The Chesterfield leather sofa is iconic and at Thomas Lloyd we have been manufacturing Chesterfield leather furniture since 1981. Its antiqued leather design will be loved for many generations, making it an unforgettable piece in any home. The Chesterfield leather sofa is incredibly popular so we have a range of styles and colours to suit anyone’s taste. As with all our furniture, the classic Chesterfield is handmade to an exceptional standard by skilled craftsmen in Wales.
Best known for their historic yet timeless design, and the sense of warmth and character they add to any room, Chesterfield sofas are the type of furniture piece that only looks better with the passage of the years. Typically made using high quality grain leather, Chesterfield sofas are set apart from similar alternatives by their thickly padded seats, back and arms.
The Chesterfield sofa is synonymous with comfort and quality, thanks to the abundance of charm, style and character it brings to any home – few leather sofas come close to the fascinating, rich heritage of the Chesterfield. It’s considered a true classic and a symbol of traditional English craftsmanship worldwide.
Named after the 4th the Earl of Chesterfield, Phillip Stanhope, the Chesterfield sofa possesses the unique ability to look stunning in any room, regardless of its size and style, and turn even the smallest of spaces into interior decoration masterpieces.
Featuring deep buttoned, low base seats and quilted leather upholstery, the Chesterfield is a larger, more luxurious take on the classic style and build of the settee; their most distinguishing trait being the continuous height of their arms and backs.
What makes Chesterfield sofas so special is their versatility – they are a rare solution, in that they complement most interior design styles and decorations. Chesterfield style sofas make for the perfect sophisticated center piece to any living room, and work especially well with contemporary and traditional decors.
A genuine style icon, Chesterfield sofas are a paragon of elegance and sophistication, and are greatly esteemed by anyone who values good form, substance and style. In addition to their style benefits, Chesterfields are also incredibly practical, durable and hard-wearing.
Whatever your personal taste is, there is a Chesterfield sofa collection to match it. Whether it’s a classy addition to your character property or a statement piece for your contemporary apartment, there’s a perfect Chesterfield sofa to suit any environment.
Built with a family house environment in mind, Chesterfield sofas are designed to withstand the harsh treatments and wears of domestic life. They are particularly well suited to cope with spillages – a wipe down with a damp cloth is completely sufficient for them to recover and be returned to their original spotless condition.
Moreover, leather Chesterfield sofas are incredibly resilient – built to very high standards, from sturdy and robust hardwood and finely grained leather upholstery, the sofas are built to last! Quality Chesterfield sofas are essentially a timeless piece of furniture with a wealth of history behind them.
Chesterfield sofas come in a variety of choices to meet any budget, and thanks to the extremely high quality, you can rest assured that your sofa will last for years to come, regardless of the size of your investment. Besides, thanks to the guaranteed resilience which is a distinctive feature of all Chesterfield ranges, it would be at least a decade before you have to even start thinking about replacing your sofa with a new one.
Comfort should always come first when choosing a Chesterfield sofa. As a piece of furniture you are going to use daily, a leather sofa needs to be manufactured from quality materials, like the high-grade foam used to make all our Chesterfields, to ensure a maximum level of comfort.
Another thing worth your consideration prior to purchasing a Chesterfield sofa is what colour would best match the décor of the room it’s intended for. Having come a long way from the days when they came in only brown or black, our Chesterfields are available in a choice of colours to meet most interior design requirements.
You should also ensure your selected manufacturer or retailer offers a genuine guarantee, as buying a Chesterfield sofa is a significant investment. Here at Thomas Lloyd, all of our Chesterfield sofas have a two year manufacturer’s warranty and, as an added sign of confidence in the quality of our sofas, a 21 day ‘no quibble’ money back or exchange guarantee.
Leather Chesterfield sofas also come in a number of variants for you to choose from depending on your individual preferences and style – you could stick to the elegant look of the traditional Chesterfield or furnish your living room with one of the more cushioned alternatives for an extra boost of softness – like the bestselling Cambridge leather sofa, whose pocket sprung seats allow you to fully sink into the comfort of the sofa. Alternatively, you can add a classy touch to your interior design while providing extra support for your head and neck with the stunning high backed Chesterfield Belgravia range.
Despite the origin story of this iconic furniture piece being widely shrouded in mystery, the Oxford English Dictionary dates the use of the term ‘Chesterfield’ back to the 1800s, when it was used across England to describe a leather couch.
It’s widely believed that the first person to commission a Chesterfield sofa was the British aristocrat Lord Phillip Stanhope, the 4th Earl of Chesterfield. A famous statesman and diplomat, the Earl of Chesterfield was above all known for his appreciation of tasteful interiors, and was therefore considered a trendsetter.
It comes as no surprise then that the sofa he created has become the epitome of timeless style. Tales recount Stanhope requesting a piece of furniture that allowed gentlemen to sit comfortably and not crease their fine garments.
This request explains the design choices the local craftsman made when manufacturing the very first Chesterfield sofa – the rolled arms, deep buttoned upholstery and the equal height of back and arms are just some of the characteristic features which have remained an essential part of the Chesterfield look to this day.
The Chesterfield sofa was well and truly established as a piece of British history when the Earl of Chesterfield’s creation was inherited by his godson Mr Dayrolls and placed in his house, where members of the elite can admire the leather sofa and be inspired to commission similar designs for their own homes.
Far from being restricted to the homes of English aristocrats and London’s Gentleman’s Clubs, the Chesterfield sofa is believed to have originally made its way around the world as an example of British heritage exported to the colonies of the British Empire.
Thanks to the greater attention dedicated to the quality of leather used during the manufacturing of the Chesterfield sofas in 1930s England, they became much more comfortable, durable and reliable. This attention to quality and detail no doubt played a part in maintaining the popularity of the Chesterfield over the time period.
Despite often being considered a staple of English furniture, Chesterfields have gone to become widely popular globally over the years. The USA, Canada and Australia are among the many places graced with the presence of the Chesterfield.
Once reserved for the English elite, the Chesterfield sofa now lends its signature comfort and sophistication to any home while maintaining the same iconic look from the 1800s. The Chesterfield tradition today spans across a variety of range types to encompass all interior décor needs – whether you’re looking for the classic look of a traditional leather Chesterfield or more contemporary leather sofas inspired by the latest trends in leather design.
