While the Chesterfield couch is a beautiful piece of furniture, it is really difficult to get into a comfortable sleeping position on one of these things. Although that may be somewhat of a disappointment to a few people, the many advantages of a Chesterfield settee make it worth having regardless of that fact. Chesterfield style sofas have been around for quite a long time and there are even theories that the leather Chesterfield is of royal birth. Regardless of the validity of this claim to royal beginnings the Chesterfield couch has a very distinctive design and is extremely durable. These two things have helped to ensure that the Chesterfield  sofa is extremely popular and will be for a long time.

The distinctive design of the Chesterfield style sofa is represented in three separate but closely related design features. It is very easy to spot the Chesterfield if you know what you’re looking for. This style of sofa almost always incorporates having the back and arms at equal height so that there is basically a flat line from corner to corner of the sofa. There can be some variation in this as some sofas will have a subtle upward arch toward the middle of the back but for the most part it is fairly flat. The second distinguishing mark of a Chesterfield sofa is one that jumps out at you almost instantly and that is the fact that the leather is tufted. This is accomplished by buttoning down the covering material across the surface of the sofa creating a very unique and sophisticated design. A third feature that makes this style readily apparent is the shape of the arms. They will have a rolled shape to them so that they curve to the outside and down.

One distinguishing mark that is often overlooked in people describing a Chesterfield is that the seat is very low so that you’re sitting in a bit of a contained fashion. The arms being the same height as the back are almost too high to be useful as actual armrests but instead lend themselves to leaning into the corner of the sofa to get a very lax position. Also oftentimes there will be an embellishment on the front of the sofa that is created by including raised head nail studs to give it a decorative look.

One of the great things about Chesterfield furniture is that durability is built into their design. The arms and the back being equal height cause there to be a lot of structural integrity. It is therefore easy to manufacture frames for the sofas that are extremely rigid and sturdy. Also by having the material that covers the sofa tufted this causes the material not to move around as much and helps to prolong the life of the covering. So not only are these pieces of furniture very nice to look at, they’re going to be around for a very long time.

So how do you identify a chesterfield? What are the distinguishing characteristics? I am glad you asked and the answer is pretty straight forward and simple. The chesterfield sofa has been around for several hundred years now and there are three things that make it instantly recognizable. The arms and back are at the same height forming nearly a flat line from the tip of one arm around and across the back section and out to the tip of the other arm. The material covering the sofa is held close to the frame with a pattern of buttons and the arms of the sofa have a rolled or tapered design to them. Additionally the front of the sofa is usually embellished along the arms with a series of raised nail heads.

Designers have taken these elements and put them to use in a number of other pieces of furniture and today you can find the buttoned down pattern and hardware embellishments on a number of furniture items. You can find a chesterfield chair, a chesterfield lounge, or a chesterfield loveseat. You can even find a chesterfield sofa bed. One of the main reasons manufacturers do this is that the design of the chesterfield is very sturdy. The pieces are structurally sound and have a very long lifespan.

With the classic good looks offered by the chesterfield layout as well as the strength and durability that are inherent in its design, it is no small wonder that chesterfield furniture is one of the most sought after styles on the market today. So when you are in the market for a piece of furniture that is both stylish and durable, keep chesterfield furniture in mind.