The Chesterfield Style Sofa

Chesterfield is one of the most popular classic designs of sofas, the style has been around for centuries starting in Britain and becoming a global trend. Originally the sofa was rich in brown leather with button tufting but throughout the years it has been modernised into different versions adapted from the original, so there are a lot of styles to choose from.

For nearly 300 years, the Chesterfield sofa can truly be called a timeless classic. Whether upholstered in rich leather or patterned cloth, the design has been continuously been reinvented to show that it belongs in many spaces other than dusty old gentlemen’s clubs. 

Chesterfield sofas are like the riding boots of the furniture world. They have got British roots, most famously come in rich brown leather, have been around for centuries yet continue to be relevant in both style and function and are an object of the modern era’s fascination. 

The Chesterfield sofa is a distinctly recognisable furniture design with its high arms, and tufted leather upholstery the most notable features. It’s spent most of its life within the walls of English gentlemen’s clubs, aristocratic homes, and tony businesses (Queen Victoria and Sigmund Freud were both fans), but the Chesterfield has become a more widely sought after piece of furniture, being adapted for more modern spaces in the last few decades.

So what exactly is a Chesterfield sofa? The Chesterfield sofa is one of the most popular and well-known sofa designs. In fact, in Canada (receiver of many British exports), the term chesterfield came to mean a sofa of any design. But when you’re talking about the original, here’s what that means: a Chesterfield sofa is a large couch with rolled arms that are the same height as the back. A quintessential Chesterfield is upholstered in dark leather, with deep button tufting all over and nailhead trim. More modern takes on the sofa typically lighten up the hefty original with velvet or other cloth upholstery, taller legs and a slimmer back and arms.

So Where Did The Chesterfield Sofa Come From? Though it’s not officially documented, in the mid-1700s Lord Philip Stanhope, fourth Earl of Chesterfield, commissioned a piece of furniture that became the ancestor of Chesterfields as we know them today. Lord Stanhope was an admired writer and politician and was also apparently known as a trendsetter of his time. As any proper gentleman would want, he requested a piece of furniture that would allow him to sit upright without wrinkling his suit.

The legend continues that on his deathbed, Lord Stanhope told his butler to “give Mr Dayrolles a chair,” probably asking him to find a seat for his godson. But the butler wasn’t sure exactly what his deceased boss meant, so he literally gave the prototype to Mr Dayrolles, who then showed off the design to his many houseguests, which became a popular icon in years to come.

In this video by  Inspirational Interior Design Ideas, shows how The Chesterfield Style Sofa has been reinvented multiple times in the past years.