Come Settle on my Settee
If you’re a furniture enthusiast like we are, every once in a while you’ll run across a piece and start wondering about its origins. Behold the settee! We love the name—sounds so much more fancy and French than the oft heard sofa or couch. So sit a spell and let’s delve deeper into furniture history to find out more shall wee, settee?
The word settee is actually derived from the Old English word setl – a long bench, seat or throne. See, we knew it sounded rather regal. According to most accounts, before the 1600’s there were just chairs. Then someone got wise and created a longer piece to accommodate more than one person for social seating. In the 1700’s the French got really clever and began adding upholstery, padding, trims and pillows. Those French, so decadent.
So there you have it. The setl became a settee – which is the precursor to today’s sofa, loveseat, divan, daybed or any other elongated furniture for seating more than one person. Oh, and don’t forget sofette, banquette or bench.
Today’s settees can introduce folksy charm into your room or regal high style. It all depends on the design lines, finishes or fabrics you choose. A backless settee is usually more modern and minimalist. A high back with tufting makes a great dining banquette — dress it down with toile or dine to the nines on velvet. Here are some ideas for using a settee in your home:
-They make an excellent small bench at the entryway
-They’re commonly found in casual, intimate dining areas
-Use at the foot of the bed to take pause while taking your shoes off at the end of the day
-Their smaller scale is also a great space saver in cramped rooms or apartments
-Settees can be used to create a reading nook or small vignette in the corner of a room
The “Nadine” Settee Bernhardt – choose your fabricSo now that we’ve given you a few ideas, why don’t you make your way to our website to browse our offerings online? Just put the word “settee” in our search window and delight in the varieties that appear. Also try looking up bench or banquette to find more options.
And while you’re doing all this computer cavorting, be sure to invite your friends to like Ennis on Facebook. We have a site for each location: Boise, Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Reno. It’s where we announce the monthly winners of a $500 gift certificate for joining our Preferred Customer Club!
