CH163 Sofa

Overview

The CH163 Sofa is a three-person sofa by Hans J. Wegner from 1965, with a solid wooden frame and loose cushions. The header version is oak with an oil finish and Leather Thor 301.

Image source: Carl Hansen & Søn — CH163 Sofa · © Carl Hansen & Søn and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research. · View official product page ↗ · Image use & copyright policy

Construction

The solid wooden frame is firmly upholstered. The loose seat and back cushions are filled with down around a foam core. Enlarged wooden cover caps on the armrests hide the screws in the upper part of the legs.

Specifications

• Dimensions: W 195 × D 77 × H 76 cm
• Frames: FSC Mix-certified oak, oil; walnut, oil
• Leathers: Thor 301, Thor 300

A Detail Made Decorative

Carl Hansen & Søn says the CH163 shows how Wegner often highlighted functional details by making them decorative. Here the detail is the armrest cap: larger than needed, set slightly back from the front of the legs, with its grain running across the leg's grain.

Down and Foam

The page says that wrapping a foam core in down let Wegner add pleasant comfort to a mostly tight form, with loose cushions softening the straight lines.