Montauk's Jane Couch: A Sofa You Sit In, Not On.

WRITTEN BY CHRIS PENROSE MONTAUK MAKES SOFAS THAT YOU LOOK AT AND WANT TO SIT IN. THEIR GOAL IS SIMPLE: YOU GET ON YOUR SOFA ON A FRIDAY NIGHT AND LEAVE IT ON A MONDAY MORNING. One of their feature pieces for 2018 is the Jane, which is a part of the brands first sectional designs. The experience of sitting on this sofa replicates the feeling kicking your feet up on a king size bed, four pillows deep, in an upscale hotel room. The company is owned and operated by Tim Zyto (the numbers guy) and Denny Chartier (the designer). They started the business in 1995 with a slip cover couch because, “we liked the idea of being able to wash your couch,” says Chartier. Explaining the early ethos of their business, Chartier shares that, “our idea was to be The Gap of furniture, because you would see rich and poor wearing it. It was about comfort.” The formula that they have employed since then is a focus comfort and craftsmanship. One of the factors that makes Montauk special is the constant search for fabric, wood, coils and mattresses. “I travel the world looking for fabric,” says Chartier as he describes his annual calendar of jumping from trade show to trade show (as well as venturing off the beaten path). Design-wise, inspiration comes from items ranging from women’s purses to leather jackets. “Anything that is going to have a different stitch on it, I think you can put that energy into your sofa. Sometimes you take a very, very basic piece and you can turn it into something that is very different and quite elegant,” explains Chartier. You can find Monatauk at one of their locations in Toronto, New York, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and Chicago.