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Our edit of the best ottomans and footstools
With roots in the Ottoman Empire, this practical object has transcended borders to become one of the most well loved pieces of furniture in English homes and flats. Although its better-known cousin the coffee table may feel right for your space on impulse, consider the ottoman for its winning combination of functionality and beauty. It is comfortable enough to lounge on after a long day, yet firm enough to support mirrors, trays, piles of books or even your dinner on those evenings when sitting at the table feels like a little too much effort.
An ottoman with castors is a particularly useful piece of kit as you can wheel it around until you find the spot you like it in best. Although it is traditionally used in the centre of a living room, we also think they look great at the end of a bed, as pretty storage in a kid’s bedroom or parked under a window as a reading spot. And, when that friend unexpectedly brings a plus one to your dinner party, an ottoman can double as extra seating.
Ottomans can be an excellent way to add colour to a rented home where you may not have free rein with more permanent decorative features. We recommend going bold with pattern or colour so that the fabric is a little more forgiving with stains or splashes. Should you have an old rug or pair of curtains lying around, you could always repurpose them to cover your ottoman and bring a personal, lived-in texture to the room.
These multifunctional pieces can be found in almost every shape and size imaginable. Perhaps you have an awkwardly shaped room? An octagonal ottoman might just fit in where a conventional footstool wouldn’t. In smaller homes, hollow, hinged ottomans can double as a fantastic storage vessel for books, magazines and even bedding. Do bear in mind that ottomans have a tendency to take some light from a room so, if you prefer to avoid that, choose a raised one with legs which allow light to flood underneath.
Our edit of the best ottomans to buy now
