Button Tufted Sofa
A button tufted sofa brings deep upholstery and distinct form into a room, offering a seat designed for both comfort and formal reception.
Button Tufted Sofa
A button tufted sofa encompasses forms ranging from traditional Chesterfield designs to chaise longues and corner sofas. The options on this page span the nineteenth century into the twentieth century, taking in Victorian, Edwardian, Napoleon III, and French Country styles.
Buyers encounter brown and green leather upholstery alongside velvet and fabric coverings across formats like two-seater settees and large salon suites. Pieces emerge from periods such as eighteen eighty, nineteen twenty, and nineteen thirty, carrying characteristics of mid-Victorian and traditional English manufacture.
How they were made
Frames rely on hardwoods including mahogany, walnut, and rosewood, providing a rigid structural skeleton for the deep upholstery. Brass details often accent the legs or fittings on these pieces.
The characteristic tufting secures the fabric or leather through the padding, while specific examples employ coil sprung interiors and horsehair stuffing to build resilience and shape.
Listings include hardwood frames in mahogany, walnut, and rosewood alongside brass fittings and leather or velvet upholstery.
What varies in quality
The standard of carving on wooden frames distinguishes workshops, from simple turned legs to intricate rosewood or mahogany carvings on Victorian settees. The integrity of the internal stuffing and coil springs shapes how the seating holds its form over decades.
The depth of the hide and the precision of the hand-dyed finish alter the character of leather examples. Workshop attribution also influences standing, with pieces linked to known makers commanding distinct interest.
Howard & Sons·Jackson and Graham·H. Goodall & Sons·Holland & Sons
The Button Tufted Sofa Glossary
- Chesterfield
- A traditional upholstered sofa distinguished by arms and back of the same height, heavily associated with deep button tufting in leather or fabric. This form remains a staple of nineteenth-century seating.
- Chaise Longue
- An elongated chair or day bed designed for reclining, often featuring a single raised end and an upholstered backrest. Examples appear in mahogany and rosewood across Victorian periods.
- Button Tufting
- An upholstery technique where twine or thread pulls the covering deep into the padding, secured by buttons to form a geometric pattern of indents. This method holds the internal stuffing firmly in place.
- Salon Suite
- A matched set of seating comprising a sofa and matching chairs intended for formal reception rooms. These groupings frequently date from the Victorian and Napoleon III periods.
- Window Seat
- A long, narrow upholstered bench designed to fit beneath a window, often supported by a carved wooden frame. These pieces utilise hardwood structures like rosewood or mahogany.
Button Tufted Sofa: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Chesterfield sofa?
A Chesterfield is an upholstered seat characterised by arms and a back of equal height, traditionally finished with deep leather button tufting. These pieces emerged as central seating forms in nineteenth-century interiors.
Versions span compact two-seaters to large multi-metre formats, often utilising coil springs and horsehair stuffing beneath the hide.
How do I identify a Victorian sofa?
Victorian seating exhibits dense hardwoods like rosewood and mahogany, often featuring carved wooden frames, spoon-backs, or turned legs. The styling references earlier revival aesthetics including Rococo and traditional English forms.
These pieces typically date from the mid to late nineteenth century and pair with button-tufted upholstery in leather, velvet, or fabric.
What is a salon suite?
A salon suite is a coordinated set of seating designed for formal entertaining, typically containing a matching sofa and chairs. These groupings reflect aesthetic periods such as Victorian, Napoleon III, and French Country.
They rely on matching wood frames, such as walnut or rosewood, paired with uniform upholstery across all pieces in the set.