King Living’s Zaza Forward Redefines the Modern Sofa

A sculptural sofa that feels effortless but is engineered to last, the Zaza reflects a philosophy of comfort, customization, and enduring design.

Zaza appears soft and organic in form, but hidden within is an engineered steel frame for maximum durability. Photo courtesy of King Living

By

April 21, 2026

When designer Charles Wilson first started working with King Living in 2009, the brief was simple: design a sofa. The result was the Andrea, a piece that established his relationship with the Australian brand and set the tone for what would come next. Years later, when the two began talking about revisiting it, Charles went so far down a new path that the original became unrecognizable. What came out of that process was the Zaza Forward.

Charles’ goal was to capture something that felt relaxed and tailored at the same time, organic in form but considered in every detail. The leaf-like arms and gently curved backrest give the sofa a sculptural quality that doesn’t immediately read as engineered. Underneath the upholstery, King Living’s steel frame is doing most of the work.

“Zaza appears soft and organic in form, but hidden within is an engineered steel frame for maximum durability,” says Chris Cooke, King Living’s Head of Design. “The comfort experience is entirely customizable.”

That approach to building furniture goes back to the brand’s origins. In the late 1970s, founder David King watched too much furniture end up on Sydney’s curbsides and decided to do things differently, making longevity the founding principle of everything that followed. The design ethos draws from the Australian landscape in the same spirit: understated, durable, and built to outlast the moment it was made in.

The leaf-like arms and gently curved backrest give the sofa a sculptural quality that doesn’t immediately read as engineered. Underneath the upholstery, King Living’s steel frame is doing most of the work. Photo courtesy of King Living

“We don’t design furniture to fit into trends,” Chris says. “Aesthetically simple, clean silhouettes are the foundation of our design philosophy.”

Inside the Zaza, pocket springs and graduated foam sit beneath Ultradown, a microfibre fill King Living developed to replicate the loft of down without feathers. The covers are fully removable and available across more than 200 fabrics and European leathers. The whole piece is designed to be refreshed rather than replaced, with interchangeable legs, detachable modules, and service pathways built into the structure from the start.

“Because we control the process from design through to manufacturing and delivery, we have direct control over quality and every material we source,” Chris says. “We are committed to reducing fast furniture consumption.”

The Zaza Forward has been in permanent production since its 2017 debut, and has remained one of the more design-led pieces in King Living’s range. It’s less a sofa you buy to fill a room and more one you keep coming back to.

$1,990 at King Living