When Interior Decorating and Interior Design work best, it is when the decorator or designer makes sure that the choices made have both “form and function”. What this means, is that, not only should the pieces chosen be beautiful and stylish, but they should function well for the purpose intended in the client’s home. Sometimes current fads or trends will work well for some clients but don’t make practical sense for other clients who have different needs for their space.
Let’s take a look at the chaise sectional sofa. Almost all versions come with a space at the chaise end which isn’t backed. If you have several people coming over, is that end piece always the last seat being chosen? The reason is that it isn’t comfortable to sit with no back support for long periods of time. Does everyone avoid the corner? The reason is that if someone is occupying the unbacked section, the corner occupant is forced to sit cross-legged or position his or her legs in another person’s leg area. Although the sofas above look like they could seat many people, realistically only 3 seats on the white sofa and two on the red sofa would be the “prime” seats if you are having a number of people over.
While the chaise sectional is a beautiful and stylish piece and will work well when used by a small number of people at one time (or family members that don’t mind draping themselves over each other!), it may not be the best choice for many occupants who plan to be sitting on it for a while. If you truly love the chaise sectional concept (and there are different versions of it around), be sure to consult with an interior decorator so that the version you get works best for your taste and needs.
