When choosing the perfect sofa, take inspiration from these master craftsmen whose influence can still be found in living rooms around the world.

Thomas Chippendale

Thomas Chippendale was a mid-18th century cabinetmaker and interior designer whose innovations spanned several styles, including Neoclassical, Gothic, and Rococo. He is known for his book of elaborate furniture designs that include intricate bows and slats. Chairs and sofas inspired by Chippendale patterns have exposed bases and legs that curve toward the floor and may be carved. Pieces are typically constructed of dark stained mahogany or other highly prized types of wood. They are upholstered with fine fabrics.

robert adams

Robert Adams was a Scottish architect who, along with his brother James, developed neoclassical interior designs in the mid to late 18th century. His approach was elaborate architecture and furniture pieces that were designed together and echoed the same structural and ornamental themes. Adams furniture is characterized by light pieces with simplified classical designs such as carved columns and medallion embellishments.

Juan Enrique Belter

John Henry Belter was originally a cabinetmaker from Germany who brought his knowledge of woodcarving to other furniture. His unique method of laminating thin layers of wood and ornately carving them defined a generation of carpenters in the mid-19th century. His signature Victorian sofas have curved S-shaped backs whose exposed wood features elaborate designs of flowers, flourishes, fruit, and birds.

Gustave Stickley

Gustav Stickley opened his first furniture company in 1883. Within two decades, he became a leader in the American Craftsman movement, which in turn was inspired by the British Arts and Crafts Furniture trend. His simple designs, with straight lines and direct joints, placed equal emphasis on form and function. Stickley-inspired sofas feature plenty of simple, exposed joinery with clear stains and finishes that bring out the natural beauty of the wood.

George Hepple White

Hepplewhite is another mid-18th century English cabinetmaker with an interior design book to his name. Unlike the other craftsmen mentioned here, however, no known pieces of his work still exist. In fact, there is very little historical evidence to suggest that he ever produced sofas and chairs for sale. Still, the design hallmarks of his work, with graceful, curved arms and backs and contrasting straight legs, are regular fixtures in today’s homewares. One of his unique sofa designs features a curved, unupholstered wooden back featuring inverted arches with narrow spans between them and delicately patterned upholstery on the seat.

Knoll Associates

Designs have continued to evolve into the 20th century and beyond. Hans Knoll originally founded the company in 1938, but after his death his wife Florence continued to design and manufacture modern furniture. Its sofas feature exposed cast aluminum legs and monochrome upholstery, occasionally tufted. Modern sofa designs can incorporate bare wood, clean geometric shapes, and even hard polymer elements.

Thanks to the global marketplace, furniture customers have a wider range of choices than ever before. From antique pieces created by the masters to mass-produced layering, customizable sectionals, and finally, customer-designed 3D-printed furniture, the sofa has come a long way in the intervening centuries.