Footstool Definitions

According to a well known "online resource" a footstool is a piece of furniture, the purpose of which is to support one's feet. There are two main types of footstools, which can be loosely categorized as those designed for comfort and those designed for function.

The type of footstool designed for comfort is typically used to provide comfort to a person seated, for example, in a chair or sofa. It is typically a short, wide, four-legged stool with a padded top, upholstered in a fabric or animal hide, such as leather. This type of footstool is also a type of Ottoman and it often referred to simply as an Ottoman. It allows the seated person to rest their feet upon it, supporting their legs at a mostly horizontal level. Ottomans are frequently designed with another function in mind, namely they arrive with a hinged lid allowing for valuable storage space within.

A functional footstool, also known simply as a stool, is used as a short stepladder or to support a person's (usually a child's) feet that do not reach the floor when seated. In the former case, the footstool is used by placing it on a flat surface and standing on it to extend one's reach. In the latter case, the footstool is placed under the feet of a sitting person so that the person's feet may rest comfortably on it. An example of the latter is the type of piano footstool used in conjunction with a piano bench. It is also used to make the blood circulation of your body flow more freely than sitting down. The "step up stool" is often found in the kitchens of short people. It can be quickly moved in and out of use and allows the short person to reach the highest shelves or to clean cobwebs in far flung corners. For repeated higher level work we recommend the use of a ladder or step ladder rather than a footstool.

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