If you're looking for a multifunctional yet elegant piece of furniture to add a new dimension to a room then that classic piece of French style furniture, the chaise longue, could be the perfect choice. The chaise longue has been a highly sought-after item of French style furniture since it's rebirth by French designers in the 16th and 17th century. Prior to this, the chaise longue in varying styles had been used across the world to provide a comfortable alternative to the chair, and a more practical, and mobile, alternative to a traditional bed.

Chaise longue in literal translation from the French, means 'long chair' and despite its origin or time in history, every version of this now popular French style furniture piece served as a useful item for that most important of human activities - resting! There are pictorial references in mediaeval images, where they were used in large tents in camp villages. Royals who took to receiving visitors in their bed chambers also became fond lovers of the chaise longue, which were shrouded by draped materials to encourage warmth and a sense of luxury. Before it became synonymous with French style furniture, the Italians adopted a similar furniture piece for camping, with luxurious and comfortable cushions being added to protect the user from the hard wooden construction.

Because of its unique design, combining the style of French chairs with a more reclining and comfy bed, the chaise longue is a versatile piece of French furniture that can be used anywhere in the home. In a child's room, these fairytale French chairs can make a little girl feel like a princess, or give a boy an extra sleeping space for when he has a friend staying over for a midnight feast. For students who may be confined to one small room as their living space, it can provide seating for a couple of people without taking up as much room as a sofa, somewhere to chill out when studying, or a handy place to chuck all of those clothes that should really go in the wardrobe! Read More...