In designing the Hendrix sofa, designer Hildy Kovacs cleverly blends heft with harmonious curves to create a bold, generous piece that commands attention from all angles. Like its namesake, this is a performance piece with soul and substance.
With a play on curves that avoids harsh angles altogether, the Hendrix is designed to be as inviting and comforting as it is uniquely stylish. The seating is enveloping, the aesthetics enticing.
A deliberately large scaled sofa, the Hendrix comes in a minimum 2.5 seater size. Whether it’s positioned in a contemporary architectural living space, or combined with vintage furnishings in a renovated villa, the sofa provides a substantial feel-good factor in its proportions.
“It’s big and it’s generous,” says Hildy. “There’s masculinity in its proportions, yet it’s softened. When you relax into the seating it just makes you feel good. It’s almost like as soon as you sit, you’re home.”
As with all of Hildy’s designs, the sofa is designed to be appreciated from many different perspectives, the 360-degree aesthetic a priority in form and detailing.
“I wanted it to be beautiful from all angles – this is central to our design process,” she says. “The legs are at right angles at the back while the front ones are square on and slightly tilted forwards. Ideally, to get the full effect, it can be placed in a larger space where you can walk around it. However, it will also look great in a smaller room.”
Comfort is another non-negotiable during the design and testing phase.
This is optimised in the Hendrix with a steel springing system and a carefully selected combination of foams in the seat and ergo fill in the back cushions.
“The angles of the back and seat complement each other and make it work ergonomically,” says Hildy.
“The back cushions tilt forward at the edges and are made using a fine fill, which hugs the body. Looking from the top, the arms start at the same width as the back, but an angle has been built into the back to give it a pitch. It’s easy to curl the legs up and sink into the deep seating.”
With this design Hildy deliberately avoided any similarities with other Kovacs products.
“I don’t want to be a Xerox designer. I don’t like my handwriting to be visible on any Kovacs pieces. In making furniture that’s the main challenge, and it extends everyone’s abilities here – including my own. But that’s the fun part of designing.”
While a range of upholstery fabrics are on offer, Hildy recommends using plain, chunky natural weaves in heavy duty fabric to really bring the Hendrix to life.
“A stiff fabric with very little stretch will hold the shape in place,” she says. “Organic, earthy, chunky plains will look amazing on this piece.”
Optional use of wool: Resillient “teased” Coarse Wool fill is encased in a cotton inner bag with sewn in baffles to retain fill more evenly.
Seat, back, frame & arm foams are wrapped in a 350gm course wool sheeting as a protective comfort barrier between the foam and covering material.
