Enveloppe sofa, designed by Inga Sempé for LK Hjelle
When choose the furniture for home or office there is a fundamental piece that deserves special attention: the sofa. During a couple of decades of minimalist styles and clean lines, the sofas had been losing backrest until they became an almost non-existent support area that blends in with the armrests; However, in recent years several firms and designers have rebelled against this trend by proposing sofas with rear higher and higher, in multiple versions.
The most recurrent option is the return to the classic and enveloping forms of the sofas of the 30s, with soft, curved backrest where you can comfortably rest your head, but choosing smooth upholstery in neutral tones that give the piece a contemporary feel. A good example is the Enveloppe sofa by French designer Inga Sempé, who updates the codes of some of her closest sources (Louis XV sofas or Jean Michel Frank pieces) for the Norwegian company LK Hjelle.
Karim Rashid in Milan, sitting on the Float sofa that he has designed for Sancal
Some designers have gone further, giving the back of the sofa all the prominence, such as the Float model that Sancal presented at the Milan fair together with designer Karim Rashid, who brings his ingenuity and his taste for organic shapes to incorporate a floating seat yet multifunctional backrest and customizable that includes integrated headrests, optional arms or small hangers as a coat rack. In this way, the sofa becomes a divan, a screen, a waiting place or a private and independent corner, adaptable both for domestic use and for public spaces.
Ikea has also signed up for the high-back style that 'enclose »the sofa with the Söderhamn model, which has different independent modules joined by means of a simple assembly. With a deep seat, it includes cushions in two sizes and a removable upholstery with a thick weave and a soft touch. Its clear reference is the Alcove sofa that the Bouroullec brothers created some time ago for Vitra, one of the first models that opted to restore the backrest to the height it deserves.
More information - Small great decorating ideas: furniture and accessories
Sources: LK Hjelle, Visual Murcia, Ikea