Upholstered settee plans?

[Gene Davis]

I think I want to build a couch. Actually, it is called an armless settee. The piece as show in the attached pics is my goal. It is by Ethan Allen and is called the Baldwin. Length is 66 inches. I'll do the wood frame and legs finish, and my upholsterer will do the rest.

Where could I get info about design and details for such a frame?

[Gene Davis]

My first cut at a frame design. All parts above the legs are 3/4" thickness. I was thinking baltic birch for most everything, and the use of dominos, screws, glue.

Should the back be slatted on its back side? What can one do to strengthen that angle where seat box end meets back end vertical?

[Brian Holcombe]

Gene,

Have you decided on your suspension system?

IMO the proposed frame is a bit light duty for a sofa.

[Gene Davis]

Zigzags seat and back.

The pics here show the current hallucination for this. Members added to frame for getting fixing points for the zigzag sinuous springs I envision for both seat deck and back.

The translucent yellow parts represent the sinuous springs. The deck is inset to be able to handle the bulge of the bottom sides of the reversible seat cushions, giving those cushions a home so they stay put when users seat and unseat themselves.

As for my choice in material for the frame, 3/4" baltic birch plywood, I first thought of it because of the L-shape of the end panels of the frame. I thought if they were done in plywood and gusseted a little, things would work. I did a web search for photos of upholstered furniture and saw a whole lot of 3/4" plywood used for frames.