Who Invented The Sofa?

Tracing the lineage that follows the concept of what we now call a ‘Sofa’ isn’t as easy as one might think. Now the ‘Couch’ of course was invented by Jay Wellingdon Couch in the year of 1895 but the ‘Sofa’ was invented much earlier than that. From what we know, the earliest recorded image of a ‘Sofa’ or anything resembling it was in 1686, on the engraving called ‘Woman Of Quality On A Canape’. This has led experts to believe the first ever Sofa was a low-backed style called a canape.

Throughout the late 1600s to the earlier 1700s, craftsmen made advancements in ‘Sofa Technology’ newer techniques and tools being developed specifically to carve and sculpt wood into the shape so familiar to so many of us.

With these advancements came development of newer and more refined aesthetics, along with varying materials being used to add to the comfort of Sofa’s. Attitudes in places like the French court around the same time were swept with the wave of Sofas, noblewomen and ladies often being photographed lounging upon them in lavish rooms absolutely filled to the brim with endlessly intricate Sofa designs.