The Spatial Confusion of a Misplaced Couch

After weeks without a weekend break, and evenings spent occupied with household chores, the opportunity of a long weekend finally afforded a much-needed rest. The comfortable lounge chairs in my home had sat empty for far too long, supporting the dog, a handful of outdated magazines, and the odd accumulation of clean laundry in my place. Initially excited to lounge and sprawl across these padded surfaces, I soon realised how limiting this restful area had become. To enjoy ‘nothingness,’ one had to retrieve their laptop to watch Netflicks, recover a half-completed book from rooms away, and continually carry every tea or snack item into and out of the space on a tray. The novelty of being able to flop on the lounge wore off very quickly, for external stimulation was limited in this peaceful and serene space.

The couch is a surreal transitional space, as it entices the visitor to decelerate their speed of life. By relinquishing a desire for efficiency of productivity during this occupation, it entices the sitter to adjust one’s current concerns through the sensation of softening. Depending on the style, material and spatial arrangement of surrounding furniture, the couch particularly creates a response of comfort on all physical, mental and emotional levels. Fused with the ambience of a room, a misplaced couch therefore has the ability to instil a feeling of discomfort through ill-conceived designs. A permanently reclined position may enhance spatial separation between friends, a deep-seated low back lounge may present the need for short legs to dangle above the floor, or high armrests comprised of a tubular steel and leather combination could create a sudden cold shudder during a wintery evening. Any of these influences can remove the possibility of comfort simply by being less suited to the visiting occupant of this seemingly comfortable seat.

Living in numerous house-shares over the years, I’ve learned how couches can be used for a multitude of purposes. As a gathering space, a crowd of people perch watching the latest episode of Big Bang theory; as a sleeping space, you find a handful of strangers enjoying a nap after drinking to excess; and as an organisational space, contents of any nearby cupboard are emptied onto its padded surface as you begin dusting off the cobwebs of unused items. Designed initially as an extension of the surrounding architecture, the couch has slowly transformed into an exception of the rule in a domestic environment. Comfort, plush cushions and forgiving upholstery ensure the area can be well used by any family member, based on the set of spatial rules set out by the home owner. In a commercial or work environment couches do not tend to extend the luxury of contentment to ease the weary body of those in need. Instead, couches seem to preserve the idea of a comfortable sanctuary, waiting for perfect guest or stack of papers in need of some special treatment.

I recall visiting the family home of a childhood friend, and as a group of grotty children, not being allowed into the formal lounge room at birthday parties. Herded into the lino-filled sunroom containing old furniture and bean bags instead, we understood this secondary space purely for grown-ups as something to aspire to, created through hard work and a good job. Upon visiting this house again during my late teens, I looked into this formal lounge room and discovered it as untouched as the day I last saw it many years before. The lounge in particular, had been covered with plastic, and as adults, we were still not allowed to enter this strange space reserved for the very best of guests. There was something very hollow about the room for the couch did not looked loved, suggesting limited family gatherings had taken place between the years of my absence.

Whenever I visit a friend’s house, I am able to determine just how much time is spent lolling on a couch, based on how dirty it is. If crumbs, questionable stains, and a tired armrest greet me, I often suggest we sit at the dining table. On the other hand, if the couch is immaculate, such as a white leather lounge, I think light thoughts, hoping my denim jeans will not leave an imprint after I leave. The couch, like a pair of old slippers, is a very personalised reflection of the occupant’s desire to ‘take a load off.’ Similar to having a sticky-beak in their wardrobe of ‘around the house clothes,’ such as a favourite sweatshirt and tracky-dacks that would never see the light of day for any visitor; the couch displays the ways in which an occupant chooses to spend their wind-down time. Whether it be a few hours by the tv after work, eating takeout on the couch as a special treat, or stretching out reading a favourite book series on a chaise lounge, couches have muddled the sleep space of the bedroom mattress, with the formal seating of a dining room setting. Whatever one uses their favourite spot on the lounge for, one thing is certain – the depth of the groove you have neatly shaped out is the perfect support for your derriere.