Couch
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A couch is a item of furniture for the comfortable seating of more than one person and typically has an armrest on either side. Couches are usually to be found in the family room, living room, den or the lounge. They are covered in a variety of textiles or in leather.
The most common types of couches are the "loveseat" (or British two-seater) and the settee or sofa (two or more seats). A sectional sofa (often just referred to as a "sectional") is formed from multiple sections (typically 2 to 4) and usually includes at least two pieces that join at an angle of 90 degrees or slightly greater.
Other couch variants include the divan, the fainting couch (backless or partial-backed), the chaise longue (long with one armrest), the canapé (an ornamental 3-seater), and the ottoman (generally considered a footstool). To conserve space, some sofas double as beds (sofa-bed, daybed, or futon). There are also couches known by genericized trademarked names, such as a davenport or Chesterfield (named for the Earl of Chesterfield). Lofabed (low-fa-bed) a combination of a davenport base and futon mattress resulting in a more comfortable, practical, and economical alternative to the traditional (convertible) sofa-bed.
The term chesterfield is a Canadian term equivalent to couch or sofa.
The term three-piece suite describes a furniture set consisting of a two-/three-seater couch, plus two armchairs. Other (less specific) terms for sets including at least one sofa include: Chesterfield suite, lounge suite, living-room suite and sofa suite.
[edit] References
- John Gloag, A Short Dictionary of Furniture rev. ed. 1962. (London: Allen & Unwin)
[edit] See also
- The joiner's settle
- List of chairs for an extended list of various chair types and makes
[edit] External links
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