Sofas: Part Of The British Way Of Life
When it comes to the traditions of this tiny but great country of ours, there are many to uphold. Over many centuries the British way of life has been hugely admired from our Royal family to our designer fashions and from our dry sense of humour to our tea drinking; our perspective on life is lovingly known as unique.
We’ve gotten quite a history over the centuries, in this small nation of bowler hats and fish and chips. From the Anglo-Saxons to the Victorians and everyone in between, we’ve accomplished a lot through the many eras of British history, from wars fought and countries conquered to the invention of the television and the victory of a World Cup. During these times we sparked our own traditions from events that took place like bonfire night to celebrate the story of Guy Fawkes, we pipe in the Haggis to make merry on Burns night and there are plough blessings in the anticipation of fruitful crops. There are also pancake races to celebrate Shrove Tuesday, Cheese rolling in Gloucestershire to rejoice in the hand-made dairy or weekends down the local public house to celebrate days that end in a ‘Y’… As a nation it seems that we hardly need any excuse for a celebration or commemoration of some sort – even the Queen has two birthdays!
We might be traditionalist at heart, but us Brits are very accustomed to our modern home comforts, and we love nothing more than sinking into our trusty sofa. From the refined show homes of every polished society to the studio flat of every student; the sofa is the hub of our conscious home-life. No longer just for the elite, even those of us not jetting off to Aspen for a long weekend or lining a red carpet at an upmarket event, now own a sofa – and if we’re honest, we all probably spent an unfeasibly long time picking it out too.
The reason why this item of furniture commands so much of our attention is simple; it’s our home’s centrepiece, our stalwart, our place of refuge and our realm of entertainment all rolled into one and so it feels as British as a roast dinner. We kick back and relax with friends or snuggle up to our other half, or shout at the ref during the game with a few cans and some mates. We also cry solitary into the cushions after a bad day, comfort a grieving friend with a cuppa, sit gaming against a family member and we yell at the kids as they trampoline on it. So much of our lives can be attributed back to that one focal point in your house, like where were you sitting when you read an important letter? Where were you perched when you heard some amazing news?
We can thank another tradition for the creation of our beloved lounger as Britain’s skilled tradesmen have literally shaped our domains over the years. One look through an antique store will show you the bespoke craftsmanship employed throughout the centuries, clearly showcasing our unique flair for design. Our slightly odd sense of humour and irony is still generally misunderstood, we still produce some of the world’s greatest designers and our Royal family is known everywhere – not much has changed in Britain, really.
We rely on our British traditions and let’s face it: a bank holiday weekend wouldn’t be the same without a spot of rain… oh, and a sofa sale.
Why not maintain this great British tradition and pick yourself out your perfect leather sofa or sofa bed?
