Quadrant Soft: The Ultimate Flexible Sofa

Koskela’s most popular product, the Quadrant Soft sofa, was designed by Koskela co-founder Russel Koskela in 2008. An interior designer by training, Russel wanted to design a unique sofa that was flexible, cosy, and could be specified in the home or office. A tricky brief to nail. For a sofa to be truly flexible it needs to be lightweight and modular.

Russel was inspired to use high density foam, which removes the need for a timber or steel frame. Another advantage of using foam is it weighs next to nothing. Most adults can lift a Quadrant Soft single effortlessly, and kids can push them around with ease.

“That feel, that cosiness, that’s what I love about the Quadrant Soft,” says Russel. “You can put your feet on it, you can throw it around, you can drag it by the handles on the side, it can join together.”

The sofa's building blocks include single, double, corner and an ottoman. With these components you can create an infinite number of configurations, which is especially handy in a rumpus room at home, or breakout zone in the office.

“Companies realise their workplaces need to be more dynamic. I often get called into meetings with directors who say, ‘We can’t ask our staff to think creatively in just a normal space with a workstation and a computer.’ So we design furniture where they can actually do their work in different locations. The Quadrant Soft came from that really. It was more about softening up spaces.”

Soft yes, and stylish too; the Quadrant Soft can be upholstered in almost any fabric including leather. And because it’s modular, the individual components can be upholstered in different fabrics, so the mixing and matching potential is huge. “Most clients choose a Quadrant Soft single in an accent colour and it’s such a great way to liven up a space,” says Rochelle, Koskela’s interiors consultant.

Finishing details include cross-stitches in leather – a playful touch from Russel – as well as leather handles with an embossed Koskela logo. A black industrial zip is another bold feature that distinguishes this bestselling sofa.

In addition to its design attributes, the Quadrant Soft is Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) Certified.

GECA is an independent eco-labelling program that audits products based on multiple environmental attributes such as toxicity, air quality, energy use, recyclability, VOCs, carcinogens, reducing water consumption, protecting waterways, use of sustainable materials and minimising material usage. GECA Certification proves the Quadrant Soft is better for the environment and reduces its impact on human health.

Koskela takes sustainability seriously, that’s why we are a Climate Active Carbon Neutral Organisation. This is one of the most rigorous carbon neutral certifications in the world, backed by the Australian Federal Government. It means that the activities associated with running the Koskela organisation have no net negative impact on the environment.

Included in our carbon footprint is the emissions from the raw materials we use to make our products and the freight to move them. So, the foam and upholstery for the Quadrant Soft, plus transporting it from the factory to your door, is carbon offset! It’s important that all our products tread as lightly on the planet as possible.

After 11 years, the Quadrant Soft is more popular than ever. Most likely because there is an increasing demand for flexible and enviro-conscious furniture that can easily integrate with our open-plan homes and workplaces. And who can resist its playful character! “I know if I had a big rumpus room that I would throw all these in there and the kids could just rumble, and because I’m a big kid at heart I would be rumbling with them,” says Russel.