From House To Home

Good-bye, hippo-sized couches. So long, sectionals that could comfortably seat a family of 11. See you later, sofas stuffed to preposterous plump-osity.

There’s a new kid in town.

Actually, it’s an “old kid,“ although it has been updated, improved, and streamlined for the modern household.

We’re talking about the settee, the latest darling of high-end designers everywhere. Although Horchow is offering a gold-silk settee that looks as though it was lifted from a drawing room a century ago, many designers have given the condensed couch a decidedly modern spin. Julian Chichester’s hottest settees are based on 19th-century originals but are updated with cool finishes, trendy legs, and whimsically wonderful fabrics. And Barclay Butera has given the piece a thoroughly modern makeover: his Bowery Settee features the thick cushions, trendy fabrics, and clean lines of a contemporary sofa but the pared-down arms, shorter silhouette, and exposed legs of a classic settee.

Brooke Ziccardi, cofounder of Ziccardi Designs, says the updates can be found in the little things. “Now, for a more up-to-date look, rich silks and chenilles have taken [velvet’s] place. Also, the twisted leg detail and oak wood are freshened up with either fully upholstered pieces or contemporary leg details.“

Nailheads are another hot furnishing trend also found on the modern settee.

Settees have a practical advantage as well. For one thing, they take up a lot less room than the oversized furniture we Americans seem to favor.

Just listen to West Coast designer Butera: “With the increase in high-density living situations, there is less space for larger-scale furniture, so settees can serve such spaces better. Also, they can be a better price point than larger-scale pieces—you are dealing with less cushion, for instance. But it’s more about the simple lines and comfort of the piece.“

Butera also appreciates the flexibility afforded by this piece of furniture. “They can serve nicely as accent pieces in a living room or at the foot of a bed to provide added seating in the bedroom.“

Indeed, settees are popping up everywhere. Settees—bigger than chairs, smaller than sofas—can be the ideal solution for a conversation corner, fireside seating, or even a sunroom. In an artfully eclectic living room, you can offset the heaviness of modern roll-arm chairs with a delicate Louis XIV-inspired settee.

Lest you be turned off by the formality of this piece, don’t despair. Even the most fragile-looking newcomers have thicker cushioning and friendlier ergonomics than their ancestors. And some settees are downright plush. Anyone could nod off on Hooker Furniture’s Ridgeway Settee, which looks more like an oversized easy chair than a relic from Aunt Prudence’s parlor.

Which is not to say you can’t buy a settee based on fantastic looks alone. As one wise blogger put it, settees are kind of like fabulous high-heeled shoes. You may not want to wear them all day, but you get great delight from the few hours you do spend in them.

So What’s A Settee, Anyway?

A settee is an armchair extended laterally to accommodate two or more people. The settee came into use in the 17th century as a cushier replacement for the settle (a bench with a back panel and arms). It was often upholstered with leather or fabric, thus anticipating the sofa, which replaced it in the 18th century. Most of today’s settees are upholstered but are shorter than a sofa and have exposed legs.

Source: Dictionary of Furniture, Second Edition (Roundtable Press, 2001)

To Rehab, Or Not To Rehab Breathing new life into old settees

A few things to consider when buying antique settees:

1. The bones. Higher-end frames are made of hardwoods and are slowly dried in a kiln to prevent warping. To support the systems, the frame needs springs, webbing, and padding. These items aren’t visible to the eye but are vital components of the piece. One way to judge whether a settee or couch merits a makeover is to lift it. If you can lift it easily with one hand, it probably doesn’t have a high-quality frame.
2. The price of upholstery and fabric. More often than not, it can be more expensive to reupholster an old piece of furniture than to buy a new one.
3. The quality. Turn the piece over to see if it’s made with individual, hand-tied, coiled springs and hardwood—two hallmarks of older, high-quality construction. Feel the dustcover underneath the chair. If you feel webbing, it’s likely an older piece that has strong, long-wearing coils. If it feels hollow, it’s probably a more modern piece with less expensive construction elements.

Sources: ExpertVillage.com and the San Francisco Chronicle