Our aim to create a sofa overspilling with comfort led to the development a modular seating system with infinite possibilities, explains lead designer Aaron Clarkson
What makes a sofa comfortable? Firstly, there’s what our eyes tell us – how its lines, form, proportions and silhouette together create the impression of visual comfort. However, it isn’t until you sit down, make an impression in its surface and touch the fabric that you know whether the product is truly comfortable or merely looks that way.
With Beau, we didn’t set out to create typical contract furniture that people sit ‘on’. Our ambition was for people to sit ‘into’ this sofa – to design something so soft and cushiony that it moulds to the form of the sitter and makes them feel like they are at one with the piece. To get there, it was imperative that we put comfort at the centre of our design process.
While we knew Beau would continue the curvaceous, organic design language of our recent furniture, first we had to be certain that the structure itself would deliver the level of comfort we aspired to. To achieve this, we built an adjustable plywood jig that enabled us to test multiple combinations of suspension and foam. It was an experimental process involving cushioning made from various materials, combined at different densities and thicknesses, trialled over and over to until we reached the perfect sit.
A comfort-first approach
At each stage, our development team tested the jig with people of all shapes and sizes, quietly observing and looking for that ‘ooh’ response. Only once we’d achieved this could we move forward with the Beau aesthetic.
It was important that the softness of the seat we’d developed would be conveyed visually. Creating 3D models in CAD, I wanted to sculpt rather than engineer the shape of this product. Similar to our tub chair, Remi, inspiration came from the smooth, rounded softness of dough, rising and overspilling the pan.
I wanted the product to look oversized and voluptuous, but with an air of wholesome simplicity. There is always the temptation to add details to a design – to make it look plush or traditional, for example – but we kept to a vision of a clean, curvaceous form. The back of the sofa integrates seamlessly with the seat section and while we experimented with pinch stitch detailing, ultimately we decided to twin needle the seams, subtly merging them into the sculpted form that gives Beau its identity.
Internally, Beau is manufactured traditionally with a plywood frame and layers of cut foam, in a precise combination that delivers maximum comfort when you sit down, while ensuring the seat always returns to its original shape. Serpentine springs provide suspension throughout the seat section, while the back contains webbed suspension so that when the sitter lounges back into Beau they experience comfort at every touch point.
As the product evolved, we began to realise there was the potential not just for a sofa, or a two- or three-piece suite, but for a modular range giving specifiers a wide selection of pieces all based around Beau’s generous, marshmallow-y form and exceptionally comfortable sit.
The geometry of conversation
Our exploration continued with a 120-degree corner unit, something which has proven successful in our Myriad collection. Moving away from the usual right angles, it can be used to configure a multiplicity of seating islands and fascinating snaking patterns to define a space while also conveying a sense of openness and freedom. Arranged around a coffee table, 120-degree units encourage conversation and collaboration.
A system that includes Beau benches, end arm pieces, sitting chaise, corner and end tables provides interior designers with a comprehensive set of units to landscape a space. Upholstered in thick, textured fabrics such as bouclés or twill weaves, Beau’s expansive forms create a perfect backdrop which allows highlight pieces such as Remi or Amelia to pop to the fore, in patterned fabrics or plush finishes.
Throughout that landscape, I think Beau will bring a sense of softness and visual comfort and that this first impression will be confirmed immediately whenever someone relaxes back into this gentle, expansive seating. Beau is a sensory experience, with the texture of the fabric, depth of the seat, perfect pitch of the back and crafted softness of the cushioning leading to that ‘ooh, aah’ reaction we sought from the beginning.
Boss Design – September 24
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