Charles and Ray gained inspiration for this design from a sectional seating unit built into their Eames House living room alcove. The design is also similar to the prototype they made for the 1951 wire sofa; however, they adapted the Sofa Compact to use fewer parts, eliminate much of the hand labor, and be less expensive to produce. Comfortable and svelte, yet also strong and durable, the Sofa Compact sits well in homes and office spaces alike. It is available exclusively from Herman Miller in a variety of high-quality upholstery fabrics. When first introduced, the Sofa Compact was shipped as a “flat pack” product. You can see how the back folded down on historical examples. Today, the design no longer folds down; it is sold as a fully upright sofa.