Introduction

We have all heard the name ‘Chesterfield’, and most of us could recognise the iconic sofa at a glance, but many of you are asking the same question. Why are Chesterfield Sofas called Chesterfields?

The sofa itself first appeared in the home of the 4th Earl of Chesterfield, but it was many years before the sofa took on its now-famous name, and longer still before the sofa became the recognisable status symbol both in the UK and around the world.

The Link Between the Chesterfield Sofa and the Earl of Chesterfield

Around the mid-1700s, it’s said that Lord Phillip Stanhope, the 4th Earl of Chesterfield, decided to commission a new type of sofa which allowed men to sit upright without creasing their suits.

Although we cannot be sure of this, it’s a widely accepted legend that on his deathbed, Lord Stanhope said to his butler, “give Mr Dayrolles a chair” – meaning of course that he should bring in a chair for his godson, Mr Dayrolles, to sit on. It’s believed that his butler misunderstood the statement as “gift Mr Dayrolles my chair”, and so the iconic Chesterfield sofa was bequeathed to his godson.

This explains the origin of the Chesterfield sofa, and the reasons for its name, despite it being popularised by Mr Dayrolles, who would frequently invite guests over who quite liked the sofa and would go on to have Chesterfield sofas of their own commissioned.

What Is a Chesterfield Sofa? Defining the Design

What is a Chesterfield sofa and why did the style become so popular? Although the sofa style has changed in many ways since its aristocratic origins, the traditional Chesterfield sofa had certain key features that would come to define it.

You will recognise a Chesterfield sofa by its broad, rolled arms, which are the same height as its low back. The sofa was originally crafted using fine leather upholstery fixed with button tufting and stuffed with horsehair. Of course, we have now moved on to modern stuffing materials, and the Chesterfield sofa is available in a wide range of fabrics and colours, but the iconic low seat and structured silhouette keep the sofa recognisable.

From Aristocratic Seating to Victorian Icon

The original Chesterfield was built for function and style, but the design itself was not very comfortable. By the mid-19th century, springs had been patented and were starting to be introduced to furniture, including the Chesterfield, making them less rigid and more forgiving to sit down on for longer periods. Additionally, the button tufting – which was very prominent and could irritate the backs of legs – was changed to a deep-button tufting; maintaining the style but making it much more comfortable to sit on.

Now that the Victorian era had its own take on the iconic sofa, the popularity of the Chesterfield sofa boomed. It was comfortable, stylish, and a recognised status symbol, which was helped by the invention and then commercialisation of cameras. Family portraits set around a Chesterfield sofa cemented the design’s place in history.

This British design was now found in upper-class homes up and down the country, but its popularity wouldn’t stop there.

Why Chesterfields became so Closely Linked with Luxury

Given the aristocratic origins of the Chesterfield sofa, it’s no surprise that owning your own Chesterfield became a status symbol and must-have for many upper-class homes. It wasn’t long before this sofa started to appear in more public spaces such as gentlemen’s clubs, libraries and offices, to lend them some of its authority and class.

Over time, with the help of the British Empire, the sofa began to spread internationally, even making it as far as Canada, where the word ‘Chesterfield’ had become a general term for a sofa.

The more popular the sofa became, the more businesses were manufacturing them, and the more competitive the pricing became. Soon enough, this once luxury item was appearing in everyday homes and was no longer just for the wealthy. Perhaps the reason for the Chesterfield’s enduring history is that it became less of a status symbol and more of a style icon.

Common Questions About Chesterfield Sofas

Was the Chesterfield sofa really invented by the Earl of Chesterfield?

Although the original carpenter who created it remains unknown, it is generally accepted that Lord Phillip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, commissioned a sofa for his home, which later became known as the Chesterfield sofa.

Are all Chesterfield sofas made from leather?

No, while the sofa was originally made exclusively in leather, in the 80s and 90s there was a popular trend for velvet Chesterfield sofas in bright colours, and now they are readily available in velvet, cotton, leather and other materials, as well as a range of colours.

Did Chesterfield once mean any sofa?

A Chesterfield refers only to one type of sofa in most parts of the world, however in Canada, Chesterfield was once synonymous with sofa and some still refer to sofas as Chesterfields, although this is falling out of fashion.

Why are Chesterfields associated with therapists and Freud?

Sigmund Freud, arguably the most famous therapist and psychoanalyst, firmly believed that patients would be more honest if they were comfortable. He therefore had them lie down on a Chesterfield sofa for their sessions, in order to relax them. It is believed that as he opened more practices across Europe, each one had to have a Chesterfield sofa available for patients to lie on, although we cannot be sure if this is true.

Are modern Chesterfields still true to the original design?

There have been some key design changes to both the upholstery and seating of the sofa to make it more comfortable over the years, but visually they still look very similar to the original to this day. Of course, there are now many different versions of the Chesterfield sofa available, which take more liberties with the original design, but they are all still recognisable and true at least to the spirit of the original.

Conclusion

Although he never got to see it, the Earl of Chesterfield created something both timeless and iconic when he had that sofa commissioned. There is a very long and, at times, concerning list of things to come out of the Victorian era, but we will include the Chesterfield sofa as it was the Victorians who took the sofa to the height of its popularity and gave it such a rich history.

It is incredible to think that something so old can still be found in modern homes to this day and is still an irrefutable symbol of someone’s taste.

Now that you understand where this sofa got its name, perhaps you’ll want to explore what has happened to it since, and the many different styles, materials, and colour options that are now available within the Chesterfield family.