BRISTOL SOFA

Bristol is a Chesterfield with the volume turned up. Rolled arms at seat height, a deeply buttoned back, and metal-capped legs that give the base a hard edge under all that softness. In polished leather the tufting catches light along every pleat, which is what makes the sofa read from across a room rather than only up close.

The tufting

Each button is pulled and tied by hand so the pleats fall in one direction across the back and arms. High-density foam underneath is what holds the pattern square; a softer filling would let the buttons sink and the diamonds lose their geometry within a year or two.

Frame and leather

Kiln-dried beech frame, dried before upholstery so it stays still in a heated room. Bristol is finished in polished leather by default — the glossy surface is part of the design — but it can be ordered in any of our seventy-six shades across twelve leather families, or in fabric. Stitching, piping and cushion configuration are chosen at the time of order.

Sizes

Three standard widths, listed above. Each can be made narrower or wider and the seat depth changed; the arm roll and button spacing are re-set with it, so the diamonds stay even instead of stretching.

Where it belongs

Bristol wants a room with some weight to it — a panelled study, a hotel bar, a private club, a director's office. It is not a background piece. Against a plain wall and good light it does most of the decorating on its own.