Interview with the Designer: Model 11 Sofa Bed
It’s here! We are so excited to introduce you to Model 11 - our brand new sofa bed. It’s sleek, it’s minimalist and big on comfort. This week, we caught up with Swyft designer Andre Faustino to discuss the inspiration behind our latest addition.
We’ve launched another sofa bed, talk us through what we are trying to achieve with the new product.
Following the success of Model 02, 04 and 08, we realised that sofa beds are in high demand. For Model 11 specifically, we wanted to design a sofa bed at a lower price point that’s as beautiful and comfortable as the others in our range.
What inspired the Model 11 collection?
We were inspired by mid-century sofa beds - taking this iconic minimalist style and modernising it for today’s homes.
But most of all, we were inspired by how people live in small, urban apartments and multi-purpose spaces. Model 11 is all about functional, space-saving design.
Talk us through the design elements for Model 11 and how it differs from 02, 04, and 08
Model 11 is an armless sofa bed with a sleek metal frame and click-clack mechanism. The seat and back are foam and fibre-filled cushions and the scatter cushions are 100% silicone fibre.
It’s similar to Model 02 and Model 04 in the way it folds down lengthways into a double bed. Whereas the Model 08 is a double bed that pulls out from underneath the cushions. But it’s the style that makes Model 11 so different. It’s a compact, slim sofa bed that can comfortably fit in living areas or guest rooms that are tight on space. Unlike other sofa bed Models, the Model 11 also has 3 back angles - seating 105º, lounge 135º, and bed 180º. So whether you’re drinking a coffee, watching a film, or sleeping, there’s an angle for every occasion.
How did you go about designing the new sofa bed, what was the process?
Achieving that low price point was a priority for us with Model 11, but we still wanted to provide the level of quality that people expect from Swyft.
It all starts with research. We studied current furniture trends and feedback from customers on our existing sofa beds. What’s comfortable? Which styles do they like?
During concept development, the word “sleek” kept coming up. I created multiple sketches and collaborated with the team on which direction we should go. We then explored different leg options and upholstery techniques to find the perfect combination.
Onto prototyping and testing, comfort was a priority. Even though Model 11 is a lower price point than the others, we would never release something that was low on quality. A sofa bed has to be comfortable. After a lot of testing (literally lying down on the job) we made final refinements and went into production.
How long has it taken to design and develop the Model 11 collection, from concept through to launch?
Took a little bit over 6 months.
From a design perspective, what areas were the most challenging?
This is the first time we’ve made a sofa bed with a mechanism that we didn’t design from scratch. So that created some constraints that we haven’t experienced before. But design constraints can push you towards some really creative solutions, so it was a fun challenge.
How does designing a sofa bed differ from designing a sofa or armchair?
Sofa beds have that extra element that sofas and armchairs don’t. It has to be comfortable to sit on and to sleep on. At Swyft, the idea is to make a sofa bed that you could use as the main sofa in your living room, not just an occasional piece of furniture. So you have to consider what makes a good sofa and what makes a good bed.
How would you style the Model 11 in your home?
Model 11 looks really good in velvet, but personally, I would go for the leather. It already comes with two lumber cushions, so I’d just add a throw blanket to keep it clean and simple. It’s a very cool sofa.
Explore the Model 11 sofa bed collection here.
