Special Feature: Sofas and seats and dining table dos and don’ts.
Sofas with soul and easy-going armchairs – today’s living room furniture is all about comfort, curves and nostalgia
The furniture we choose for living and dining zones can enhance our wellbeing. The uncertainty of recent times has not only pushed us physically back into our homes but mentally too where we seek sanctuary but also some sense of dynamism and flexibility. Homeowners are turning away from stark and streamlined looks towards those that offer creature comforts. We no longer crave designer perfection but a more easy-going style with moments of energy. These changes are less about trends – and more of a philosophical movement.
Nature is the greatest
It takes a lockdown to reinforce our innate connection to the great outdoors. Biophilic design, which brings elements of nature into interiors, is all wrapped up with a growing appreciation of sustainability. “In terms of furniture, it’s almost like these are ‘found’ pieces as opposed to anything overly manufactured,” says interior designer Janice Kumar-Ward. Think furniture that has the feel of the forest, with no hard edges. Organic shapes add movement and are “more a work of art than an item of furniture”, says Coco Republic interior designer Tamara Martin while Lorraine Allen from LA Imports emphasises this is a movement that just keeps on growing. She points to biophilic tables organically fashioned from a lineal cut of a fallen tree. These oneof-a-kind items look great teamed with a linen or leather sofa.
Past and present
Feeling sentimental? Harness the nostalgia of yesteryear without the fustiness – as 20 and 30-somethings are now doing with a unique spin. “Grandmillennial” style is not about a step back in time to your grandma’s parlour. It is about using key elements such as hand-worked craft or easy chairs covered in chintzy florals or patterns set within today’s context. Janice Kumar-Ward says keeping something of our past is more important now than ever. “I have a huge fondness for re-appropriating hand-me-downs,” she says. Some ideas include reusing old-world patterned fabrics in subtle ways (on the seat of a dining chair for instance) or reinventing old furniture – for example wooden cabinets or coffee tables can be lacquered for a modern makeover. “You could use mad colours like the jewel tones of deep ruby red or, for something lighter, pink quartz.” Janice likes to think this Granny Chic is the interior design interpretation of Iris Apfel’s style, the 98-year-old fashion icon who enjoys pairing, say, a Gucci shirt with retro turquoise beads. It’s about juxtaposing old and new. So seek out vintage furniture (think wicker or an easy chair with clashing fabrics) or look for contemporary designs that echo the textures of those times. “I love the hand-cast resin coffee tables from Oly Studio, with lace-like loops, that remind me of knitting,” says Tamara Martin.
Hunker down in brown
It’s out with everything grey – hooray! “Brown is the new neutral and a timeless alternative,” says Myelz Moss, a buyer with Freedom Furniture. Not only does its earthiness evoke the peace of nature, it’s a placid partner for statement colours. Tamara Martin says if you’re not keen on a sofa in tones of brown, use it on an occasional chair or include a coffee table in chocolate-dark timber with a crisp contrast sofa for a “Hamptons luxe” aesthetic. Janice KumarWard advises looking to your own wardrobe when moving to this neutral. “Because I wear a lot of cigar brown, I naturally feel comfortable translating it into the design of my home.” Interior designer Nikki McNamara loves that brown is such a gentle, adaptable foundation colour: “Teaming it with stronger highlights will modernise it, while teaming it with other natural tones is calming.”
More than occasional
The three-piece suite is ancient history in our modular age but, says Jayne Cross-Hunter of McKenzie & Willis, there has been a surge in the use of armchairs. “People are no longer combining two and three-seater sofas but rather a three-seater with an expansive armchair, which allows the homeowner to play with several styles and textures in the one room.” So we’re mixing up modules along with occasional chairs that can be singular standouts or grouped for conversation. “It’s a way to make a statement without the commitment,” says Tamara Martin, “that allows us to customise a seating layout, but also to experiment with shape, colour and texture.” Move away from matchy matchy and tell your own story. While you might not be brave enough to have an ivory sheepskin curved sofa with round cushions, you might fall in love with the occasional chair in that style and stay more cautious with your sofa choice. Pop in an elegant, jewel-toned velvet swivel chair and you’ve cracked the code of colour, character and dynamism in one.
Rich and powerful
It’s a brave move to use jewel tones like emerald green or sapphire blue in furnishings, but accents of these shades bring richness and cosiness that is particularly important in winter. “Dark spaces love jewel accents as it adds to the moody appeal, and for lighter rooms they give a focal pop that is beautiful without being overwhelming,” says Tamara Martin. Janice Kumar-Ward points out that these jewel colours are particularly suited to urban pads with a glitzy feel but they can be appropriate in evening spaces such as dining or media rooms. For a taster, try upholstered chairs at the dining table or an occasional chair or ottoman.
Sink into the perfect-fit sofa
Historically speaking, a couch is more comfortable than a sofa. That’s because the word sofa derives from the Arabic “suffa”, originally a long bench made of stone. Couch, on the other hand, is from the French “couché” meaning to lie down. We know which one we prefer when stuck at home bingeing on box sets. The latest leaning is towards sofas that are oversized, overstuffed and clearly curvaceous (hmm, sounds familiar after weeks of lockdown). Nikki McNamara says there has been a noticeable change in the size of sofas. “People are craving oversized comfort, especially upholstered in lush fabrics like velvet.” Curved sofas also promote easy circulation. “A piece of furniture placed in an open-plan room can make it feel like a separate zone and if it has curves, the flow is better,” says Janice Kumar-Ward. So, if you’re in the market for one, go as large as you can in the space available. (Hint: only one person can ever truly relax on a two-seater sofa so upsize to a 2.5-seater if possible.) And make it plump. Structured foam filling is now passé. “Our customers are asking for feather fill instead,” says Jayne Cross-Hunter of McKenzie & Willis.
The dos and don’ts of dining tables
Do pitch up to the furniture store with the dimensions of the space remembering to leave 1200mm for walking past the table. Proportion is everything especially in open-plan rooms. A short, chunky table will detract from a lovely long island bench in the kitchen, for instance.
Don’t feel you need to buy matching chairs, however for cohesiveness they should all be from the same style family. Mix it up with a bench seat or built-in banquette teamed with single chairs if space is at a premium.
Do ensure the table complements the architectural aesthetic of the open-plan space. A rustic farmhouse table alongside a country cottage kitchen is fine but not with a contemporary black one.
Don’t make it too formal. A casual aesthetic is friendlier in our current climate and you can always dress the table smartly for special occasions. Hint: A narrower rectangular table makes dining more intimate.
Do consider that a dining table plays many roles: it can double as a place to prepare food, be an office desk (especially with more of us working from home) and is often where kids do their homework. So make it robust. Don’t forget the legs. A circular or oval table with a pedestal base can seat more people more comfortably all the way around it. When buying a pedestal table, push down firmly on the edges to make sure the top does not easily bow.
Do consider a square table as it’s more sociable (people are seated equidistant from each other). Oval tables with curved edges don’t offer everyone a place to lean their arms, but do ensure no nasty knocks on the thigh when navigating around them.
Don’t make the mistake of choosing a timber dining table that might dry and split in colder, more arid regions. Various species of timber perform differently all over New Zealand.