Comparing a sofa to a ship’s cabin may seem incongruous — unless that sofa is Ligne Roset’s Kobold. Designer Erwan Bouroullec took inspiration from highly engineered, modular and compact nautical units to devise a collection that beautifully stitches together sectional seating with storage.
By considering the piece like a small room on a ship, Bouroullec has orchestrated a “living platform made for life in movement” in which every single element is functional, useful, reconfigurable and, of course, extremely comfortable. Composed of simple geometric shapes, the modules can be arranged to form couches, one-armed settees and daybeds that can stand alone or be augmented with open shelving units to house books, favourite objects and other trinkets; upholstered on one side, the wooden storage components double as partitions and create an interior architecture that feels cozy and contained. Horizontal planes can extend past the seating volumes to serve as tables, adding to Kobold’s clever versatility.
The collection includes two variations: the low-slung and more relaxed Kobold Soft, whose goose feather–filled cushions have removable and machine-washable covers (with separable foams and structures that can be recycled at end-of-life), and the slightly higher and more firmly supportive Kobold Classic. Where Kobold Soft invites low-key lounging, Kobold Classic’s verticality encourages socialization and engagement.
Whether Soft or Classic, Kobold is a contemporary solution for urban living, able to accommodate smaller spaces as effortlessly as it does more expansive ones. From sitting and sleeping to working and wallowing, it’s a room-within-a-room that complements daily life.


