Sitdesign Design Philosophy: Form, Comfort and Materials

Sitdesign has been making furniture since 1983, and every piece is made in our own factory in Büyükçekmece, Istanbul. This explains most of how we work today: we build seating and furniture where we can control each step, from the frame to the final seam.

This article sets out our approach in plain terms: how we think about form, how comfort is built into a seat, which materials we use and why, and where you can see the results in finished projects and at trade fairs.

Everything under one roof

Having all production in our own factory shapes what we can offer. When frame building, foam cutting and upholstery happen in one place, a change to one part can be checked against the others before the piece is finished. In practice, a client notices this in three ways:

• Custom dimensions on request. The catalogue has standard models, and many of them can be adjusted in length, depth or height when a room or a project needs it.
• Clear lead times. Upholstered pieces take 3–4 weeks and wood pieces 6–8 weeks.
• Handmade work. Every piece is made by hand in the factory, so details such as seams, piping and the fit of the leather are checked piece by piece.

Form starts with the room

A sofa is judged first by its proportions, not by its decoration. Before choosing a model, it helps to measure the room and decide how the piece should sit in it. These are general rules we often use when discussing a layout:

• A sofa usually looks settled when it covers roughly two-thirds of the wall behind it.
• Keep about 80–90 cm for main walkways and 40–45 cm between the sofa and the coffee table.
• A coffee table typically sits at or slightly below seat height, around 38–45 cm.
• Low arms and a lower back keep a room open; higher arms and a higher back make a seating area feel more enclosed.

The same thinking applies across the range, whether you are looking at our sofa collection and a model such as the Platon sofa, or at a dining piece such as the Bellini dining chair, where seat height and table height have to work together. For dining, a gap of roughly 28–32 cm between the seat and the table top is a common guide.

Comfort is built in layers

Comfort is not the same as softness. A seat that feels soft on the first day but loses its shape after a year has not done its job. We build comfort in layers, and each layer has a clear role:

• Frame: kiln-dried beech. Drying the timber before use reduces movement, so joints stay tight and the frame keeps its geometry.
• Springing: sprung seating under the cushion spreads the load and gives the seat its first response when you sit down.
• Foam: high-resilience (HR) foam, which returns to shape after use and supports the body instead of letting it sink.
• Upholstery: leather or fabric, cut and fitted so that it follows the shape without loose folds.

Seat depth and seat height decide how these layers feel in daily use. As general guidance, a seat depth of 55–60 cm suits upright sitting and conversation, while 60–70 cm suits lounging. Seat height is commonly 42–46 cm; taller people often prefer the upper end of that range. Our article on the anatomy of a sofa explains each layer in more detail.

Materials: genuine leather and fabric

We work with genuine leather and do not offer leather substitutes. Our range covers 76 leather colours in 12 colour families, and Italian leathers form our top leather group. Choosing between leathers is mostly a choice of finish:

• Aniline leathers show the natural grain and develop a patina; they feel soft but mark more easily.
• Semi-aniline leathers have a light protective layer, a practical balance for living rooms used every day.
• Pigmented leathers have a coloured surface coat that resists stains and fading, which suits busy homes, offices and hotels.

Fabric upholstery is also possible, and we accept customer's own material (COM) when a project has a specified fabric. Because colour looks different on a screen, we send leather samples on request so you can see them in your own light. Our leather materials page shows the colour families side by side.

Projects and fairs as evidence

An approach is easiest to judge in finished work. Sitdesign furniture has been part of residential, hospitality and yacht projects, including:

• Radisson Blu Leogrand in Chișinău
• the CAMILA and AL REEM yachts by Bilgin Yachts
• the Folkart Nefes, Göl İstanbul and Yeşilyaka Su villas in Büyükçekmece
• the Yalı Ataköy residence and the West Marina residence
• a villa in Lomé, Togo, and the Sanel Asansör headquarters in Denizli

We have also presented the collection at trade fairs: IIFF 2026 (27–31 January 2026, TÜYAP Istanbul) and IIFF 2024, CNR İMOB 2020 and 2018 at CNR Expo, and İSMOB 2017 and 2016 at TÜYAP. Photos from our stand at CNR İMOB 2020 show how the pieces look together in one setting, which is often more useful than a single product photo.

What this means when you order

Put together, an order with us usually follows a simple sequence:

1. Choose a standard model from the catalogue as the starting point.
2. Check its dimensions against your room and ask for adjustments if needed.
3. Select leather or fabric, using samples rather than screen colours.
4. Confirm the details in writing; the piece is then made in the factory within the lead times above.

If you are planning a living room, a residence or a larger project, send us your room dimensions and the models you are considering. Through our contact page you can request leather samples and a quote.