Despite its venerable age, Chesterfield always remains relevant, and furniture fashion trends bypass it. What is the secret of such popularity?
History of the legend
Deep roots of the design of the model go back to the beginning of the 18th century. The British diplomat and statesman Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, commissioned a local furniture maker to design a new sofa. So that gentlemen do not wrinkle their clothes while sitting upright.
The "Chesterfield" sofa immediately fell in love with British high society. For several decades, it has become synonymous with luxury and good taste. No gentlemen's club is complete without a leather sofa with scroll armrests and a carriage tie. This model is popular to this day.
Distinctive features of the Chester sofa
The first distinguishing feature is that the sides of the Chester sofa go into the back and have the same height with it. Moreover, each armrest is made in the form of a scroll, reminiscent of the capital of a traditional column.
Second - the sides and back along the perimeter of the inner side are decorated with a diamond-shaped stitch. In ancient times, this decorativethe reception was a necessity: naughty horsehair was used as filler. To evenly distribute it, it was necessary to quilt the surface. The seams themselves were masked with large buttons. This method of upholstery was originally used to decorate the salons of the carriages of noble persons, due to which it received the name "coach tie".
In the traditional "Chesterfield" ties are present on the sides and back. Modern interpretations allow the use of the technique on the side (inserts under the seat of the sofa) and the seat of the model.
The third feature of Chester is low, barely noticeable, but at the same time solid wooden legs. Usually they are carved, round in shape.
From the past to the present
We used to think that the real English classic is the Chesterfield with leather upholstery. It turns out that three centuries ago it was made in chic velvet, and not only buttons in tone, but also precious stones were used for ties.
However, one of the most common models today is Chester in leather: natural or artificial. Black, dark brown, brick, beige, white are the most popular colors. Today you can often find the Chesterfield sofa in microfiber, velor and even flock. The only limitation is that only plain materials are used for upholstery. Decorative ties make it impossible to produce Chesters with prints.
Sofas can be double or triple: differences in the number of pillows perseating and, of course, dimensions. Traditionally, Chesterfield is a monolithic, non-folding model. However, modern technology has helped eliminate this problem. Thanks to the "French cot" and "sedaflex" systems, the transformation of "Chester" became possible! The design is hidden inside the sofa, under the soft seat cushions. Having removed all unnecessary, the sleeping place, folded several times, is easy to “unfold”, turning the sofa into a bed.
