Archive Dive: 13 Built-In Sofas, Trend Edition

Have you been swayed yet by the built-in sofa? They’re space-efficient, good for maximizing lounge opportunities in a big space or squeezing a wee settee into a tight spot. They make a visual statement. And they never need replacing.

Here, 13 variations on the theme from designers and architects the world over:

Above: Plantea Estudio designed built-in linen sofas in the living areas for this home in a small fishing town on the north coast of Spain. See more in Casa Guzman: A Family’s Generations-Spanning Coastal Home Gets an Inspired Update by Plantea Estudio; photograph by Germán Saiz.
Above: “We designed this reading nook with an oversized plush cushion,” says designer Sarah Solis; the window seat is conveniently tucked between bookshelves. Photograph by Rennie Solis from Before & After: A 1924 Spanish-Style Villa in Laurel Canyon Gets an Update, 99 Years On.

Above: A good way to make use of unused corners, as seen in Geometry Prize: 12 Ideas for Tight Quarters (and Others) from Precision Design Stars Casa Josephine. Photograph by Pablo Zamora, courtesy of Casa Josephine Studio.
Above: A wrap-around sofa faces the garden in this project by designer Brem Perera; see A Rising Design Star Introduces Warmth and Familiarity to a Sweeping New Build in Melbourne. Photograph by Lillie Thompson.
Above: Guest rooms at Little Cat Lodge in upstate New York are fitted with built-in lounges. Photograph by Chris Mottalini, courtesy of LoveIsEnough, from “Born Into Yesterday”: 11 Quirky Ideas to Steal from Little Cat Lodge in Upstate NY.
Above: A stripy version at Hotel Le Sud in France, as seen in Let There Be Light: A Guesthouse Inspired by Picasso.
Above: Built-in sofas, pink edition, via La Vie en Papotte: A 15th-Century Mill in Burgundy, France, Redone by Heju.
Above: France-born, Spain-based designer and collector Serge Castella turned a built-in bench into a combination seat (with cushions upholstered in vintage floral fabric, found in Hawaii) and log storage. See more in Spanish Eclectic: An Airy Stable Turned Guest House on the Mediterranean Coast. Photograph by Manolo Yllera, courtesy of Serge Castella Interiors.
Above: A bold built-in lends the feel of a retreat to an apartment in Rome by Studio Strato, as seen in Roman Holiday: A Top-Floor City Apartment That Channels Mediterranean Summer.
Above: And a curvilinear version, in a villa in the South of France designed in the late 1920s. Interior designer and stylist Lauren Olivia softened it with cushions covered in linen throws. Photograph by Sarah Button from Organic Architecture on the Côte d’Azur: A Jacques Couëlle Villa with a New Kitchen Extension.
Above: A large, low built-in sofa makes use of space in a loft in Portland, Oregon—particular with drawers underneath. See What’s Old Is New: A Pearl District Loft in Portland Gets a New Shell; photograph by Aaron Leitz, courtesy of Jessica Helgerson Interior Design.
Above: Low-slung and laid-back in a Hawaiian cottage; Hawaiian Summer: A Charm-Filled Stone Carriage House on the Maui Coast, Restored.
Above: A custom built-in sofa anchors a wellness expert’s NYC living room. See The Healthful Apartment: A Wellness Expert Finds Serenity on the Lower East Side.

More inspiration from the Remodelista archives:

• Archive Dive: 7 Wrap-Around Sink Skirts in the Bath
• Architectural Built-Ins for the Bedroom: 15 Favorites from the Archives
• Pretty in Pink: 9 Rosy-Hued Kitchens from the Remodelista Archives

N.B.: This story originally ran on January 18, 2024 and has been updated.