This sofa is recommended by more interior designers than any other. It's also what many designers use in their own home (or so it was said somewhere on the Internet.) The English Roll Arm sofa. Here's why I've also chosen it as my next living room sofa.
The first sofa I ever liked was an English Roll Arm sofa. I didn't know it was called that and I didn't buy it but it was the first one I remember liking.
I didn't buy it as my first sofa because I thought it was too country for me. That was before I realized I really like country. It was also before I realized that the English Roll Arm sofa is more casual classic than it is country. But I probably saw it upholstered in a floral chintz and immediately deemed it Kountry. With a K. Which is worse than regular country.
I'm now 20 years into my sofa buying years and ready to purchase the 3rd sofa of my lifetime. If you're keeping track, your third sofa purchase usually takes place around the same time as your first blood pressure monitor purchase.
Handy.
I assumed when I decided on getting an English Roll Arm sofa my decision had been made. I just had to order one and make sure they sprayed on some of that Scotchgard-like stuff so the fabric wouldn't stain if I happened to accidentally dissect a chicken on it.
I was so very, very wrong.
English roll arm sofas like the one above (from the home of former J Crew President, Jenna Lyons) all look the same at first glance but all have subtle differences. Like noses.
Which is not to say that certain English roll arm sofas have noses, I mean of course that noses are essentially the same but different.
If you look at 10 English roll arm sofas they'll all be a bit different.
The English Roll Arm Sofa
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- The English roll arm sofa became popular in the 1800's. - O.K. If it's been around that long chances are I won't get bored with it.
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- It's characterized by a slightly sloped, tight back, low curved arms and a curved bottom frame to echo the curve of the arms. The seat cushion is a "T" cushion which makes the sofa feel and look a bit smaller than it actually is.
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- Modern versions of the English roll arm sofa might have loose cushions on the back and straighter arms and sides.
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- The style was made popular by furniture designer George Smith and the company still makes it. They call it the Standard Arm Signature Sofa. It starts at around $14,000.
Right.
So I won't be going original then. I go directly into bad body odour smell when my cat throws up on my $1,000 sofa let alone a $14,000 one. My nerves couldn't take it.
I will have to pick one that comes as close to the original as I can find.
Again, this is a look at an original George Smith sofa with a tight back, down cushions, curved arms and curved sides.
The Standard
I should mention this style is also used for chairs - fit for a Queen. If you're going for an English look, this is the couch you want.
When looking for something outrageously overpriced and stunningly beautiful head to Restoration Hardware.
Their version of the English roll arm sofa is chunkier than the original in the arms and also has a loose cushion back. It's not what I want.
Excellent. I dodged a bullet made of money that I don't have there.
So I headed to the opposite end of the retail furniture scale - Ikea.
Their version looks like a regular couch that they put pleated arm sleeves on. The back is loose cushions, the sides and arms are straight. No. This is not my couch.
Enter a couch designed by a former television colleague of mine - interior designer Jane Lockhart.
If it weren't for the loose cushions on the back, this would be my couch. The arms and sides are right plus I like the turned legs.
The Rose Sofa, a collaboration between The Everygirl and Interior Define is pretty perfect.
Design wise it's as close to the original as I could ever want. But it's in America so I can't sit on it. The proportions are exactly what I need and there are a fair amount of colours to choose from. What I don't like is you can't seem to choose what type of foam/filling you want. I definitely want foam cushions surrounded by down. There is no room for negotiation on this point.
Hello Pottery Barn! What do you have to offer?
A pretty good looking couch with a tightback, caster legs that I love, a fair amount of curve to the arm but no curve on the bottom. Plus it looks a bit stiff. Does it look a bit stiff to you?
O.K. the offering from Cococo Home (short for Comfortable Couch Company) actually has the word comfortable in its name. That has to mean something.
But Cococo Home is an American company. They will ship to Canada but I'm the kind of brave that will eat corn fungus or rip up a floor on a whim. I'm not the kind of brave that will order a couch without ever having seen it in real life or at on it. That's just crazy talk. I think. Is it? I used to think putting cilantro on anything was crazy talk too but now I love it.
At this point I'm getting confused, a bit tired and very definitely have elevated blood pressure. I know. I checked.
This brings me to what looks to be very authentic representation of George Smith's English roll arm sofa. It's made by Roger & Chris and what makes it so remarkable is the amount of options you have. The sofa has 10 different lengths, 9 different leg options, 6 different nail head options and 1073 fabrics or leathers to pick from.
Also it's only 40" deep. Most of these roll arm sofas are between 41' and 43" deep. Lee Industries makes a beautiful English roll arm but it's 42" deep. That's actually this sofa's thing - being a sofa that's so huge and deep you can tuck your legs up under yourself and still have enough room at the front of the sofa for chicken dissection.
After my International search I may, MAY have found what I'm looking for at a Canadian furniture manufacturer that's in Toronto, just 45 minutes from house.
Strap on that blood pressure cuff. Now I have to pick a colour.
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Hi, I've read your blog above about the english rolls arm sofa. Lastly you said you may have found your sofa and were heading to a location 45 minutes from your home but you never said the name of it. Did I miss it. didn't sound like Lee Industries as it was too big a sofa and roger and chris are in the states. Can you let me know where you headed to so I can also check this location for the english roll arm sofa. I need to sit on my sofa of choice.
Hi there. Can you please share the name of the sofa manufacturer in Toronto that you found, and whether you were indeed pleased with their English roll arm sofa? I would be so grateful to know. Thank you.
Would you please share the reply to Liz Hughes ? Thank you for a very informative article .
Hi Celine! This is horrible, but I can't remember the name of the manufacturer! Regardless, now, many years after I wrote this post there are a lot more options in English Roll Arms. Robin Bruce has a very nice softback. Even more horrifying, I have to tell you I STILL haven't got a new sofa.😆 ~ karen!
OMG you’re freakin hilarious! I found you on Pinterest- and looking for that 4th couch for me, and yep…it’s about blood pressure time! lol! Close enough anyways. You probably won’t get this because it’s now 2021, but thanks for all the research on this sofa! I’m seriously debating velvet…and I’m gonna make the drive to COCOCO! It’s about 8hrs, but I’m thinking for the price, my arse better sit in it first! Wish me luck! Happy new follower😂
Really enjoyed this blog article. All your points are my points to a T! .....Even to the point that I did spring for the English Roll Arm Sofa from Cococo Home. I have been extremely please with the style and quality. Even to the point after approx 10 years the seat cushions started to compress just a bit, the company has backs up their service ...where they sent me brand new updated technology replacement cushions for just $35 a piece....I needed 3. (Used their foam with down surrounded.) OMG made such a difference. Highly recommend Cococo Home for service and quality. Thanks for the article
Thanks for this post! Love Roger + Chris!
I remember trying to find a mattress (freshly off the plane from Europe) in the US. It was really time consuming - I hated every single minute of it! Now onto the sofa... I have to say that I do not like Restoration Hardware at all. The sofas look nice on their website but if you look at them secondhand (friends' home or craiglist ads) you'll see that they sag/wrinkle a lot - they basically do not look good at all after a few months. I always look at pics of sofas secondhand. Love a good English roll arm though (my husband is British and it is a classic there!).
I will definitely read your blog!
I still haven't found the perfect English roll arm sofa, lol. I have a small room and their normally 42" depth is hard to accommodate. ~ karen!
Please please do let us know if you find a reasonably iced English roll arm. I hav3 gone bananas trying to find a Canadian manufacturer that won’t cost an arm, a leg and my head!
I am *STILL* looking! And I'm at the point where I'd be happy to pay with all my body parts just to find the right one. ~ karen!
Karen were you able to source out a reasonably priced English roll arm in Canada? I can’t seem to find it at a reasonable price....been looking for it since many years. Gone through a gluckstein and ikea ektorp....this time I really want the traditional roll arm with the turned legs and casters. Please help....!
So I took the plunge and ordered the teal velvet sofa from Roger + Chris.
On a recent drive through North Carolina, (out of sheer coincidence and luck with timing) I had the opportunity to tour the Roger + Chris factory.
I saw the sofa first hand and picked out my fabric on the spot.
Now the wait to have it made and figure out how to get the sofa to Toronto.
I’ll post a pic when it arrives.
Oh! That's great! Plus you got to sit on it! And picking out the fabric in person is wayyyy better. Keep me updated! ~ karen
Yep, I sat on it and it was great.....and it’s 38” deep.......
1) tight backs are notoriously fickle things. very few manufacturers make good tight backs.
That is at least as much because they design their furniture to last under arbitrary circumstances.... kids... heavy people... lots of people... people who are extremely abusive or heavily use their furniture....
The result?
Almost all tight backs are spring backs with 1-3" thick layer of medium or firm foam.
These are not comfortable. Also the angle is usually terrible.
You need to go to a bespoke/custom furniture manufacturer who is willing to make a sofa FOR YOU to get a good tight back.
Keep in mind that in the retail furniture industry, a lot of furniture is made by 1 company: American Leather (DWR and Room and Board, notably, though not the only ones). They make their tight backs the same way. It also restricts HOW they make their tight backs because they won't do tack strip, meaning all their stuff is slipcover/european style upholstery. Its nice, but it can restrict how, for example, certain design and ergonomic elements of the frame are implemented in the back (because this upholstery style influences how the back and possibly arms are upholstered).
2) The depth of an english roll arm is the OVERALL depth. English roll arms have an angled back.
The tippy tip top of the back sticks out from the frame. Thus the "effective" frame depth of an english roll arm is closer to a 38 or 39 when the overall depth is 42"
3) T seat cushions are, indeed, the only way to make an english roll arm correctly (I cant even imagine what kind of monstrosity would be created with the arms all the way forward), but it also means you can't flip the seats in place. You have to reposition/flip (right flips upside down and goes to left side, and reverse).
this just means 1 fewer opportunity to "maintain" your seat cushions. Or it means you have to sit on both sides of your sofa.
4) scotch guard products are terrible. Alta is terrible. Krypton is terrible. The stuff they put on sunbrella is terrible.
Seriously none of these coating products do anything other than prevent LITERALLY JUST LIQUID AND NOTHING ELSE from staining your cushions.
All of these products are WORSE than the base fabric, be it a polyester, polyester/rayon/acrylic blend, 100% acrylic, cotton, cotton/viscose, wool, mohair, PU, Vinyl, whatever.
They cling to lint. This is a big issue for jeans. Jeans lint is dark. You sit on a white sofa and you leave a dark butt print.
SEE: Alta fabrics.
They are rarely dry cleanable unless you use specialty dry cleaning products created solely for that speicific type of fabric/coating. in other words: You can't just take it to the dry cleaners
SEE: Sunbrella/Perennials
They provide identically zero increase in durability. The coatings also come off over time and have to be reapplied periodically to keep them functioning properly
SEE: Sunbrella/Alta
If you want to be serious:
Save the money on the fabric and buy a $120 home upholstery cleaner and resign yourself to the fact that you will have to clean the arms on your sofa once per year.
Resign yourself to the fact that you will have to flip your cushions once every few months, even with ridiculous 2.8 or 3.0 PCF foam or latex cushions that are super durable.
Resign yourself to the fact that you will have to wash your cushion covers once a year.
And realize that 100% polyesters can almost always be machined washed even when they say S cleaning code. No heat. Hang dry.
S cleaning code is like the manufacturers "default answer" to how to clean the fabric.
Dorrell, Morgan, Leslie Jee, Plaza, Direct, etc. are all guilty of this.
That is a detailed answer, lol. I've since sat in many roll arm sofas and as it turns out they're just too deep for me and I agree the angled back is tricky. Lee Industries has a beautiful one but it's way too big. My first sofa was a custom made tightback sofa and I loved it. I'm not just wandering through life until the perfect sofa hits me in the face. Hopefully it'll be velvet, that won't hurt as much. ~ karen!
Hello Karin! Did you know that Silva is having an open to the public, Floor Model sale this weekend? Details are on their website (http://www.silva4home.com/)
I did. I've already been in contact with them. They don't have my couch on the floor. :) ~ karen!