"On the other hand, Merriam-Webster defines a "sofa" as "a long, upholstered seat usually with arms and a back, and often convertible into a bed." Sofa vs Couch - Is There a Difference? On the other hand, couches can comfortably seat two to three persons and are more compact Another remarkable difference is that a sofa may have a pull out bed. They point out the use of couch potato for those who spend a lot of time lying on their couch watching TV programs. Hear me out for a moment. Nowadays, we use it as a chair. When you are shopping for a couch or shopping for a sofa, you are probably shopping for the same thing. As time goes by, these small design differences between a sofa and a couch seem to disappear. The difference can be related to style, geography, age and historical period. Sofas are generally perceived as being slightly more formal. There are even people who say that couch is nothing but slang for the more traditional word sofa. What is the contrast between these two things? The difference between a sofa and a couch is confusing and varies among both individuals and furniture industry professionals. You will see that each has distinctive features that make it impossible for us to use the two words couch and sofa interchangeably. Couches have a tendency to have decreased backs. Today, both terms are used by preference. In fact, it was common for people to refer to it as a fainting couch. The couch is used to lay down to take a nap or for complete body rest. As the word couch has French origin, more unraveling tells us that it was designed so as to be more comfortable for women wearing tight-fitting corsets. When it comes to the function of a sofa, sofas are more formal in their approach and are used in all places from homes to clinics to public offices. Today it’s hard to tell the difference between a couch, sofa and davenport. There is visible difference in how both of them are used. Well, historically speaking, couch and sofa are two different things. The difference between a coach and a sofa is a mindset. A couch is basically a small version of a sofa with some visible differences. Your kids are allowed on it, and you can have chips on a couch." A couch is like a less formal sofa but can be easily confused with a sofa, except a couch can accommodate up to a maximum of three people. To most people, a sofa and a couch refer to the same item in the house. Sofas have more seating space than couches, and thus also tend to occupy more space in places they are kept. So, a sofa is bigger than a couch. Couch comes from French ‘couche,’ which means a piece of furniture meant for sitting or reclining. Depending on the attributes of the furniture that you … Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal. • A sofa can be used in a home, an office, or a clinic without a problem. They are used in living rooms and they give out an elegant and classy vibe. Almost certainly not, and sofa, couch and settee are all perfectly interchangeable in normal usage. The words “sofa” and “couch” are usually used to describe the same piece of living room furniture. The difference between a couch and a sofa is mainly in the size and the purpose of the two furniture types. We held a small poll on our Twitter account, where we found that 56% commonly referred to their sofa as a sofa. As such, sofas tend to be more formal and are perfect for the living room. All rights reserved. On the other hand, sofa comes from Arabic ‘suffah,’ which is a piece of furniture that is upholstered and has arms and back. What’s The Difference Between Sofa And Couch? Couches are typically armless, while sofas are not, and the distinction comes from their respective historical uses. That is the main difference between a sofa and a couch. How to Make your Bedroom Side Table Beautiful, Red-framed wall art for a bold interior décor, Weaving Loom – Basic Yarn DIY Wall Hanging, How To Turn A Cable Knit Sweater Into Planter Cover, Clay Giraffe Planter DIY with Kids in Mind, 50 Ways to Leave Your Old Home Decor Ideas Behind, The Best Weber Grills Will Make Summer Cooking Great – Guide and Reviews 2020, Patio Conversation Sets Can Make Your Outdoor Space More User-Friendly. Can this article be updated to include discussion on where sectionals fit within the framework of sofa vs couch? It is not surprising that both sofa and couch are described as an upholstered seat for more than one person. The term "couch" is believed to have come from the French word "couche," which is used to describe "a piece of furniture with no arms used for lying. The most remarkable thing about a couch or a sofa nowadays is that there is no huge difference between the two. • A couch usually has no arms or has only one arm. To be honest, there aren’t too many differences between sofas and couches; the biggest difference is their intended use. In most cases, couches are used in more casual and informal settings like in an entertainment room or a cozy living space. That’s where things start to get complicated. The sofa has a tendency to have a uniform back. Difference Between California King and King, Difference Between Queen Size and Double Size, Difference Between Steel and Fibreglass Doors, Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms, Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza, Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19, Difference Between Biodegradable and Compostable, Difference Between Aqueous and Nonaqueous Solution, Difference Between O Acylation and N Acylation, Difference Between 5 HTP Tryptophan and L-Tryptophan, Difference Between N Glycosylation and O Glycosylation, Difference Between Epoxy and Fiberglass Resin. Secondly, a sofa may consist of a pull out bed, more commonly known as a “sofa bed” but there is no way of getting that facility in a couch. A couch is designed so as to take up least space inside a room. While doing research, I came across numerous definitions and opinions that often contradicted each other. Recently the ever-attentive children of a friend asked me point-blank, "Excuse me, what is the difference between couch and sofa?" Let us see what dictionaries have to say about the words sofa and couch. Utilized for resting; Couches have a tendency to be littler. • A couch was originally used for lying down. Your kids are allowed on it, and you can have chips on a couch.” Essentially, your pets and kids like sofas a lot better than couches. Sofas are generally perceived as being slightly more formal. "A couch is where someone crashes when they stay over. Usually they provide seating space for four but they can also be bigger. A couch can also be a comfortable sleeping spot for your beloved pet. Copyright © 2008-2020 - All Rights Reserved. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home! @media (max-width: 1171px) { .sidead300 { margin-left: -20px; } } Most people misuse the word couch. While you can certainly recline on a sofa, they are primarily meant for sitting. Stefan is the owner of Homedit.com – he started the site back in November 2008, from his passion for interior design and decorations and since then the site went from being a simple blog to one of the most popular home design websites on the web right now. Once you learn the characteristics that define each piece, you’ll never mistake one for another again. The word comes from an Old French verb “couche,” which means “to lie down,” and the design of couches reflects that meaning. Though there are differences between the two, both couch and sofa nowadays use the same type of materials. Uniform back: when you sit on any sofa you will find that the back of the sofa is mostly uniform back this is the biggest difference you will find in between a sofa and a couch. Couch and sofa are two very popular furniture types that add beauty to the room they are in. There are sofa surfers and couch potatoes. In some cultures, the same chair is referred to as sofa while, in others, couch is the more commonly used word for it. What is the Difference between a Couch and a Sofa Couch. Corsets were so tight in Victorian times that ladies found it hard even to breathe. A sofa is any upholstered seating furniture, with … You will see that people use the words couch and sofa to refer to the same comfortable chair meant for more than a single person that also has padding. So the difference in seating position is very different because in a sofa your feet would touch the floor but in a couch, reclining couch, fainting couch, chaise or chaise longue, your legs would be elevated. The two are actually very similar but differences do exist. Purchasing Sofas is very tricky and confusing. Today, most of these couches (still advertised as loveseats) are basically mini-sofas designed for smaller spaces like in apartments, or to complement full–sized sofas. Read This Article: Children Convertible Leather Sectional Sofa Colors However, to make the picture clearer, we can have a look at the roots of the two words. While Overstock calls a sofa an upholstered bench with cushions, two arms, and ample space for people to sit, a couch typically has no arms and is smaller than a sofa. In terms of size, there is a remarkable difference between a sofa and a couch. Read More: https://bit.ly/2JfvrD1However, many people get confused between a couch and a sofa. Couch vs Sofa vs Settee. Posted in How To, Tips, and Advice on January 14, 2011, Your email address will not be published. What is the Difference between a Couch and a Sofa – When perusing second-hand furniture you’ll discover numerous postings for both sofa and couch. https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-couch-and-vs-sofa • A couch is more informal that it is used mostly in private places such as a living room in a house. However, from certain historical and furniture-design points of view, there are real differences. However, both couches and sofas have evolved together and today the term is often used interchangeably. There are some exceptions. They generally have one or no arms and they are smaller than sofas, like a chaise lounge. The Definition of Sofa source: tremost.com But sofas and … However, you can see the following differences between couch and sofa. In most cases, couches are used in more casual and informal settings like in an entertainment room or a cozy living space. Manufacturing of Couch (COUCHER) As you know the sofa is made of wooden pieces but in the couch case, the manufacturer is different. But who has heard of a sofa potato? The difference between Chesterfield, Couch, Sofa & Settee? The first one comes from the Arabic term “suffah” which describes a bench covered with blankets and cushions.The second one comes from the French “couche” and it’s a piece of furniture that was popularly used in the Victorian era. • A sofa can seat four or more people. Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms. Couch, on the various other hand, owes its name to the French term’couche’standing for preferred Victorian seats area. A settee is shorter than a sofa, long enough to seat 2 people, also known as a loveseat. The terms “sofa” and “couch” have two very different origins. What is funny is that the synonym of sofa is given as couch and vice versa. It was made armless so that women could lie down easily on the couch. For example, some agree that sofas are more formal than couches … In a general context, we use these two words, interchangeably. In contrast, loveseats are designed to host only 2 people – so they have only 2 seats. Couch is supposedly with no arm like a chaise lounge. Sofa originates from the Arabic term’suffah ‘, describing benches covered with cushions as well as blankets. (Though it's rare to find couches without arms today.) You can find types with many overlapping features. (For the sake of simplicity, we’ll stick to sofa too.) A couch, a divan, and a sofa are the same thing, a seating piece that seats 3 or more people, depending on the length. There are many who think that the words are synonyms and use them interchangeably. When it comes to the function of a couch, a couch is more informal, and is found mostly in living rooms and bedrooms for the comfort of those who wish to recline while watching TV. "A couch is something lay on, curl up on, and let a dog sit on," says Rumley. Though the two words are usually used interchangeably in everyday speech, there is a slight difference. You will see that at least, the origins of the words give us a clue as to the differences in their structures. Difference between a Sofa and a Loveseat Definition. “A couch is where somebody crashes when they remain over. It's true that there are many ways of framing the semantic (or at least pragmatic) difference between "couch" and "sofa" (e.g. Although the word “couch” is usually used to refer to small or casual sofas, couches feature some distinct differences. The difference between a sofa and a couch is not exactly striking. So, whereas a couch has no arms, a sofa is characterized by two arms and a uniform back. It’s not just about a “couch vs. sofa” – it’s about dozens of different styles of each. Filed Under: Furniture Tagged With: couch, couch and sofa, couch definition, couche, couches, fainting couch, reclining seat, sofa, sofa and couch, sofa definition, Sofas, suffah, upholstered seat, Koshal is a graduate in Language Studies with a Master's Degree in Linguistics. My immediate answer was that it … a sofa seats 4 and a couch 3), but I sense a consensus is emerging at least around here (the Midwest) in which "sofa" is defined as a nicer / fancier "couch." The differences between a couch and a Sofa are not exactly surprising. I liked this answer I came across: "The couch/sofa example is different, I think. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Copyright © 2010-2018 Difference Between. The first thing you’ll notice is that couches or sofas are way wider than loveseats. Sofas symbolize style, class and taste and therefore are bought for living rooms. Sofas have arm rest and couches don’t. Over the years, there have been small design differences between the two. A couch is a low piece of furniture to lie on, similar to a bed, whereas a sofa is a more formal piece, used for design purposes. In terms of function, the difference between a sofa and couch is easily visible. However, this is not correct as will be evident after reading this article. In addition, sofas are usually upholstered. The Purple Modern Bathroom Design from Viva Ceramica, How To Design A Coffee Nook In Your Kitchen. The couch, chaise, chaise longue, fainting couch and reclining couch are all terms to describe an elongated chair shaped piece of furniture that supports the legs. But the difference between a couch and a sofa is that couches generally seat more than four people. With 48% calling it a couch. Another difference between the two pertains to a provision of a bed inside a sofa which is never found inside a couch. In fact, when you ask someone if there is any difference between a sofa and a couch, the answer you will get is likely a “no”. Your email address will not be published. Sofas are designed to provide more seating space and, of course, this also means they occupy more floorspace. Functionally, they really serve the same purpose: to rest. Sofa: Utilized for taking a seat; Sofa tends to seat more individuals. Added 02 January 2012 at 11:22 Of course they all mean the same today, but understanding where and when the word was introduced in England, allows you to sit back and relax. The differences between a sofa and a couch are not exactly striking. They seem to be a hybrid with one side being sofa (having arms and back) and the other being couch (having no arm and maybe a partial back like couch or chaise). Yes, a couch is designed to host at least 3 people – so it has 3 seats. In terms of function, the difference between a sofa and couch is easily visible. Basically, your pets and kids like … They are used in living rooms and they give out an elegant and classy vibe. • A sofa is used for sitting like a normal chair. So knowing the difference can be helpful when choosing out a seating option for your house. Who said deciding on a sofa was easy! These couches provided them with much needed relief as they could lie down and relax for some time. So to solve this problem, We already shared some buying guides such as best sectional sofas under 500$ and Under 300$. So don’t make the mistake of thinking they’re synonyms. As for their structure and shape, sofas usually feature two armrests and a uniform back while couches generally feature one armrest or none at all and a tapered back. Although many people interchange the terms couch and sofa, some see a couch as being more casual with large, soft cushions that invite you to lie down, whereas a sofa is more rigid, formal, and for optimal comfort needs to be sat on! 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Advice on January 14, 2011, your email address will not be published often used interchangeably that. Ladies found it hard even to breathe term is often used interchangeably in everyday,..., you are probably shopping for a couch is easily visible couches have a to! Are used resting ; couches have a look difference between sofa and couch the roots of the words sofa and couch. something on... And couch is used to lay down to take up least space inside a sofa is to... Typically armless, while sofas are designed to host only 2 people – they... And Advice on January 14, 2011, your pets and kids like … today it ’ where! To sofa too. sitting like a normal chair Twitter account, where we found that 56 % commonly to... Read more: https: //bit.ly/2JfvrD1However, many people get confused between a couch and a couch a! You will see that each has distinctive features that difference between sofa and couch it impossible for us to the! 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