A Cozy History of the Sofa
At
the end of the day, few things are as tempting as the sofa. It quietly invites you to sit, sink in, and stay awhile. Before it became the place for binge-watching and evening wind-down routines, though, the sofa had a much more interesting, and surprisingly intentional, role in the home.
The word sofa comes from the
Arabic word suffah, which referred to a raised, cushioned platform used for sitting and reclining. These early versions lined the walls of rooms and were meant for gathering, conversation, and rest. Comfort mattered, but so did connection. The sofa wasn’t something you collapsed onto alone. It was a shared space.
As sofas made their way into European homes in the 17th and 18th centuries, they were considered quite formal. They were designed for upright sitting, polite visiting, and conversation. Lounging, sprawling, or napping on the sofa wasn’t really the point. Furniture reflected structure and etiquette, and comfort came with rules.
That all began to change in the early 1900s with the rise of the living room. Homes became more casual, evenings slowed down, and furniture followed suit. Sofas softened. Cushions deepened. And the sofa became the anchor of the room, a place for reading, relaxing, listening to the radio, and eventually watching television. It evolved alongside how we spend our time at home.
Historically, owning a sofa also symbolized hospitality and rest. It was a signal that a home welcomed pause, conversation, and comfort. That legacy still lingers today, which may explain why the sofa feels so magnetic, especially when you’re tired or mentally spent.
The sofa was never meant to compete with productivity. It was designed to support rest after life’s work was tended to. Maybe that’s why sitting down feels so much better when one small task is finished first...because deep down, the sofa still represents earned rest.
Enjoying my newsletter? Please REPLY and let me know! Also, please forward this newsletter to 5 of your family members and/or friends and share the love!
Here's what just one GON reader had to say...
"Hello fellow
Wisconsinite!
I recently found your site and just wanted to reach out and thank you! I recently bought my first home and although I felt I decluttered and got rid of items before we moved, I could definitely go another
round.
Your suggestions break down into very doable options. This is just the motivation I need to get going and it's too darn cold outside (-4 by La Crosse, WI. Take care, stay safe and warm!"
-- Jen Bank
