Five Interesting Facts About Couches
We don’t give it much of a second thought today, but the couch has had quite a journey from the early days of embellished upholstered double armchairs in England and France used by royalty and the higher classes. Today, people can obtain quality and affordable couches to meet their style, preference, space restrictions, and so on. There is no shortage of creativity when it comes to the modern couch.
#1 Made out of a variety of materials. Couches today can be made of natural or synthetic fibers. Each material has its benefits and stylistic matchings. Some of the most common natural fibers include linen, wool, silk, cotton, and leather. Synthetic fibers might include polyester, nylon, acrylic, and vinyl. In terms of style, there is no shortage of creativity when it comes to size and style combinations. Families today can find affordable couches made of all kinds of different materials.
#2 Couch vs. Sofa. People often use the terms interchangeably but there are some differences between these two words. Couches tend to refer to these cushiony seats that do not have arms. Sofas tend to have arms. Seating capacity is also a big difference between the two: sofas are usually larger than couches.
#3 The Love Seat. A love seat refers to a sofa that is meant to accommodate two people instead of four. Its initial purpose was far more utilitarian, as it was designed to give more sitting room for ladies who —in the 17th century— wore skirts with many layers and hoops. It wasn’t long, however, that young couples took advantage of the small space to sit close to each other without talk of scandal or inappropriate behavior and this is how the love seat became the love seat.
#4 Etymology. The word couch derives from a French word that was used to describe a piece of furniture without arms. Sofa comes from the Arabic word “suffah” that was used to describe a bench furnished with cushions and blankets.
#5 Couch Potato. We’ve all heard the term, probably used it at some point. The term was first coined as an offhand remark between two friends. It so happens that one of the friends was a cartoonist who decided to try and popularize the phrase. These two friends were members of a reactionary club called the Boob Tubers whose sole purpose was to sit in front of TV and eat junk food. The group created a farcical parade float that consisted of them sitting in front of televisions. The float was described in the LA Times, using the title of it called ‘couch potatoes’ and the phrase took off. The cartoonist actually tried to trademark the phrase in 1979, but it had become so popular in media, print, and popular lexicon that the was unable to keep the phrase exclusive.
Get the Right Couch For You
While we don’t recommend becoming a couch potato indefinitely, it doesn’t hurt once in a while to sink down into a comfortable cushiony bliss. Finding comfortable and affordable couches is important to complete your new living room or space. A couch is where family gathers, relaxes and spends quality time together. With all the options and possibilities, National Furniture Liquidators Outlet Store has something just for you.