The market of furniture has being growing and specializing more and more, and what we just though it was a sofa or a sofa bed, today is called in a completely different way. There is a piece for every need. But sometimes it means you  ha to manage a considerable glossary, as a surgeon or an economist. Let’s take a look at some terms referred to very similar items of furniture.

Divan

Against that classic image in the psychiatric consulting, a divan is really a tufted mattress – like seat, that is used directly on the floor, or with a low wooden frame. You can fill it with pillows to seat comfortably in the day,  or clear the space at night to sleep. Originated in Persia, is a total relax place.

Daybed

Elicited from the original concept divan, a daybed is designed not to be placed against the wall. There are sofa-like daybeds, with two arms and a back support, and armless daybeds, like the classical Barcelona Daybed. In both cases, their shapes and views make them more suitable for open positions in the living room, and they have generally the dimensions of a twin mattress.

Seetie

You can define seetie as a two seats sleek sofa. Some one would say: “Wait, isn’t that a Loveseat, anyway?”, and in a certain way…It is. Let’s think of the seetie like a special type of Loveseat, due to its sleek shape and particularly upright back, that makes it suitable for entry rooms, bedrooms or narrow hallways.

Chaise

Do you know what a Chaise Longue means in French? “Long seat”. And this is what a chaise  is…Sort of. A chaise is like a combination of a lounge seat + an Ottoman. Is a continuum piece, meant to recline  and relaxing your feet, too. They usually have one arm. There is a Victorian variation, called fainting couch , originated by the need of the Victorian ladies of a relaxing seat at the moment of the frequent vanishes dur to their excessively tight corsets. Even though, the Victorian version turns out to be very elegant, and it survived to the present.

Recamier

Another French inspirited piece, the recamier is like a backless sofa, but with two particular rolled arms on each side that turn them its trademark. You can call it just backless sofa, too, but that means more contemporary models of the piece.

Do you have to be an economist to handle that amount of terms? No. Well, maybe a little bit, but explore them and get to know what works for you, you will enjoy it.