| A sofa is a word adapted into English from Arabic, by | | | | The word settee is thought to be a variation on |
| way of Aramaic. These days it refers to any couch, | | | | settle, though they are two different things. A settle |
| though originally it referred only to the luxuriously | | | | is a large, heavy wooden-backed bench of a style |
| cushioned seats of esteemed guests in the royal | | | | used in European castle halls since medieval times. A |
| palaces of Arabia. Sofas are always upholstered and | | | | settle is typically made entirely of wood, devoid of |
| designed for reclining and relaxation. | | | | upholstery, and thick and heavy thanks to its |
| A love seat or loveseat is a small, compact couch | | | | development history (they were originally made from |
| that seats two. Small couches have existed at least | | | | wooden chests). Ah, the luxurious castle life. |
| as long as large ones, but the love seat, as we know | | | | A chaise lounge is an upholstered couch designed like |
| it, was designed in the 1700's to seat one woman | | | | a very long-seated chair which you can stretch your |
| wearing a wide bustle. As time passed, the little | | | | legs on. It comes from the phrase 'chaise longue', |
| couches became known as intimate rendezvous | | | | which simply means 'long couch' in French. This style |
| spots for lovers (these were the days of Casanova, | | | | of sofa has a long history in Europe and was a |
| remember). Scandalous! Responding to this, furniture | | | | standard feature in the manor houses of the |
| designers crafted love seats as two connected chairs | | | | aristocracy. A chaise lounge is typically thought of as |
| in an S-shape, with the two sitters facing in opposite | | | | a ritzy Rococo-style design, but these days they are |
| directions. This separated the couple's bodies, though | | | | available in a huge variety of styles, from historical to |
| they were still able to steal kisses if they wished. | | | | ultra-modern. |
| The S-shaped love seat remains a stylishly old-school | | | | In Victorian England, a chaise lounge was often called |
| choice, though its use has diminished due to its large | | | | a fainting couch. These items were installed in |
| space requirements. The small couch-style love seat | | | | wealthy houses for aristocratic women to collapse |
| is more common, though, and is now a standard | | | | on, thanks to the stress put on their bodies by the |
| feature in modern living room sets. Casanova would | | | | too-tight corsets of the time. No kidding. |
| be proud. | | | | This bizarre trend has not survived into modern |
| A davenport originally referred only to a series of | | | | times, thank goodness, but the name lives on. |
| sofas produced by the A.H. Davenport Company of | | | | Originally, fainting couches were simply chaise lounges, |
| Boston in the mid-1800's. Due to that company's | | | | though some featured a non-upholstered foot |
| success in America, the term has become | | | | section which made them more similar to daybeds. |
| synonymous with sofas in a large part of the modern | | | | As time has passed, the phrase 'fainting couch' has |
| United States, especially in the Midwest. Original | | | | expanded to encompass a variety of chaise lounges |
| Davenport Company sofas are only found at antique | | | | and beds with raised headspace. It's more a colloquial |
| auctions, but if you call any couch by that name, it's | | | | term now, since not many chaise lounge |
| okay. | | | | manufacturers include "great for collapsing |
| A settee has recently come to mean any kind of | | | | unconscious upon" in their ad copy. |
| couch, but the name originally applied only to | | | | There are many more furniture terms out there that |
| double-seater benches with wooden backs and arms, | | | | we haven't covered -- look for a Know Your Sofas, |
| such as those you might find on a porch or in a | | | | Part 2 soon. In the meantime, for more information |
| hallway. On settees, upholstery can vary; most | | | | and a great variety of sofas, davenports, settees |
| modern settees are as cushioned as any couch, but | | | | and lounges, check out Every Sofa.Com, a proud part |
| unlike a couch, some styles of settees feature | | | | of the Cymax Stores Inc. network of online furniture |
| minimal or absent upholstery. | | | | retailers. |