A sophisticated approach to comfort: design as narrated by the magazines

Text by

magCulture, London, ph Dunja Opalko

What will the sofas and armchairs of tomorrow be like and what makes these furnishings so special in our homes? We asked the editors of Stir and Goodesign

Stir World and Goodesign share their perspective on the world of sofas, armchairs and all those pieces of upholstered furniture that make our lives magically comfortable, in the second appointment devoted to the discovery of design as seen by editorial offices all over the world.

The most varied daily actions revolve around sofas and living areas - from entertainment to relaxation, from welcoming friends to homeworking - making the living room the beating heart of the home. This is why it is precisely by starting with the objects that furnish these spaces that the multifaceted evolutions of contemporary living can be mapped and investigated, in a part of the house that first reflects the changes in the way we live, but also - and above all - in the way we design. Indeed, Amit Gupta, founder and editor in chief of the Indian magazine STIR, focuses on the layered complexity of upholstered furniture design: “There is something fundamentally interesting about the layered aspects of upholstered furniture. This particular aspect of product design involves design engagement on multiple levels. On the surface, there is the textile itself; its tactility, its patterns, and its durability. It would be easy to simply look at this outer shell just as a visual and aesthetic detail. From graphic design to textile design, upholstery can tell a story beyond its functionality. Working in tandem with the upholstery is of course the framework that holds it together. While hidden, this framework guides the form and the functionality have any given product. Within a single object, it is possible to encapsulate and see the collaboration of numerous specializations, from graphic and textile design to material fabrication. A variety of these collaborations and conceptions are visible on our platform STIRpad.com which not only highlights the products of brands such as Armani Casa, Poltrona Frau, Turri, Laura Meroni, Visionnaire, etc. but also showcases objects from some of the most important design galleries in the world. It is not just about expressing a point of view but celebrating the point of new. While constantly chasing the new, STIR as an entity intends to take this a step further and think next.”

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For Dana Ben Baruch and Yulia Prilik-Niv, editors in chief of the Israeli magazine Goodesign, the sofa is above all "A warm and loving hug," especially in the aftermath of a global pandemic that has turned the spotlight on our domestic, intimate and private spaces, which have become even more hybrid than ever. “A sofa is the most significant piece of furniture in the living room and probably in our home. We can even say that there is no living room without a sofa, sometimes with armchairs aside. So what's new in the field of sofas and what does the future hold for us? A sofa is characterized by two key features that must coexist to create the perfect piece of furniture: comfort alongside design, both of which have the same importance in our choice. Design is an aesthetic feature that helps us find inner peace and balance in space, while comfort will allow us to reach balance for our body. This is especially true in a world where more and more people are working from home, some right off the couch in the living room.

So after about two years of a global epidemic, sofas are gaining even more importance and significance as they have an enveloping, comforting, peaceful and restful element in our most intimate and private place - the heart of the home. Who would not want to design a room that feels like a warm and loving hug?”

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Above: magCulture, London, “an online resource, a magazine shop, events producer and editorial consultancy. ‘We love magazines’ is our battle cry, expressing our belief that editorial creativity is an ever-developing discipline that continues to adapt to technologies and circumstances.”