The Role of Ergonomics in Luxury Sofa Design

Home décor and the science behind it have become about so much more than simple aesthetics. In fact, choosing furniture for your living spaces just because it looks good is now a thing of the past.

In this article, our professional team explains the role of ergonomics in luxury sofa design and how it impacts our decisions.

What are form and function in interior design?

Many people are conflicted when it comes to the style and design of their home’s interiors, mainly due to the fact that they feel compelled to choose between form and function. But what do these terms actually mean?

Form

In essence, ‘form’ refers to the three-dimensional outline of an object and, when it comes to furniture, relates to its shape, colour palette, materials and upholstery. It’s all about aesthetic value and how it connects with the space it is in.

When interior designers create the form of a room, they are choosing how to fill it using the elements of height, length, breadth, volume and mass. They also consider the existence of shadows and light and how these affect each component.

To break it down even further, ‘geometric’ form refers to things that are man-made such as sofas, while ‘natural’ form refers to organic items like plants.

Function

In interior design, ‘function’ is about how a room or its furnishings will be used. It relates to the purpose of an object and whether or not it fulfils a practical necessity.

The expression “function over form” refers to the importance of using a piece of furniture in a room above and beyond how it looks. The choice between the two boils down to whether you want your home to be attractive and elegant, or whether you would prefer it to be a place where you can stay warm and have enough space to store all your belongings.

What to consider when choosing a sofa?

When picking out the perfect sofa for your space, the usefulness of your choices should go hand in hand with their overall design. Both of these elements also need to blend in with your daily routines and the style of your room, so aspects like colour, genre and fabric need to be properly considered.

However, nowadays the construction of modern luxury furniture goes beyond just form and function and involves two more important components: anthropometrics and ergonomics.

To many, these phrases conjure up images of unsightly office chairs or cumbersome electric seats for the elderly. But in reality, they are concepts that anyone buying a new sofa should be aware of, and every self-respecting sofa manufacturer should be incorporating them into their designs.

What is anthropometrics in sofa design?

Anthropometrics is the study of human body measurements and helps to understand the physical differences between individuals.

It is employed in the realm of ergonomics to maximise human interaction with furniture by ensuring that it is created to accommodate everyone using it as inclusively as possible.

In relation to interior design, using anthropometrics is a vital first step in planning or selecting the ideal living room sofa for you and your family.

What is ergonomics in sofa design?

A similar concept underpins the use of ergonomic design, whereby a seating system is tailored to suit the specific user and focuses on retaining human comfort as much as possible.

Luxury sofa manufacturers now design their offerings to limit the negative effects sitting for long periods of time has on our bodies. Through ergonomics, they aim to reduce tension on bones and muscles, lessen pain, optimise lumbar support and posture, and ensure that your overall experience is pleasant.

This, in turn, allows you to sleep better at night and preserve a normal level of body fitness.

When it comes to ergonomic design, choosing the right sofa will result in a happier, more fulfilling lifestyle.

How to choose the right dimensions for your sofa

In theory, there are no restrictions when selecting a custom-made luxury sofa. At the end of the day, whether you want something exceptionally deep with an extra-long chaise or an abnormally narrow two-seater sofa to fit into a long passageway, it’s entirely up to you.

However, neither of these options would be ergonomically beneficial, so just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

Because of this, the majority of sofas designed by respectable manufacturers adopt a set of standard measurements that, while differing slightly, are calculated for optimal postural health. Here are the appropriate dimensions that should be used for any bespoke design:

• Back height: 75 – 88 cm
• Seat height: 40 – 45 cm
• Armrest height: 57 – 70 cm
• Seat depth: 60 – 70 cm

How to place your sofa properly

Once you’ve chosen your perfect sofa in terms of ergonomics, how you place it in your room is crucial. Getting this wrong could create the same negative physical results that a badly-designed piece of furniture could cause you.

Here are three easy guidelines:

1. Orientate your sofa in the direction of your intended focus.

2. If you are going to be watching lots of movies, make sure that your sofa faces and is central to the TV, and is a respectable distance away from it.

3. If the purpose of your room is for entertaining and having intimate conversations, make sure your sofas face each other and that you don’t have too many seats that are off-centre.

What other aspects of interior design are affected by ergonomics?

In interior design as a whole, the ergonomics of a room involves the utilisation of space and how objects are placed to ensure a comfortable existence. Here are a few rules to help ensure that this happens:

• All items should be in their correct place
• You should be able to move freely without bumping into anything. We explore some of these concepts in our article on how close a sofa should be to a coffee table, so take a peek if you need some tips.
• You should not have more things than you need – over-cluttering will lead to a cramped environment
• Acquire furniture that is functional
• Have enough storage space
• Zone your home properly to ensure that there is a flow
• Use the correct lighting for each room in accordance with their functionality.

Shop luxury ergonomic sofas at FCI London

At FCI London, we work closely with some of the world’s top sofa manufacturers like Gamma & Dandy and Leolux to ensure that you get custom-made furnishings to suit your exact needs.

To find out more, get in touch with our experienced design team today or visit our showroom to explore some of our options.

You can also take a look at our latest projects for some added inspiration.