Ottomans and the World CUp

As I prepare myself for tonight's encounter between England and Algeria my eyes are drawn towards an upholstered footstool, usually called an ottoman which sits to one side of my living room which acts as essential storage for many of the day to day nick naks our family treasure. An ottoman is a great way to contribute design presence giving quality, texture, and colour to any room plan. Yet for the originators of the Ottoman these were but some of the features required.

When early nomadic tradesmen formed their caravans to cross vast swathes of desert they had to account for every single item. As their camels were required to carry not only their wares but also their homes, portability and storage were important features to consider. After long hot days under the desert sun the evenings for these traders were for a time of relation and sustenance. This was when the ottomans were unpacked – some had been used to store silks, cloths and linens for bedding, some others contained spices, dates and figs.

They now had use as a leisure item and were decorated in bright intense coloured fabric piled with cushions. The simple decoration of the nomads tents were enhanced by some home” decor” and the ottomans performed great purpose by being bright, covered as they were in colourful textiles and acting as useful storage vessels.

Firstly it was the nomadic traders and latterly the Ottomans who more than anyone needed a lightweight device that was portable enough to carry from place to place. As the Ottoman Empire stretched across most of Central Asia and Persia and over the deserts of North Africa they popularised the Ottoman, and what we would today understand as a footstool. The design, developed over time was a deeply upholstered seat of any shape, with or without a back, where, it was to become the central piece of domestic seating. An early version was designed to go entirely around three walls of a room, and from this evolved a smaller version, designed to fit into corners.

The first of these “ottomans” was introduced into Europe in the late Eighteenth century from Turkey and soon became a popular adornment to grand Georgian and latterly Victorian homes. As incomes grew throughout the Twentieth Century, Ottomans became an essential fashion statement in UK households. By the year 2000 over 90% of all British homes owned an Ottoman or similar storage device. It has become an essential piece of the storage furniture repertoire and we look forward to future ottoman developments in the years to come.


This author has spent over 20 years experience running companies involved in furnishing fabrics and furniture manufacturing in the UK and writes extensively about footstools , contemporary British furniture and football. He also happens to be a follower of Manchester City.