The Back Story

Mark McMenamin and Rebecca Thienes -- Interior Design, 6/1/2012 2:00:00 AM

Design has the power to unite. Or the potential to divide, when advantageous. Mindful that personal space can be a rare commodity in public areas, Interior Design Hall of Fame member Karim Rashid devised Float, a Sancal sofa with a rounded back high enough to double as a barrier. Treat it as a Peg-Board, too, by attaching oak coat hangers, if there’s no wall space handy, or padded headrests, defining individual seating spots. Armrests maintain the illusion of privacy from the side unless you prefer to set one armrest on an incline, transforming the sofa into a chaise longue. Specify components in a crazy quilt of colors and patterns—Rashid suggests the three Cairo cottons, flaunting perky references to his birthplace, for both the headrests and the throw pillows. Or dress everything seamlessly, in a single fabric. The sofa comes in two heights, 36 or 53 inches, and three lengths, 81, 103, or 114 inches. 34-96-871-80-74; sancal.com.