Le Corbusier

LC2 Grand Confort sofa, by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand, 1928 The idea still startles: a polished steel cage on the outside with the cushions simply dropped in, so the frame a sofa normally hides becomes the whole design. Seen from behind, as pictured, the three-seater shows that construction plainly; the two-seater is the same box with one place fewer. It sits upright and firm, closer to a smart reception room than a film night, so it suits a formal living room or a study better than a family den. Cassina makes the official version at a serious price, and the shape is copied so widely that a cheap one is almost certainly not the real thing. For softer lounging, try the larger LC3.