Talk to your friends behind their backs

Fashioned after a Victorian antique, this “tete-a-tete” settee is meant to encourage sparkling conversation. Why that has to be done sitting back-to-back is a mystery, but the double chair’s shape is certainly a conversation starter. The nifty thing for us is that it provides seating for two within a small footprint. Whereas a small couch is usually hogged by one sitter, this subtly angled settee graciously accepts two, thanks to that cozy backrest/armrest that keeps your companion near, but not uncomfortably close. Which one of you gets to put your elbow down could be the start of something fascinating. The Bergamo Tete-a-Tete is hand-upholstered on a solid pine frame in a cut chenille-style rayon/polyester with tassel accents. $499.95 Winterthur Museum catalog, winterthurgifts.com, (800) 767-0500.

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Lisa Moricoli Latham