Upholstered Footstool Ottomans

An upholstered footstool with storage capacity, sometimes known as an ottoman may be a great way to add softness, texture, or colour to your design 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, with what we would today understand as an upholstered footstool with a central storage area. 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 18th century from Turkey. Then with Napoleon Bonaparte's adventures in Egypt and British efforts to halt his advances at the Battle of the Nile in 1798, Western Europe saw the what the locals were using to store their wares and footstool ottomans 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. The ottoman became the place to store bedding or to dispose of dirty linen. Today the ottoman is a central feature of many British homes and can be found not only in the bedroom but in living rooms and offices for storing many of the cherished and important household items.


The author has over 20 years experience running companies involved in furnishing fabrics and furniture manufacturing in the UK and writes extensively about history, footstools and contemporary furniture.