The British Chesterfield first came into being in the 18th century when Phillip Stanhope, the 4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773), commissioned a sofa with a distinctive deep buttoned, quilted leather upholstery. The traditional technique has been updated and reinterpreted over the years but the Chesterfield name remains. Here we highlight five contemporary interpretations of the classic design from rainbow-colored poufs to and sponge-like sofas.

SCP’s Motley is a deep-buttoned Chesterfield-inspired footstool upholstered in hand knitted wool that’s specially designed by Scottish designer Donna Wilson.

Brought back into production by Walter Knoll last year, the Haussman 310 armchair by Swiss architects and designers Trix and Robert Haussmann was originally designed in 1962. With its curved, deep-buttoned seat and four slim-line, tubular steel legs – a subtle nod to the Bauhaus - the Haussman 310 is a lighter and more elegant version of a traditional Chesterfield.

Intended for use both indoors and out, the More chair by Italian brand Gaber features a detachable padded seat that’s attached to the techno polymer shell with nine buttons. The base is available in six different options including swivel and castors.

The Bouroullec’s marshmallow-esque Ploum sofa for Ligne Roset is the result of the designer’s extensive research into comfort. The ultra-soft foam form is covered with two pieces of stretchable fabric with gentle pulls that create a subtle chesterfield effect.

The CloudBox Cumulus sofa by Ted Boerner and Katherine Lam for by Ted Boerner Furniture features clean lines on the outside and quilted comfort on the inside. An update on the ordered buttoned back of the traditional chesterfield, the upholstery of the CloudBox Cumulus is pulled in at seemingly random intervals, creating a cloud-like effect.