Not everyone knows that the sofa, in the form and function we understand today, began to spread in Europe in the Neoclassical era.
The first models appeared in France during the reign of Louis XVI. This was the origin of the Louis XVI style, still one of the most used today by designers, when a touch of class is needed.
The first sofas of the time had rectilinear shapes and classical decorations, which created a stately style with an intimate and understated design. In the decades to follow, French cabinetmaker Louis Delanois, mainly on commission from the Count of Orsay, began to create more sumptuous models, which soon became icons of luxury and craftsmanship.
No wonder, then, that even today the sofa is the central element of a Neoclassical living room.
Indeed, even though its style has taken on various declinations over time, to the point of becoming a sum of atmospheres sealing its versatility and expressive power, the living room has always remained the beating heart of this style’s interior design projects.
Not surprisingly, even in the bedroom, we often find benches, chaise longues, sofas and, in some cases, conversation corners with armchairs and a coffee table.
It is mainly around the style of the sofa, its colour and decorative details that the rest of the furniture revolves, regardless of the more or less 'dominant' role it will play in a Neoclassical living room. That is why it’s important to take the style tips in this article into consideration.
- How to create the perfect Neoclassical atmosphere in your living room
- A Neoclassical style sofa: choose the elegance of Arredoclassic collections
How to create the perfect Neoclassical atmosphere in your living room
Before we turn our attention to sofas and, in particular, to Arredoclassic collections, let's take look at the elements that characterise a Neoclassical living room, not only stylistically (dominant colours and shapes), but also architecturally and design-wise.
Balance between classicism and rationality
The main inspiration for Neoclassical furniture (and it could not be otherwise) is Neoclassical architecture, which came just after the opulence of the Baroque.
A current that, on the one hand, marks a return to traditional forms of Greek and Roman architecture, and, on the other hand, evolves by assimilating more rational elements, aided by the concomitant onset of the Industrial Revolution.
Therefore, even in interior design, the pomposity of Baroque was gradually being replaced by cleaner, more linear forms.
References to Greco-Roman culture (columns, high ceilings, walls decorated with stucco and woodwork) made a comeback, and the rooms were designed with great importance to symmetry, proportion (spaces were never chaotic or overcrowded) and functional furniture arrangements.
In a Neoclassical living room, every combination is designed to create elegance and harmony of colours, each piece of furniture is coordinated with the others, with recurring decorative motifs that emphasise visual continuity and clean lines of vision.
Bright colours and precious finishes
Choosing the right colour scheme is essential, not only to adhere to the aesthetic principles of a particular style - such as Neoclassicism, in this specific case - but also to define the atmosphere, which changes from room to room.
In the bedroom, for instance, the right colour moodboard is one that manages to create an intimate and relaxed atmosphere, with soft colours conducive to rest.
In a living room, on the other hand, we can dare with a more multifaceted palette, precisely because the space is multifunctional by nature: we have the lounge area, where we converse and welcome friends, we have the entertainment area, furnished with bookshelves, shelves and a TV cabinet, and then we have the dining area, generally the most elegant and sophisticated space, where we find sideboards, glass cabinets and a large table with chairs.
In such a dynamic environment, colours do not follow strict rules. However, basically, the Neoclassical style favours light and bright shades, such as ivory and beige, which create fascinating contrasts with the gold leaf finishes typical of this style.
The importance of details
Another peculiarity of neoclassical rooms is the attention paid to details. Nothing is left to chance. On the contrary, every choice - from furnishings to lighting, from objects to decorations - is designed to create a dual dimension:
- The luxury of finishes and precious details, which help emphasise the aura of timeless elegance that permeates classicist taste
- The minimal-contemporary balance found in the symmetry of the compositions, sculptural forms and geometric furniture lines
Details also serve to complete the décor, giving a pleasant sense of accomplishment.
The layout of a Neoclassical living room could include objects that symbolise this style, such as:
- Vases finished with gold details and bas-relief designs
- Wall and decorative lamps with wood, copper, brass or bronze supports
- Chandeliers with blown glass and crystal pendants
- Gold or silver-plated brass candelabras
- Decorative hand-painted porcelain plates to be displayed on shelves, together with silverware
Wallpaper is also very popular, depicting columns and capitals of the classical era, or plain-coloured ones for a more understated and lighter effect.
A Neoclassical style sofa: choose the elegance of Arredoclassic collections
And here we come to the sofa, which, as already noted, is the central element of the Neoclassical style and plays a starring role in the living room.
Shapes are simple and harmonious with quilted, often fan-shaped backrests, enveloping lines and rounded armrests.
What makes the Neoclassical sofa a work of art are, once again, the details: gold trim, handmade gold decorations, gold motifs, fine fabrics.
In combination, we often find decorative cushions made with the same care and richness of detail: tassels, cord beading, double flounces, elaborate embroidery.
Giving your home a Neo-Classical sofa means betting on a piece of furniture that combines class, elegance, comfort and functionality.
Choose the design that best suits your taste from Arredoclassic Neoclassical style collections: Fantasia, Melodia, Dolce Vita, Donatello, Leonardo and Liberty, one more sophisticated than the other.
Fantasia
The Fantasia living room range is a genuine symbol of the beauty and elegance that are typical of neoclassical taste.
Each furnishing element features bold squared lines, especially in the occasional tables and glass cabinets; friezes and motifs, as well as important decorative details that can be seen with a certain continuity throughout the collection, as well as finishing armchairs and sofas.
The stand-out features of the Fantasia sofa are its soft shape and fan-like design with central padding that give the seat its bold aesthetic impact.
Melodia
Every furnishing element in the Melodia living room range is linked by a fine stylistic, formal balance, made bolder using gold accents. On coffee tables, glass cabinets, armchairs and sofas. Friezes and gold-coloured feet add accent notes to seating with a seductive appeal.
Melodia sofas are able to combine comfort with elegance, in a synthesis of design that can boost the aesthetic value of your furnishings. The sofas in this collection present a "variation on a theme" that, as well as design, also includes a choice of covers ranging from simple looks to studded inserts that will not limit your desire to amaze.
Dolce Vita
The Dolce Vita living room features the unmistakable elegance and aesthetic refinement of the classic Art Deco style, which began to gain popularity in the 1920s, as a reaction to the advent of the industrial age.
With Dolce Vita, the living room takes on a new, sophisticated concept, marked by the coexistence of geometric design and graceful shapes, clean lines and a wealth of precious details.
Balancing modern design with references to classic Italian taste, the Dolce Vita collection fits into any interior, shining with a special light.
What makes the rooms so sophisticated and 'shiny' are the luminous colours of the surfaces, the precious metal finishes, the shimmering reflections of the display cabinets, and the precious fabrics of the sofas, which seduce with their curved silhouette and precious pleated workmanship.
Donatello
The Donatello sofa impresses with the richness of its Renaissance decorations, a synthesis of opulence and magnificence, and the elegance of the luxurious golden friezes that accompany and enrich its silhouette.
The decorative sinuosity is balanced by the stylistic continuity created by the curved, 'continuous' decoration of the lower part and the symmetry between this and the three decorative friezes that punctuate the volume of the corner sofa.
The design is completed by the enveloping armrests, the wide, soft seats and the refined feet in a gold lion's paw finish.
Leonardo
The furnishings in the Leonardo living room range are recognisable for their elegant volumes and for the fine details that characterise their refined shapes. The unmistakable nature of this prestigious collection is reflected in its sofas.
Extremely comfortable seats made in elegant fabrics, for excellent style with soft shapes and a prime-quality base that bring to mind the sinuous swirls of ancient capitals.
Liberty
Bright ivory and gold shades can enliven your living room with the Liberty Collection.
The Liberty sofa has neoclassical friezes, decorative motifs, detailing in gold and silver, and prestigious damask velvet fabrics, incorporating the sculptural presence of an element in perfect neoclassical style.
With their soft, rounded lines, the seating in the Liberty living range adds a touch of prestige to the collection.
Wide, welcoming seats for comfortable appeal that never misses out on bright details that, together with the gold motif on the base cornice, enhances the side arms.
Are you looking for an elegant and exclusive design for your interiors?
