Top 10 sofas that marked the history of design

Designer sofa, two words which designate much more than a piece of furniture to equip your living room. The 20th century saw the birth of original creations from the minds of inspired designers such as Le Corbusier or Pierre Paulin. Innovative and creative, they gave the sofa its letters of nobility, converting it into an iconic and decorative object. Here are our top 10 sofas that continue to influence designers today.

1. Designer sofa: the Swan Sofa, the essential by Jacobsen

If Arne Jacobsen is best known for his famous Ant chair, this Danish designer and architect nicknamed Le Corbusier marked the 20th century with ambitious creations brimming with creativity. The Swan Sofa is a typical example of Jacobsen's style which favors round shapes and natural materials. The man nicknamed “the father of organic modernism” designed a piece of furniture made up of a metal base topped with a seat with soft curves reminiscent of the shape of an egg or a swan.

Swan Sofa

2. Pumpkin, a sofa designed by Pierre Paulin for the Élysée Palace

The Pumpkin is a sofa made of brightly colored textile material. Created by Pierre Paulin for President Pompidou, it offers a very 70's design with its round shapes reminiscent of a pumpkin. The Pumpkin sofa is therefore a perfect example of what design is, a creative and artistic expression of comfort.

Pumpkin sofa

3. The Strips, a sofa bed that has become a design icon

The Strips sofa, created in 1972 by Cini Boeri, Italian architect and designer, hides its game well with its rectilinear shapes and simplicity. This seemingly innocuous piece will nevertheless revolutionize design. The Strips is a sofa bed fully covered with a quilted cover that can be removed to serve as a blanket. Consequently, Cini Boeri shows that design operates in the details pushing the concept of modularity to its climax.

Strips sofa bed

4. The Maralunga, a simple and essential sofa in the image of its creator

Designed by Italian designer Vico Magistretti whose creations are today collected at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Maralunga has inspired numerous sofa models over the years. Many current models therefore take up the concept of the Maralunga, the innovative character of which is based on the individual convertible headrest which equips each seat independently. This ingenious idea gives the sofa a recognizable design and optimal comfort.

Maralunga sofa

5. Marshmallow, a steel structure and colorful cushions, a very 60’s design

A true reference in American design, George Nelson revolutionized the very concept of sofa with his Marshmallow. More than just a colorful vision, the Marshmallow combines innovation as well as modularity. Nelson imagined a sofa made up of metal pieces that can be added to create an ensemble up to several meters long. Its small round and colorful cushions are instantly recognizable. Which makes this piece an emblematic figure of modern design.

Marshmallow Sofa

6. The Togo sofa by Ligne Roset, a versatile design

What appeals at first glance about the Togo sofa from Ligne Roset is its ability to fit into all types of interiors. Designed to go unnoticed like a huge cushion, the entire frame of the Togo is hidden inside a seat offering unparalleled softness. Whether covered in fabric or leather, comfort comes first with this sofa that calls for rest and relaxation.

Togo sofa

7. The Cloverleaf sofa, modularity at the service of design

The Cloverleaf takes the concept of modularity to its climax. This sofa, designed by Verner Panton, is made up of several elements which make it possible to compose a modular whole. The real innovation then lies in the possibility of sitting on either side of the sofa. The Cloverleaf is therefore an original sofa which proves that modularity and design are two ideas that are easy to combine.

Cloverleaf Sofa

8. Living Tower, a high sofa designed by Panton

Known for his boundless imagination and his fanciful vision of design, Panton has created a sofa with the Living Tower that is more of a work of art than living room furniture. The designer has imagined a sofa whose seats are not juxtaposed, but superimposed vertically over 2 meters high. So the whole thing is particularly extravagant and the comfort of the Living Tower is just as surprising.

Living Tower sofa

9. Le Corbusier and his LC5 sofa

Above all known for having revolutionized modern architecture, Le Corbusier delivers with the LC5 one of the most popular sofas of all time. As a true precursor, it was in 1934 that he sketched this model composed of a metal base and a rectilinear leather seat. With its apparent simplicity, the LC5 will inspire generations of designers who will take up its iconic form to this day.

LC5 sofa

10. When Florence Knoll, the popess of American design, designs a sofa

Florence Knoll is renowned for having invented the concept of interior architecture, in opposition to the concept of decoration. It uses shapes, colors and materials to create architectural harmony and thus have functional coherence. This sofa is in the image of Florence Knoll, sober and refined while offering chic and refinement.

Florence Knoll sofa

The next must-have: The Soho, a contemporary convertible inspired by the greatest designers...

Like the Boeri Strips, the Soho is a sofa bed whose design shows nothing. However, like him, it is covered with quilted fabrics. It also uses the individual headrest system created by Magistretti. The Soho is available in different pop colors including retro vintage style, reminiscent of Paulin's Pumpkin sofa. Little by little the Soho is available in a corner version (with a reversible chaise longue), the Soho armchair has also just appeared...

Elegant and cozy, the Soho is reminiscent of Le Corbusier's LC5, which certainly explains its success. To conclude, the Soho convertible sofa is a perfect example of the legacy of 20th century designers to current design which fits into all interior styles...

Soho sofa

To go further, discover the sofas that marked the 21st century.