The Cute Story Behind Why It's Called a Love Seat
Duhome Furniture .
Jan 04, 2023
A love seat? What a lovely nickname! Is it a specific furniture you can only take out on a unique date night? No, you can definitely enjoy this fantastic type of furniture anytime, regardless of your relationship status. You might also think the term has a romantic origin when you heard it at the first time, or be wondering if there is any link between the love seat and Valentine's Day, right? Unfortunately, no links at all.
But who came up with this term and what are love seats originally designed for? If you're still interested in exploring its etymology, in this handy guide we'll explain what a love seat is, why it's named that way and some fun facts about its history, as well as culture of how the love seat came to be. Read on and let's find out more!
CONTENTS
What Exactly is a Love Seat?
In a broad definition, it is safe to say that love seats are any kind of furniture essentially designed to host two people comfortably. Be it pure wooden, cushy upholstered or metallic, even made of plastic. It can be an addition to any corner of your home, or a piece to spruce up any parks or gardens. Love seats are ideal for a space that is too small to place a standard sofa, but still needs an extra seating. If you love to enjoy some time up close with your loved one, or wanna furnish up your living room without taking up too much space, obviously the love seat might be the best solution.
Who Invented the Love Seat and When?
When talking about the earliest history of the love seat furniture, we can find that it first arose in the 17th century French Victorian Era. Love seat was then used as an oversized chair, originally made of wood with no upholstery. Although we have no idea who the official inventor was, the earliest love seats were only found in the homes of upper-class people and the wealthy - being a status symbol of elitism at that time.
Fashion during the 17th century was quite bulky, and high-class women had trouble sitting in standard single-seat chairs. Love seats were initially intended to give those women a place to sit down and smooth out their big puffy dresses with hoops, layers, underskirt, and petticoats.
Why Is It Called a Love Seat?
As we said before, love seats were initially invented for a woman and her large dress, rather than intimate couples. So how did the vintage love seat get its name? What does a love seat have to do with love? As time progressed towards the 18th and 19th centuries, fashion has evolved a lot - what used to be heavy, multi-layered, and bulky pieces of clothing became much more slimmed-down dresses.
As you may guess from their name and main description, love seats gained the name from holding two people close in the same structure. Thanks to the more tight-forming dresses, the wider chair saw an opportunity to provide extra space for another person, who used to be a suitor or the lady's boyfriend.
When love seat first arrived, it struck a typical "S" shape, so the seaters could look at each other while being close enough to hold hands. Thus, the originally S-shaped love seat was also called a conversation bench, kissing bench, courting bench or gossip chair for its contribution to intimate and private conversations.
Moreover, decency and prudence was such a big deal in the early to late 18th century, especially for those non-married couples. The special design made original love seats become a romantic spot, where courting couples could sit, talk and get to know each other in public without losing decency and being gossiped about. The term "love seat" started to develop and the amazing piece of furniture took on a romantic aspect from then on.
However, as the Industrial Revolution took place in the late 19th century, the spread of wealth among a greater population of people gradually brought the love seats down to the homes of the working class. Love seats were no longer the exclusive apparatus in the homes of the upper-class. They gained in popularity due to the comfort, style and space-saving design.
The Evolution of Modern Love Seat
As years passed, the love seat has evolved from being a furniture of dating traditions to a cozy fix for space-savvy homes. You may find today's love seat is still used to sit couples or friends closely together, but in a side-by-side manner instead of the old face-to-face way. They are available in rich colors, materials and styles. Modern two-seater love seats continue to get progress in comfort and design, whether to complement your larger master bedrooms or suit your smaller living rooms.
So, what is the standard size of a modern love seat then? Instead of its early S-shaped design, modern love seats are found in the shape of mini sofas or couches with two seats going anywhere from 40 inches up to 70 inches. Larger than 70 inches is generally considered a sofa, while smaller than 40 inches would be a single chair. Depending on your requirements and available living space, you can choose the proper size and style. Love seats are great for anywhere that larger sofas won't fit. They're also ideal to complement the standard sofa set in your room, or as a seating option to lay down or whittle away time with a good book.
What is the Difference Between a Love Seat and a Sofa?
Another thing you might still don't know is the differences between a love seat and couch. Actually, the major difference between a love seat and standard sofa lies in the size as above-mentioned - 70 inches would be the boundary. For that difference in size, love seat could normally accommodate two seaters at once, while sofa is able to host three to four people.
As known to us, sofas could be any upholstered seating furniture with back and armrests. We always use them for sprawling out, unwinding ourselves and exciting game nights. They're so great for being placed in a large space for family members or friends to gather, when weekends or holidays fall. However, the compact size of love seats opens a lot of potential for smaller living rooms, making your home look more spacious visually. You can feel free to settle love seat benches in your master bedroom, or add them in any tricky corner to bring yourself comfy reading chairs for your home library.
Plus, due to the difference in appearance and size, the cost of a sofa and love seat wouldn't be the same. A sofa is usually $50 to $80 more expensive than a love seat, depending on the size, fabric and design.
Why Should I Get a Love Seat?
When you are styling a less spacious home, nothing would be better to add a love seat that suits smaller apartment or spaces well. Getting yourself a love seat bench will not only add a feeling of classic, but also bring a pretty functional way to cuddle with your partner without compromising your floor space.
How to make a love seat bench more comfortable? You can style it with throw pillows and re-upholster its cushions to give it a new look. After going through multiple innovations, you'll find a dreamy spot to cap off your leisurely day. Acting as a piece of excellent centerpiece for any room or a cozy addition for a private corner, the love seat bench is just right for your small family.
Who Make the Best Love Seats?
Overall, the term "love seat" came about, as it allows two people or couples to sit and talk in a decent way - being a social norm of society. There are a number of excellent brands to choose from when it comes to love seat benches. If you're right in the market for black wooden love seats reminiscent of old-world charm, wait no more to check out our Bench Collection for more details. We're here to provide the most classic, comfortable minimalist love seat benches to freshen your home.
But who came up with this term and what are love seats originally designed for? If you're still interested in exploring its etymology, in this handy guide we'll explain what a love seat is, why it's named that way and some fun facts about its history, as well as culture of how the love seat came to be. Read on and let's find out more!
CONTENTS
- What is a love seat?
- Who invented love seats and why is love seat called a love seat?
- What are the dimensions of a standard love seat?
- What's the difference between a sofa and a love seat?
- Why should I get a love seat?
- Who makes the best love seats?
What Exactly is a Love Seat?
In a broad definition, it is safe to say that love seats are any kind of furniture essentially designed to host two people comfortably. Be it pure wooden, cushy upholstered or metallic, even made of plastic. It can be an addition to any corner of your home, or a piece to spruce up any parks or gardens. Love seats are ideal for a space that is too small to place a standard sofa, but still needs an extra seating. If you love to enjoy some time up close with your loved one, or wanna furnish up your living room without taking up too much space, obviously the love seat might be the best solution.
Who Invented the Love Seat and When?
When talking about the earliest history of the love seat furniture, we can find that it first arose in the 17th century French Victorian Era. Love seat was then used as an oversized chair, originally made of wood with no upholstery. Although we have no idea who the official inventor was, the earliest love seats were only found in the homes of upper-class people and the wealthy - being a status symbol of elitism at that time.
Fashion during the 17th century was quite bulky, and high-class women had trouble sitting in standard single-seat chairs. Love seats were initially intended to give those women a place to sit down and smooth out their big puffy dresses with hoops, layers, underskirt, and petticoats.
Why Is It Called a Love Seat?
As we said before, love seats were initially invented for a woman and her large dress, rather than intimate couples. So how did the vintage love seat get its name? What does a love seat have to do with love? As time progressed towards the 18th and 19th centuries, fashion has evolved a lot - what used to be heavy, multi-layered, and bulky pieces of clothing became much more slimmed-down dresses.
As you may guess from their name and main description, love seats gained the name from holding two people close in the same structure. Thanks to the more tight-forming dresses, the wider chair saw an opportunity to provide extra space for another person, who used to be a suitor or the lady's boyfriend.
When love seat first arrived, it struck a typical "S" shape, so the seaters could look at each other while being close enough to hold hands. Thus, the originally S-shaped love seat was also called a conversation bench, kissing bench, courting bench or gossip chair for its contribution to intimate and private conversations.
Original S-Shaped Love Seat in the 18th Century
Moreover, decency and prudence was such a big deal in the early to late 18th century, especially for those non-married couples. The special design made original love seats become a romantic spot, where courting couples could sit, talk and get to know each other in public without losing decency and being gossiped about. The term "love seat" started to develop and the amazing piece of furniture took on a romantic aspect from then on.
However, as the Industrial Revolution took place in the late 19th century, the spread of wealth among a greater population of people gradually brought the love seats down to the homes of the working class. Love seats were no longer the exclusive apparatus in the homes of the upper-class. They gained in popularity due to the comfort, style and space-saving design.
The Evolution of Modern Love Seat
As years passed, the love seat has evolved from being a furniture of dating traditions to a cozy fix for space-savvy homes. You may find today's love seat is still used to sit couples or friends closely together, but in a side-by-side manner instead of the old face-to-face way. They are available in rich colors, materials and styles. Modern two-seater love seats continue to get progress in comfort and design, whether to complement your larger master bedrooms or suit your smaller living rooms.
So, what is the standard size of a modern love seat then? Instead of its early S-shaped design, modern love seats are found in the shape of mini sofas or couches with two seats going anywhere from 40 inches up to 70 inches. Larger than 70 inches is generally considered a sofa, while smaller than 40 inches would be a single chair. Depending on your requirements and available living space, you can choose the proper size and style. Love seats are great for anywhere that larger sofas won't fit. They're also ideal to complement the standard sofa set in your room, or as a seating option to lay down or whittle away time with a good book.
What is the Difference Between a Love Seat and a Sofa?
Another thing you might still don't know is the differences between a love seat and couch. Actually, the major difference between a love seat and standard sofa lies in the size as above-mentioned - 70 inches would be the boundary. For that difference in size, love seat could normally accommodate two seaters at once, while sofa is able to host three to four people.
As known to us, sofas could be any upholstered seating furniture with back and armrests. We always use them for sprawling out, unwinding ourselves and exciting game nights. They're so great for being placed in a large space for family members or friends to gather, when weekends or holidays fall. However, the compact size of love seats opens a lot of potential for smaller living rooms, making your home look more spacious visually. You can feel free to settle love seat benches in your master bedroom, or add them in any tricky corner to bring yourself comfy reading chairs for your home library.
Plus, due to the difference in appearance and size, the cost of a sofa and love seat wouldn't be the same. A sofa is usually $50 to $80 more expensive than a love seat, depending on the size, fabric and design.
Why Should I Get a Love Seat?
When you are styling a less spacious home, nothing would be better to add a love seat that suits smaller apartment or spaces well. Getting yourself a love seat bench will not only add a feeling of classic, but also bring a pretty functional way to cuddle with your partner without compromising your floor space.
How to make a love seat bench more comfortable? You can style it with throw pillows and re-upholster its cushions to give it a new look. After going through multiple innovations, you'll find a dreamy spot to cap off your leisurely day. Acting as a piece of excellent centerpiece for any room or a cozy addition for a private corner, the love seat bench is just right for your small family.
Who Make the Best Love Seats?
Overall, the term "love seat" came about, as it allows two people or couples to sit and talk in a decent way - being a social norm of society. There are a number of excellent brands to choose from when it comes to love seat benches. If you're right in the market for black wooden love seats reminiscent of old-world charm, wait no more to check out our Bench Collection for more details. We're here to provide the most classic, comfortable minimalist love seat benches to freshen your home.
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