Footstools

Ottomans and footstools extend the comfort of a sofa, taking the weight off feet after a long day, filling in as extra seating when guests arrive, and often doubling as concealed storage. Our collection spans upholstered storage ottomans, compact round footstools, large coffee-table-sized ottomans, and tufted Chesterfield-style designs in leather and velvet.

  • +62
  • +62
  • +37
  • +62
  • +60
  • +12

A footstool is the smaller piece, designed purely to rest feet, usually measuring around 40 by 60cm. An ottoman is larger and more versatile, often 80 to 120cm across, doubling as extra seating, a coffee-table surface (with a tray) or concealed storage. The terms overlap in common usage, but the scale is the clearest distinction.

A large upholstered ottoman with a flat top can replace a coffee table when paired with a serving tray for drinks and books. The advantage is the soft edges for family rooms with young children, and the dual purpose as extra seating. The tradeoff is that anything placed on the surface needs the tray for support, so cups sit more stably on hard surfaces.

Storage ottomans with lift-up lids hold roughly 100 to 200 litres depending on size, covering a full throw-and-cushion collection or a season's worth of blankets. For families, the hidden-toy-box function is particularly useful at the end of an evening. Look for gas-strut lids rather than freely-opening lids, which are safer with small children.

An ottoman works best in front of a sofa when used as a footstool, sized roughly to two-thirds the width of the sofa. As a coffee-table replacement, it should sit centred with 40 to 50cm of clearance between the sofa front and the ottoman's edge. Smaller footstools can be tucked away between sittings, appearing only when the feet go up.