When I see the photo of the black vinyl button-tufted couch that recently left our store for a loving home in the east end of Toronto, I can’t help singing The Rolling Stones song ‘Beast of Burden’. Why? you ask.
Well, it has a cool aloofness on it's own, but once paired up with the right fixtures and furnishings, a bold in-your-face kind of style is revealed. Think ‘rock star’, older well-worn-in rockers of the 60-70’s, hence The Rolling Stones! Plus, I like to swap the lyrics in 'Beast of Burden' from "am I tough enough..." with "am I tufted enough.." I can't help it! Blame the inner geek in me. Tufting can be that hint of toughness that anchors a room, especially when it comes to a central piece like a couch, which often acts as the workhorse. A well made couch takes the beating, carries the weight and still keeps giving the comfort.
Years ago I saw this vintage LIFE magazine article on Annie Leibovitz’s iconic photographs of the Stones 1975 Tour of the Americas. It just feels so right that the furniture these hardened souls lounged on would reflect their personas. Like this image of bassist Bill Wyman getting a shoulder massage backstage on a black tufted leather couch. (Check out those pants - awesome!) Tufting seems to be popping up everywhere, gaining in popularity – from 30 Rock to Mad Men to Modern Family. I guess I'm not alone in my love for tuft.
What’s great is that not only do these pieces add extra texture and character to a room, but much like a rock star, as long as the upholstery is well cared for, these handsome devils develop a greater appeal and patina that just gets better and better with age.
Elee*
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