What Is a “Fainting Couch,” and When Did It Originate?

Whereas a “fainting sofa” may sound like a relic from the previous, this piece of furnishings is having a second once more — although some would even say it by no means went out of favor within the first place. And contemplating the title “fainting sofa,” you is likely to be questioning about its origins. From serving as a restoration spot for tight-corset-wearing girls to appearing as a resting place whereas the mattress was being made, the fainting sofa comes with its justifiable share of backstory and lore.

One factor’s for certain, although: If you wish to add a chunk with a singular backstory and form to your own home, the fainting sofa is a good contender. Its allure and timeless silhouette ooze persona, and its smaller stature makes it an amazing match for tighter areas. Beneath, right here’s the whole lot you have to find out about fainting couches, together with the place to search out one right this moment.

A fainting sofa is a definite piece of furnishings characterised by its low again and chaise-like design. These sofas date again to the Nineteenth-century Victorian period and had been primarily seen in prosperous households (usually positioned in “fainting rooms,” a time period used to explain non-public areas resembling bedrooms). Whereas its actual origin stays in query, inside designers preserve coming again to a couple fascinating myths.

“Many theories allude to it being a spot for girls to relaxation after their beds had been made within the morning by the housekeeper,” shares designer Isabel Ladd. “It may even have been a spot the place Victorian women recovered after fainting from sporting their corsets all day.” Corsets, which had been frequent again then, usually restricted airflow, resulting in lightheadedness and fainting — therefore the title. Ladd provides, “Freud can also be credited with popularizing these sofas, as they had been a spot the place his sufferers would really feel extra relaxed and unguarded throughout their remedy periods.”

Laura Deutsch of upcycled seating model HiLo Brooklyn can also be aware of the corset origin story, including that the silhouette of the fainting sofa wasn’t solely sensible but additionally exuded magnificence. “The sofas had been sometimes designed with a low again and an prolonged chaise,” she explains. “This form allowed for a female and swish reclining place.”

There are couches, settees, loveseats, daybeds — after which there are fainting couches, or as Ladd charmingly places it, “le fainting couch.” However with so many related choices on the market, how are you supposed to inform a fainting sofa other than its fashionable counterparts?

Half chaise lounge (French for “lengthy chair”), half romantic assertion piece, the fainting sofa supplies a degree of intimacy and class that’s exhausting to copy. To determine one, Ladd recommends preserving an eye fixed out for sure particulars: “Although chaises and fainting sofas share an identical silhouette, providing a spot to relaxation your legs, fainting couches are typically narrower with a sloped again that runs alongside at the least half the [piece’s] size. They’ve a backrest on the lengthy finish and a raised headrest on the brief finish.”

And don’t mistake a fainting sofa for a sofa or loveseat, both. “A standard loveseat is symmetrical and meant for seating a number of folks, whereas the fainting sofas are designed for one individual to recline,” says Deutsch.  A fainting sofa blends performance, magnificence, and historical past, making it a standout dialog piece in any room. It provides off a “draw me like one in all your French women” vibe (besides, enjoyable truth: In Titanic, Rose was truly mendacity on a loveseat).

Thankfully, fainting couches are straightforward to search out as of late. Classic lovers can scour Fb Market, 1st Dibbs, Chairish, and even Etsy for genuine older items and newer reproductions alike. For these adventurous sufficient to look in individual, native classic or vintage outlets will probably be your greatest guess. Deutsch additionally recommends trying out auctions and property gross sales, or you’ll be able to go completely customized. 

In the event you’re searching for a extra trendy and accessible model, Ladd suggests making an attempt retailers like Wayfair, West Elm, and CB2, as these manufacturers have produced items impressed by this period. “I really like the thought of a fainting couch however in a contemporary context,” she provides. “I’d advocate giving this once-considered fragile, delicate furnishings piece new life by reshaping it with some enjoyable foam detailing and redressing it in one thing daring and delightful that makes you are feeling superb.” 

Whether or not you go classic or lean extra trendy, a fainting sofa is a straightforward solution to make a press release at house and take your lounging recreation to the following degree.