The sofa, couch, settee - or whatever name you prefer to give it - comes in many shapes, sizes, colours and coverings and is a fundamental part of pretty much every home. We all have at least one designated seating area in our home (well of course unless you've just moved in, literally don't have the space, or you're adopting a minimalist approach to home design) and whilst sofas are an ideal place to lounge alone as you can stretch out and watch TV, have a read or a rest, technically, a sofa is designed to seat two or more people.
As Valentine's Day started to approach we asked "what is the best sofa to buy for when you have special company"? By special company, we mean another person we care enough about to want to share our company with after the reassurance of a negative Covid test.
The Love Seat (also fondly called a Snuggle Seat) is the perfect seating type to actively encourage close contact seating. So, what is the difference between a two seater sofa and a loveseat?! The technicality of this definition is all in the proportion. Loveseats often have the appearance of a wide arm chair, or a squat sofa, but are often labelled ‘loveseat’ even when they're just normal two seater sofas; as let's face it - no one's policing the way this label is used.
Loveseats actually have an interesting history, and the origins date back to the end of the 1700s for when chairs needed to be designed wider to accommodate the large dresses that women wore during this period. As the fashions changed and silhouettes downsized, these wider than average chairs needed another person to help fill out this empty space and so in the 1800s, along came the tête-à-tête a small two seater sofa designed for having a posh chat in French.
Fast forward to today, these classic chairs still have a strong position in modern society and are stocked by a variety of retailers. So if you’re looking to invest in a new small sofa or wider chair to fit a particular space in your home, why not consider the charming love seat!?
(NB, when searching, ‘love seat’ and ‘loveseat’ can be spelled interchangeably)
To help give your search a head-start, we’ve rounded up an Edit of six dashing contenders suitable for snuggling up on, this Valentine’s.
Creature Comforts
What is more snuggly than a human cuddle on a love seat? Snuggling with your pet! And actually it‘s a fact that this is proven to release the love hormone Oxytocin.
Now whilst this action is not restricted only to purchasing this particular sofa, not only do we love the design of this loveseat but importantly, it does have a cute picture of a dog on a love seat and so we felt this was an appropriate tenuous link between Valentine’s Day and loveseats. This country-house style sofa by Cox & Cox is available in 11 different shades and can be customised to have a bohemian feel, upholstered in velvet or traditional linen.
Trending Transformations
Another amazing benefit of having a small sofa is its ability of fit into bijou spaces. This next sofa goes beyond this and even comes with multifunctional attributes, transforming into a elegant and contemporary sofa bed.
With angular arms, a brass-finished metal base and piping detail throughout, the George Loveseat Bed by Perch and Parrow is made in Great Britain and lovingly handmade to order. Make it your own with over 100 fabrics to choose from for only £1,650. You can feel the love by choosing up to 6 fabric samples for free!
Flying Sparks
We’re all searching for the type of love that gives you the tingles and this Marks and Sparks sofa might just be The One.
We adore the elegant, classic design of this piece and comfy scatter cushion arrangement. If you’re feeling the sparks but concerned about marks, you’ll be pleased to know this this chair comes in a range of fabrics complete with a stain-defence layer so any accidents can be easily cleaned away.
Suave Showpiece
Exuding a 60s style charm with its sleek tufting detail, this Loveseat is stylish and sexy with a great attention to detail. A striking design that is daring and delightful, this chair celebrates the fabulous fusion of contemporary shapes with traditional elements that are simply bursting with character.
Available in sumptuous Velvet in 16 different colours, Boucle fabric in 6 colours, or Woven fabric in 8 colours, this loveseat is sure to impress your discerning mother when you bring it home.
Blushing Bella
If you’re searching for an attractive beauty look no further than this soft touch, quilted stunner. As our budget choice of today’s Edit, this sofa seems too good to be true with its feminine tone and on-trend gold feet.
Use the discount code FIRST10 to get a further 10% off, but be careful; this chair is such a steal, it might just steal your heart.
Mid-Century Marvel
This loveseat exudes vintage-cool and with its scandi-nordic edge and high design appearance, it commands attention in any room. If you’re after an investment piece which is both current yet classic, this sofa couldn’t be more chivalrous, and will keep it’s arms around you for years to come.
Metaphorically speaking only; the more observational reader will have noted a distinct lack of arms.
So there we have it, our edit of 6 lovely love seats plus a bonus education on what a loveseat actually is and where it originated. If you’re still searching for the love seat of your dreams, we have a constantly growing shortlist of additional contenders lining up for your attention over on our Spring Summer homeware collection Pinterest Board. All products are independently selected, but not reviewed or tested, by BHD. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. We hope that you have enjoyed reading today’s article and have been inspired by the featured Love Seats. Our articles are always written with love and we are truly passionate about great design and exciting products available to buy for your home. Have a very Happy Valentines!
Love, BHD x