luxury.
Why are these brands important?
These brands:
- Either sparked a design revolution (Vitra, Knoll, B&B, Cassina, Roche Bobois)
- Or established a cultural identity and mass global consumption (IKEA)
- Or created iconic, history-making models of the sofa that remain influential to this day.
The impact of technology and modern lifestyle on sofas
Since the early 21st century, the sofa has become more than just a place to sit—it’s the hub of home life. Advances in materials have revolutionized sitting comfort: memory foams, cold foam, and multilayer foams are now standard, distributing pressure more evenly across the body. Advanced spring systems make long-term sitting less fatiguing.
Technology has brought new features too. Stain-resistant, abrasion-resistant, and nano-fabrics have simplified maintenance and improved durability. Sectional and modular sofas sync with flexible living styles; people want adaptable, not fixed, seating solutions.
Media and remote work have altered how sofas are used. More time spent on streaming, gaming, and home office activities has led to deeper seats and shorter but more supportive backrests. Some models even add USB ports and chargers—direct answers to a digital generation’s needs.
Today, comfort is defined more scientifically and personally. People look for lumbar support, good seating ergonomics, and durable materials rather than just extra softness. Contemporary sofas merge ergonomic engineering, visual minimalism, and multifunctionality. As city spaces get smaller, sofas are engineered to be smarter and more efficient as well.
Perhaps the defining trait of the modern era is the shift from decorating for guests to comfort for living. These days, the sofa symbolizes quality time at home: a place for rest, work, fun, and connection.
Summary
The history of sofa design—from the plush seats of royal courts to 20th-century industrial production to today’s smart and modular sofas—reveals a worldwide shift toward practicality, durability, and true comfort. Each country has played its unique role in this journey: from France’s artistic roots to America’s industrialization, Germany’s ergonomics, and Italy’s modern luxury.
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Soon, the SharMarket Virtual Furniture Exhibition will be held—an important moment for the online furniture industry. The exhibition will host brands and manufacturers from Iran, Iraq, and Turkey, presenting their most popular products—especially sofas—on a fully digital and globally accessible platform.
If you seek to explore styles, get inspired by global design, or find new business opportunities, this is the best place to discover the future of sofas in an international platform. SharMarket invites you to a unique experience: a furniture exhibition with no physical halls, no lines, and in your chosen language.
