Fainting couch – a special piece of furniture with romantic look

A fainting couch looks so elegant, so romantic and sophisticated and is a complement to any room. Many people mistake it with a chaise lounge, but these are two different pieces of furniture. By definition, a fainting couch is a couch raised at one end and the name became popular in the 19^th century. These couches were made for women because back in the 1800s the corset was a part of women’s clothing and a tight corset is restricting the blood flow and the breathing. As a result women were much more likely to faint and this special piece of furniture appeared so that women could catch their breath on the couches.

 

Fainting couch vs chaise lounge – what is the difference

 

 

As we mentioned this kind of couch is not a chaise lounge, neither is a daybed, although they all have some resemblances. The basic resemblance between this piece of furniture and chaise lounge is the more or less same base and size – a rectangular shape and a size of a small couch. It is the back that distinguishes one from another. When you wonder if you are looking at a chaise lounge or a fainting sofa – look at the back. The back of the couch is high on one and low on the other while a typical chaise lounge has a back with a same height.

 

Fainting sofa in modern interior designs

 

Nowadays, women do not wear corsets and certainly do not faint easily. However, a fainting couch is a magnificent furniture piece and its popularity is growing steadily. There is no better place to have a rest on a Sunday afternoon, read a book or watch a movie. Modern versions of fainting couches may have a partial raised back and additional support for the upper part of the body. The elegance of fainting couches is appealing to many people and they prefer them to more contemporary daybed and chaise lounge designs.