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As we progress through our lives, everyone is looking for something new and something fresh to include in their homes.
We’ve seen many Design Trends over the years, and there seems to be a recent emphasis on modern and contemporary furniture styles.
However, traditional or formal furniture styles remain a staple in many homes. Racha Pharaon, a design consultant at La-Z-Boy Kanata, tells us that “There are still quite a few people that come in and ask about traditional furniture.”
At La-Z-Boy, we have many different furniture styles displayed, including formal furniture frames. So, which ones are our top sellers and why?
This article will showcase the top 5 best-selling formal furniture frames at La-Z-Boy, as well as some honourable mentions towards the end of the article. This list is not in any particular order.
In This Article…
- Key Characteristics of Formal Furniture
- The Laurel Furniture Family
- The Mackenzie Furniture Family
- The Porter Furniture Family
- The Cleo Furniture Family
- The Theo Furniture Family
- The Collins Furniture Family - Honourable Mention
- The Bexley Furniture Family - Honourable Mention
Key Characteristics of "Formal" Furniture
Before we get into our list of formal furniture frames, you might wonder, what makes a formal furniture frame… formal?
Well, one of the main things is the construction of the furniture. Formal furniture is made with smooth and clean lines.
This is not to be confused with modern, clean lines, where the padding is more streamlined, while traditional furniture has more padding or crowning, as it is professionally called.
Formal furniture frames are also mostly stationary. Some recliners at La-Z-Boy have a formal look to them, but these tend to be more contemporary because of their designs and functionality.
Formal furniture frames don’t need all the bells and whistles of a recliner to look and feel relaxed.
There are also distinct finishing touches, like welt trim, tufting, nailhead trims and decorative wooden legs. If you see any of these features, chances are they are traditional furniture frames.
1. The Laurel Furniture Family
Laurel exudes an inviting and eclectic charm, embracing a relaxed personality that makes guests feel right at home. Its distinctive features include button details, gently rolled arms, and tapered wood legs, which contribute to its unique character.
The Laurel furniture is particularly suitable for clients with smaller to average-sized spaces, offering a comfortable seating option without appearing overly large or bulky.
With its stationary design and structured frame, it is a perfect fit for formal living rooms or dens, complementing the ambiance of these spaces rather than more casual areas like basements or lounging spaces.
The Laurel furniture line is an excellent choice for those seeking contemporary furniture in their home. While each piece can be purchased individually, the coordinated ensemble of the sofa, chair & a half, and ottoman creates a beautifully harmonized living room arrangement.
By choosing Laurel, you can achieve a stylish and traditional look that enhances the overall aesthetic of your living space. You can learn more about the Laurel Furniture Family by checking out this review article.
2. The Mackenzie Furniture Family
Next on our list is the Mackenzie furniture family, which Racha says is considered “a transitional piece, but it is also one of our more traditional styled furniture pieces at La-Z-Boy.” Mackenzie features a sophisticated look that blends easily with your existing pieces.
Its rolled, pleated arms, foam back, and ComfortCore® cushions deliver just the right amount of comfort and support for a short or a long sit. Decorative wood legs add a touch of tradition to complete the look.
Racha says that older audiences seem to like the Mackenzie more than other age groups. This could be because of its old-timey look, according to Racha.
She also mentions that the arms are wider, which means they take up the most space on the furniture frame. So, make sure to measure your space to ensure you have enough room for those big arms!
The Mackenzie is available as a chair, a loveseat, a sofa, a queen sleep sofa, and a matching Ottoman. You can learn more about the Mackenzie Furniture Family by checking out this article.
3. The Porter Furniture Family
This next furniture family is one of our newest furniture families added to the La-Z-Boy family very recently. It is so brand new that not many people know about it yet. The Porter represents everything you know traditionally about a sofa or chair and then some.
Although this formal-looking furniture frame doesn't have all the bells and whistles like our reclining furniture, it doesn’t need to because of its “stunning look,” according to Racha.
What’s unique about the Porter is that not only can you customize the finish of the decorative wood legs, but you can also customize the leg shape. There are two different options to choose from, one being a pen shape and the other being a cone shape.
Racha says that the Porter’s nailhead trim is a perfect example of formal accents. Porter’s nailhead trim comes in three different colours (bronze, black or silver), which you can customize to your choosing.
The Porter is available as a chair, a loveseat, a sofa and a matching ottoman.
4. The Cleo Furniture Family
Another new furniture family at La-Z-Boy is the Cleo furniture family. This furniture is “the kind of furniture that goes well with people who love to throw lots of parties,” according to Racha.
Racha also mentions that the Cleo Sofa is one of the widest sofas added to La-Z-Boy’s catalogues of furniture products.
Cleo’s t-seat cushions and graceful curved arms offer the perfect environment for welcoming guests into your house. Racha also mentions that the sophisticated lines “bring the formal look together.”
Racha also praises the chaise with storage because it can be used in almost any room that needs more sitting space. “It can be used in a bedroom or a living room or a basement,” she says.
The Cleo is available as a chair, a two-arm chaise w/ storage, a loveseat, a sofa, and a matching ottoman. To learn more about the Cleo Furniture Family, take a look at this article.
5. The Theo Furniture Family
Last but not least, yet another latest addition to the La-Z-Boy family is the Theo furniture family, which Racha explains is “one of the only furniture families that is only available in leather.”
In the instance of Theo, meticulous design and little details create a timeless piece that will fit your style for years to come. The combination of box-border seats, rounded arms with welt trim, and decorative wood legs deliver a look that blends easily with both classic and contemporary pieces.
Sophisticated topstitching adds that extra touch of detail to highlight Theo's clean, tailored lines. If you want to learn more about La-Z-Boy’s Leather Selection, take a look at this article.
The Theo is available as a chair, a loveseat, a sofa, and a matching ottoman. If you want to take a look at another furniture family that is also only featured in leather, check out the Miles Furniture Family.
6. The Collins Furniture Family - Honourable Mention
A look that feels perfectly at home in any setting, according to Racha, is the Collins furniture family. The Collins is a classic with simple lines and put-together tailoring. It’s a style that looks and feels good featuring semi-attached pillow backs, over-scaled roll arms, and box seat cushions with welted trim.
The Collins is available as a chair, a loveseat, a sofa, a sectional, and a matching ottoman. You can learn more about the Collins furniture family by checking out its comparison article, Collins vs. Meyer.
7. The Bexley Furniture Family - Honourable Mention
Although not necessarily a formal furniture frame, the Bexley furniture family is designed for easy mix-and-matchability. Whether you’re designing a whole new room, or adding a furniture item to existing pieces, Bexley blends right in, with its clean, tailored lines and welt trim detailing.
Slightly flared, key-shaped arms frame its roomy seats for a unique, yet uncomplicated silhouette. Patented ComfortCore® cushions provide just the right amount of support for a long or short sit.
The Bexley is available as a loveseat, a sofa, and a queen sleep sofa.
What's Next?
Thanks to our list of formal furniture frames at La-Z-Boy, you now know what to expect from not only our more traditional-looking pieces but also some of our stationary furniture frames.
If you’re looking for more stationary furniture items, make sure to check out our Best-Selling Stationary Loveseats article. However, if you’re looking to compare stationary vs. reclining furniture, make sure to check out our Top 10 Best Reclining Sofas article instead.
While you’re looking at our selection online, why not come in-store to get a closer and more personal look at our furniture?
You can start shopping for furniture products by visiting one of our local showrooms located in Ottawa or Kingston. You can also schedule a visit online before coming in.
Our design consultants are always eager to lend a helping hand. Take advantage of our interior design services to see how our area rugs could fit in your home.
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