Everyone is just used to calling it by its common title: a love seat. But where did this term originate? This everyday piece of living room furniture has a long history going all the way back to 17th century France! Read on for more details:
Last Updated: February 1, 2024
The History of the “Love Seat”
The term “love seat” dates back to the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Originally, love seats were not designed for romantic reasons. They were actually slightly larger chairs intended to accommodate the large dresses women wore during that era. These seats were often referred to as “courting chairs.”
Over time, their purpose shifted. As fashion changed and women’s dresses became less bulky, these larger chairs became ideal for two people to sit closely together. This is where the romantic connotation began to develop. The term “love seat” emerged because these seats became popular for couples to sit closely and intimately, fostering a romantic connection.
Thus, the name “love seat” reflects its evolution from a practical piece of furniture accommodating the fashion of the times to a symbol of intimacy and closeness for couples.
The Evolution to “Love Seat”
From the beginning of the 19th century onward, chairs of this size were being produced under the name love seat or courting chair. To emphasize the presumptions of duality, the two sections were sometimes divided (by an S-shape plan, for example) in a more symbolic than effective manner.
Indeed, these chairs were crafted considering bad habits, aimed at supporting the covert chatter and whispers that pervaded 19th-century French salons. History is privy to the secrets schemed, shared, and secretly listened to over those two-sided upholstered chairs.
Today’s Modern Loveseats
More modern love seats are designed to be functional, fashionable, and sometimes utilitarian, but always with available space in mind. The original idea of a loveseat was to accommodate ladies with large dresses. Today’s love seats are designed and created to accommodate two individuals while taking up less space than a sofa or a sectional couch.
If You Need Assistance
You can contact one of Gardner White’s experts at (248) 481-2208, chat with one online, or visit one of our local Michigan stores.
