Most of us had the desire to carve a little private space out of our
homes when we were kids, be it as a fort out of sofa cushions, a tent
out of a folding table, or a reading nook in a closet. The design team
of Álvaro Goula and Pablo Figuera has created the Orwell, a combination
sofa, bed, and "cabin" to give you a greater sense of privacy right in
your living room.
The Orwell (Image via Design Boom)
Naming it the Orwell comes from the book 1984 by George Orwell. In the book Orwell created a dystopian future in which technology and government removes all privacy from the lives of individuals. Even the Thought Police would go after anything that might be passing through your mind.
The Orwell (Image via Design Boom)
This sofa design speaks to a need for extra solitude and privacy we all feel from time to time. Perhaps it can even be a symbolic return to the womb where we felt completely safe and all our needs were being met. It also hearkens back to the days when beds had heavy curtains to help keep sleepers extra warm in drafty houses on cold winter nights.
The Orwell (Image via Design Boom)
The quilted sides can make it a warm place on a cold day while you curl up with your book du jour and insulates you against any household noise. The curtains can be rolled up for use as a sofa or down to simulate that fort you once built. It is a fun, modern, and unique. The clean lines would help make it fit in with almost any decor.
This relaxing and inviting little niche is still in the design stage. Hopefully Goula and Figuera will get their design moved into production soon. I, for one, would love to have one! I can also pretty much guarantee that the cat would love it too.
Sources: Goula/Figuera, Design Boom
