<p>
	Sofas, or settees, first appeared in France in the 18th C under Louis XIII in the form of a wooden structure covered in leather or tapestry. Under Louis XV the sofa often had a curved back or to the contrary no back at all but with curved armrests.&nbsp; They were lighter and more comfortable.&nbsp;<br />
	The <a href="http://www.antiques-in-france.com/antiquites/-/louis-XVI/-/sofas">Louis XVI style settee</a> often had a straight back with rich decoration.&nbsp; The 20th C saw a great diversity of styles such as the sobre Art Deco style settee of the 1920s, the leather Chesterfield, the rounded vintage style of the 1950s and colourful and unusual shaped settees of the late 20th C.</p>