Between sculptures and everyday life: How seating defines space

Seating furniture is the stylish hero that brings our living spaces to life. Although constantly present, it is often inconspicuous. Yet such pieces of furniture are crucial to how a room is perceived and used. An aesthetically pleasing piece of furniture always exists in the tension between object and function. Therefore, sooner or later, the question always arises: how much does seating furniture shape the character of a room?. 

Seating furniture as a silent force for order

Seating often plays an organizing role in a room, even without being explicitly intended to do so. Sofas, armchairs, or benches structure spaces, define sight lines, and establish zones of use. This doesn't happen through rigid rules, but rather subtly through placement and the way the furniture is present in the room.

Especially in open-plan layouts, order is no longer created by walls, but by objects. Popular retailers like kauf-unique.de showcase various styles and functional approaches that respond precisely to this space-defining effect.

 

Between object character and usability

On the one hand, seating furniture has a clear object-like character, which brings it close to sculpture. On the other hand, it is utilitarian. Thus, it always oscillates between two poles, and this dual role shapes its design. For example, an armchair can visually dominate without being uncomfortable. A sofa can remain functional without being reduced solely to its utilitarian purpose. Balance is the key to harmonious interior design.

A room benefits from furniture that makes a statement but doesn't hinder everyday life. This becomes a key aspect of design, especially in living environments with changing needs.

Volume, proportions and their effect

The effect of a piece of seating furniture arises less from decorative details than from its volume and proportions . This is particularly evident in its fundamental formal characteristics:

• wide seating surfaces that convey calm and stability
• compact forms that create tension and densify surfaces
• Low sofas visually lengthen rooms and make ceilings appear higher
• massive armchairs that give weight and orientation to large rooms

These effects are rarely planned intentionally, but they have a lasting impact on the perception of space. Interior design therefore involves not only colors and materials, but also the interplay of forms within the space. Seating furniture represents these tangible forms.

Materials as mediators between space and use

The materials used in seating furniture play a mediating role. They connect the effect of the room with the feeling created when using the furniture. Fabrics absorb light, while leather reflects it. Wooden frames create clean lines, while upholstered surfaces soften contours. Such qualities can influence how a piece of furniture is perceived even before it is used.

At the same time, the furniture changes with use. Surfaces develop a patina and wear and tear becomes visible. In this way, the furniture tells stories that make it an even stronger part of the room in which it is lived.

Seating furniture and social dynamics

Seating furniture can have a noticeable influence on how people interact. A sofa, for example, invites closeness, while individual armchairs promote distance. The arrangement of furniture can facilitate or hinder conversation. This effect is sometimes deliberately used in both public and private spaces. A living space thus reflects social ideals.

Furniture often makes the absence of people in a room visible; particularly with pieces that symbolize life rituals such as shared meals or conversations, a tension arises between the object and its potential user. Through this autonomy, chairs like Konstantin Grcic 's "Chair One," with their cubist form, resemble sculptures and blur the line between functional design and art.

Open seating areas promote interaction, while enclosed seating areas emphasize retreat. These choices can shape everyday life more profoundly than floor plans or wall colors.

Changing functions throughout the day

Today, a room often has to fulfill multiple functions. Seating reflects this transformation. It can serve as a storage area in the morning, a workspace during the day, and a retreat in the evening. For this to work, the furniture must be flexible without appearing arbitrary. Seating that can be easily moved, repurposed, or combined is well-suited to fulfilling this role.

They then function almost as hinges between the different phases of the day, keeping the space in motion without redefining it each time.

Historical traces of modern seating culture

The fact that there is such a wide variety of seating furniture today is the result of a long evolution. From the stately chairs of past centuries to the informal lounge furniture of the present, forms and their meanings have shifted. While sitting was once ritualized, it is now situational. This shift reflects societal changes.

Hierarchies have dissolved over time, or at least become less relevant, and spaces are designed to be more informal. Even seating furniture today forgoes strict symmetry and emphasizes openness. 

Small spaces, big significance

Especially when living space is very limited, seating becomes increasingly important. It mustn't clutter the room and yet must fulfill several functions simultaneously. This illustrates how strongly design can depend on use. A single sofa can serve as a bed, seating, and room divider all at once. Such a compact design demands precise decisions.

The room appears well-designed not despite, but precisely because of its limitations. In this context, the seating is not merely an addition, but can be considered a central element of the room's organization.

Formal restraint as a design strategy

Not every piece of seating needs to be in the spotlight. Often, the effect is achieved precisely through restraint. Clean lines, muted colors, and simple materials allow the room to breathe. This strategy is particularly effective where architecture or art is already prominent. Seating then recedes into the background without losing its function. It complements the space rather than dominating it.

This restraint demands precision. Inconspicuousness is not an accident, but the result of deliberate design.

Between proximity and distance in the spatial structure

Seating furniture influences how proximity and distance are perceived in a room. Its arrangement determines whether rooms appear open, reserved, or fragmented. This effect is particularly evident in fundamental placement decisions:

• Sofas with their backs to the wall, opening up the room and creating sight lines
• freestanding armchairs that form individual zones or islands
• Opposite seating areas that promote proximity and focus communication
• Laterally offset furniture that allows for distance and guides movement

Leading voices in interior design featuring seating on Instagram

An analysis of leading interior designers on Instagram clearly shows that their ideas about spatial definition and sculptural design vary greatly. Each of these personalities uses seating furniture as a primary tool to showcase their individual design language.

Kelly Wearstler (@kellywearstler): The wonderful contrast of things

Kelly Wearstler (@kellywearstler) , one of the most influential designers with over 2.2 million followers, views the home as a "living sculpture ." Her philosophy revolves around the juxtaposition and contrast of materials, eras, and textures. For Wearstler, design is a tool to evoke emotions; she constantly blurs the lines between architecture, art, and interior design.

A key aspect of her work is viewing furniture as individual pieces. In her view, each piece needs space to "breathe" in order to fully appreciate its form—be it a curve or a strict geometric pattern. In her work, such as the Santa Monica Proper Hotel , she incorporates sculptural elements, often handcrafted or with a pronounced patina, to create a tactile and sensual experience. Wearstler believes that matching furniture sets should be avoided, as they can make a room monotonous . She suggests slowly collecting objects that, over time, tell a story.

Pierre Yovanovitch (@pierre.yovanovitch): Purism and volume

French designer Pierre Yovanovitch @pierre.yovanovitch is famous for his "haute couture" aesthetic, which masterfully combines the interplay of volume, proportion, and light. He is deeply rooted in French purism; his works display a strict geometry softened by organic, often playful forms – as in his "Oops" collection with its bear-eared armchairs.

For Yovanovitch, spaces are not defined by superficial decorations, but by the layout and the architectural presence of the furniture. A massive sofa can serve as an anchor point around which the rest of the room is grouped, while he simultaneously celebrates craftsmanship by collaborating with specialized glassblowers and ceramicists.

His residence in Provence, the Château de Fabrègues, is regarded as the ultimate laboratory of his design philosophy, where he combines “Mama Bear Chair”

Athena Calderone (@eyeswoon): The sensual composition

Athena Calderone (@eyeswoon) uses Instagram to share her philosophy of conscious living, which combines beauty and functionality. She reflects her motto, "simple ideas, thoughtfully executed," by curating spaces. For her, placing objects is a kind of alchemy, creating harmonies through contrasts.

Calderone offers a valuable insight into defining space: furniture can be used as spatial dividers. In an open floor plan, a daybed can create zones without compromising the openness of the room.

Verticality is also important to her: objects at different heights should be used to guide the eye through the space, allowing it to discover new details. She collaborates with brands like Crate & Barrel to translate these curatorial approaches into affordable collections that still retain a handcrafted and sculptural character.

Open ends in the designed space

Seating defines spaces without closing them off. It allows for the necessary flexibility for changes. A new arrangement, the addition of further elements, or a change in use are always possible. This openness demonstrates that modern interior design does not prioritize permanence, but rather that adaptability plays a significant role.

Seating furniture is a constant companion in everyday life, but it is not a fixed marker. Its significance lies less in the finished image than primarily in the process it enables.