Decorating
Why Every Home Should Have an Ottoman, Footstool or Pouffe
There are so many uses for these multi-functional and often interchangeable pieces of furniture
From providing occasional seating to stashing a clothes mountain or dividing a room, footstools, ottomans and pouffes are pieces that just keep on giving.
See some of the many ways you can use one of these padded perches around your home.
See some of the many ways you can use one of these padded perches around your home.
Create a comfy kitchen perch
If you live in a compact home and find you do everything, from working on your laptop to household admin, eating breakfast and entertaining, around a diddy dining table, you may welcome a bit more comfort than a hard dining chair would offer.
There may even be no room for a chair, unless it’s a fold-up one or a stool, both of which could be even less forgiving for long periods.
Enter the cubed pouffe – compact yet comfy. It works particularly well in this kitchen, as there’s a bench seat, too, and the open-plan space is sizeable enough that the pouffe is not in the way of the cooking area.
However, if your kitchen is tiny, odour-absorbing upholstery may not be your best option.
If you live in a compact home and find you do everything, from working on your laptop to household admin, eating breakfast and entertaining, around a diddy dining table, you may welcome a bit more comfort than a hard dining chair would offer.
There may even be no room for a chair, unless it’s a fold-up one or a stool, both of which could be even less forgiving for long periods.
Enter the cubed pouffe – compact yet comfy. It works particularly well in this kitchen, as there’s a bench seat, too, and the open-plan space is sizeable enough that the pouffe is not in the way of the cooking area.
However, if your kitchen is tiny, odour-absorbing upholstery may not be your best option.
Give kids their own spots
If you have a playroom or play area with a TV in it, you might not want (nor have the space for) a dedicated sofa.
Footstools, especially when designed to blend in so pleasingly with the cabinetry and tuck in perfectly, as here, could be a good solution for smaller members of the family to sit on as needed.
If your offspring are in the habit of snacking and watching at the same time, look at wipe-clean fabrics or darker colours that won’t show sticky fingerprints.
If you have a playroom or play area with a TV in it, you might not want (nor have the space for) a dedicated sofa.
Footstools, especially when designed to blend in so pleasingly with the cabinetry and tuck in perfectly, as here, could be a good solution for smaller members of the family to sit on as needed.
If your offspring are in the habit of snacking and watching at the same time, look at wipe-clean fabrics or darker colours that won’t show sticky fingerprints.
Make it work hard in a small space
Fancy adding some seating to a smaller bathroom, but struggling to find the space? As is often the case, multi-functional furniture can be an excellent solution.
Here, a storage pouffe with comfy upholstery provides a laundry basket as well as an elegant and comfortable washroom perch.
Fancy adding some seating to a smaller bathroom, but struggling to find the space? As is often the case, multi-functional furniture can be an excellent solution.
Here, a storage pouffe with comfy upholstery provides a laundry basket as well as an elegant and comfortable washroom perch.
Maximise its versatility
As a good-looking matching accessory, this pouffe is doing a good job already. But it can also work hard, doubling up as somewhere to rest feet, or as a flat surface for an elegant martini or a half-read book.
If you’re moving a pouffe or footrest from another room for such a purpose and it doesn’t have as flat a surface as this one, seek out a suitably proportioned tray to live on its top and keep drinks from toppling over.
As a good-looking matching accessory, this pouffe is doing a good job already. But it can also work hard, doubling up as somewhere to rest feet, or as a flat surface for an elegant martini or a half-read book.
If you’re moving a pouffe or footrest from another room for such a purpose and it doesn’t have as flat a surface as this one, seek out a suitably proportioned tray to live on its top and keep drinks from toppling over.
Use it to (artfully) cast off clothes
Hands up who owns a ‘chairdrobe’? It’s not a piece of furniture of which most of us feel proud, but if you can’t kick the habit of throwing clothes onto a chair, perhaps it’s simply indispensable.
If the look of yours bothers you, consider a long ottoman along the lines of this glamorous number. Don’t confine it to the obvious spot at the end of the bed – it could become more useful against a wall.
Not only does it provide more space (meaning your cast-off clothes will take up less of it), it’s also a good, flat surface that, unlike a chair, can house – as here – a candle, too.
Style yours with care and keep your clothes mountain minimal and to one end, or choose a design with a lift-up lid, so you can simply stuff the lot inside until you can summon up the energy to tidy it away.
Hands up who owns a ‘chairdrobe’? It’s not a piece of furniture of which most of us feel proud, but if you can’t kick the habit of throwing clothes onto a chair, perhaps it’s simply indispensable.
If the look of yours bothers you, consider a long ottoman along the lines of this glamorous number. Don’t confine it to the obvious spot at the end of the bed – it could become more useful against a wall.
Not only does it provide more space (meaning your cast-off clothes will take up less of it), it’s also a good, flat surface that, unlike a chair, can house – as here – a candle, too.
Style yours with care and keep your clothes mountain minimal and to one end, or choose a design with a lift-up lid, so you can simply stuff the lot inside until you can summon up the energy to tidy it away.
Boost spare-room storage
If your spare room features a sofa-bed, particularly if it’s one with a mattress size different to other beds in your home, where do you keep the sheets and duvet?
A capacious storage ottoman dedicated to spare room bedding could be the solution. If space is tight, opt for one with a flat top, so it can double up as a coffee table/bedside table, too.
If your spare room features a sofa-bed, particularly if it’s one with a mattress size different to other beds in your home, where do you keep the sheets and duvet?
A capacious storage ottoman dedicated to spare room bedding could be the solution. If space is tight, opt for one with a flat top, so it can double up as a coffee table/bedside table, too.
Create a casual admin perch
If your home office or admin area is in a tight spot, a stool you can tuck beneath a desk, rather than a chair, is probably on the cards.
Stools aren’t always comfy, though, so an upholstered pouffe like this one is a good option to consider.
This is a great idea, too, if your work spot is in your living area: when you’re not at your desk, the pouffe can slide across to the sofa to act as a footstool.
If your home office or admin area is in a tight spot, a stool you can tuck beneath a desk, rather than a chair, is probably on the cards.
Stools aren’t always comfy, though, so an upholstered pouffe like this one is a good option to consider.
This is a great idea, too, if your work spot is in your living area: when you’re not at your desk, the pouffe can slide across to the sofa to act as a footstool.
Introduce a new pattern
A communal footstool is an excellent idea in front of a sofa. Have it double up as a coffee table – plus a practical tray – so you won’t need to drag it out of the way when it’s not in use.
This design also adds a whole new decorative dimension to the room with its geometric pattern. Ensure you pick colours that will work with the rest of the décor long-term – swapping a cushion or moving artwork will be much easier than finding a new spot for a large piece like this.
A communal footstool is an excellent idea in front of a sofa. Have it double up as a coffee table – plus a practical tray – so you won’t need to drag it out of the way when it’s not in use.
This design also adds a whole new decorative dimension to the room with its geometric pattern. Ensure you pick colours that will work with the rest of the décor long-term – swapping a cushion or moving artwork will be much easier than finding a new spot for a large piece like this.
Extend your sofa
L-shaped sofas are great for one member of the household – the one who bags the long end and can stretch out. For everyone else, a large footstool is a quick and effective solution, giving them the same opportunity to put their feet up.
It can also be used as supplementary seating when multiple guests come over.
If you want it to feel very much a permanent part of your sofa, go for a matching fabric, as seen here.
L-shaped sofas are great for one member of the household – the one who bags the long end and can stretch out. For everyone else, a large footstool is a quick and effective solution, giving them the same opportunity to put their feet up.
It can also be used as supplementary seating when multiple guests come over.
If you want it to feel very much a permanent part of your sofa, go for a matching fabric, as seen here.
Hide shoes
Shoe shelves and cubbyholes are great if you have the space (and family members are disciplined enough to tidy their footwear into designated spots). If not, a giant box into which everything can be hurled might be more useful.
Yes, there’ll be a bit of a jumble inside, and only you’ll know if that would bother you. For those who don’t care as long as said jumble is out of sight, job done.
A storage ottoman, as here, has the added benefit of also providing a comfy spot upon which to sit while pulling on shoes.
Tell us…
Do you have an ottoman, footstool or pouffe in your home? How do you use it and where does it live? Share details or photos in the Comments section.
Shoe shelves and cubbyholes are great if you have the space (and family members are disciplined enough to tidy their footwear into designated spots). If not, a giant box into which everything can be hurled might be more useful.
Yes, there’ll be a bit of a jumble inside, and only you’ll know if that would bother you. For those who don’t care as long as said jumble is out of sight, job done.
A storage ottoman, as here, has the added benefit of also providing a comfy spot upon which to sit while pulling on shoes.
Tell us…
Do you have an ottoman, footstool or pouffe in your home? How do you use it and where does it live? Share details or photos in the Comments section.
Many period homes will share a similar arrangement to this scheme, with the original front and back rooms on the ground floor knocked into one.
Rather than having a single giant living room, lots of homeowners opt to give one end a slightly different use – a dining area, snug, play zone or, as here, a reading spot by the garden and away from the TV.
In this instance, two matching pouffes act as both supplementary seating and room divider. Choose designs big enough to create that element of separation, and make them comfy enough for lounging.
Check out the range of ottomans and footstools in the Houzz Shop