Five Footstools For Christmas

With many years trading experience behind us we can justifiably claim to be the leading UK manufacturer of footstools. All our products are built in the UK by experienced craftsmen who deliver exceptional quality as standard. As the home of the UK's most trusted online retailer for footstools, pouffes and ottomans what do we recommend as the best buys this Christmas?

Small leather footstools are an ideal present as they are compact and have the dual advantages of being ideal footrests and unobtrusive footstools. They are solidly built and will last for many years if handled with care. All small leather footstools are hand crafted by time served upholsters who use the finest Italian leather. They are available from stock and make ideal stocking fillers!

Pouffes and Cubes represent superb value for money and are a great way to create extra seating when the family descends at Christmas. Manufactured using a hardwood frame and composite foam, pouffes are available in either leather or fabric. From under £100 a contemporary fabric pouffe makes a fabulous gift during the festive season.

Benchstools are wonderful foot rests and can also be selected as seating. The choice of feet determines their most appropriate function: - a set of tall contemporary legs gives a height of around fourteen inches (from floor to top) making an ideal seating solution. A choice of ornate Queen Anne legs conveys genuine character and makes a footstool for two to share.

Tablestools are essentially large benchstools and make ideal coffee tables and are practical footstools. At Christmas time many people use tablestools as the centre piece of the room. Here they act as functional tables between chairs and sofas where nuts, crisps and nibbles are placed on trays. They are softly upholstered and make fabulous foot rests for your guests when they fall asleep in front of the television during "The Great Escape" or "The Sound of Music".

Where to store all those Christmas presents? In a large storage ottoman of course! Large ottomans upholstered in either fabric or leather are ideal for tidying away toys, magazines or linen and their presence enhances any room. Wrap your presents then open the lid on Christmas Day to reveal all your gifts of the season! A smaller storage solution would be the cube storage ottoman. Not only is there a large storage capacity beneath, with the lid down the cube ottoman makes a sturdy and practical seat. If you only have one gift to buy this year then you cannot go far wrong with the acquisition of a small cube ottoman!


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.

The National School of Furniture

We are always inspired to see initiatives promoting the next generation of budding furniture makers and last week saw the launch of The National School of Furniture which seeks to unite the educational sector with furniture manufacturing businesses. With the new government looking to encourage apprenticeships and skills based careers this new venture is to be welcomed.

The partnership is to be based at Oxford and Cherwell Valley College and will create a holistic educational experience, offering huge benefits to learners and the entire furniture industry. This is a key time for the furniture industry, and it is vital that employers and the education sector invest in skills for growth. The National School of Furniture will be creating the next generation of highly skilled talent, helping to ensure economic growth for the UK furniture industry. The scheme enables students to make new contacts with the furniture industry, providing routes into employment.

The courses can be studied at two educational establishments: Bucks New University in High Wycombe, and Oxford and Cherwell Valley College and they will be working together to provide education across all levels, from Certificate (Level 1) to PhD (Level 8). Between the two educational centres students can study an aspect of the subject for the very first time.

It will also connect established industry personnel in need of trainees, managers, skills or advice. Through the school, students have an array of courses they can choose from, including short skills-based training, bespoke industry courses, apprenticeships, leisure courses and diplomas. It also offers undergraduate, foundation and master's degree courses.

The National School of Furniture aims to create a skills base for furniture making, design, manufacture, conservation and furniture retail. It hopes to spread providing a portal via a website for anybody interested in the UK industry. The portal will help interested individuals get connected to the school network of partners, alumni, industry supporters, sponsors and key industry personnel.

However it is not just students who gain from their education and interaction with the industry. This is a key time for the furniture industry, and it is vital that the education sector and employers invest in skills for growth. The School will be creating the next generation of highly skilled talent, helping to ensure economic growth for the furniture and footstool industry and the nation as a whole. A key benefit for industry professionals is the development of an archive for historical reference, as well as a research base and test bed for existing and new ottoman projects.

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.

Biblical and Literary Footstools

Whether known as a "repose-pied" (France), "fodskammel" in Denmark or a "sgabellino" in Italy, footstools are a well respected piece of household furniture. They have also had significant literary presence with references in the Bible and some of the great works of world literature.

In the Bible, "Jehovah symbolically dwelt in the holy place between the cherubim above the ark of the covenant. The ark was his footstool" (1 Chr. 28:2; Ps. 99:5; 132:7). "And as heaven is God's throne, so the earth is his footstool" and in Matthew 5:34,35. "Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King."

In Psalms 110:1."The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." and later from the Old Testament, "For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) who was a philosopher, author and naturalist said in his 1864 work, The Allegash and East Branch, "When the chopper would praise a pine, he will commonly tell you that the one he cut was so big that a yoke of oxen stood on its stump; as if that were what the pine had grown for, to become the footstool of oxen." English Poet John Donne, writing in 1613 said, "Who sees God's face, that is self life, must die; What a death were it then to see God die! It made his own lieutenant, Nature, shrink; It made his footstool crack, and the sun wink."

In 1861 Julia Ward Howe composed the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" as the early battles of the American Civil War raged between the Confederate and Union armies. Howe was influenced by the anti slavery societies in the North and had been persuaded to write new lyrics to the popular patriotic song "John Brown's Body". She was later paid the princely sum of $5 by a US publisher as the song caught on and swept into the consciousness of the North. Her lyric included the seminal reference to "God's footstool" in the final verse; -

"He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is Wisdom to the mighty, He is Succour to the brave,
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of Time His slave,
Our God is marching on."

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.

Principals of the Successful Footstools Retailer

Modern furniture businesses should be centred on the dual concepts of quality and excellent customer service. Customers need to be at the heart of everything the business does. Furniture products need to be engineered to maximise relaxation and to provide high-class design with built in quality. They need to be aesthetically appealing whilst combining practicality and functionality.

Successful footstool manufacturing businesses know the importance of “putting our feet up” after a hard day at work. As busy people themselves they understand the importance of relaxation. They value leisure time and know they have an important part to play by rewarding customers with the quality of the furniture they offer.

The design principles behind a successful furniture company are based on the idea of giving customers choice within a quality palette. That choice should be customer lead striking the perfect balance of colour, fabric, proportion and texture. In this way company products fit seamlessly into any lifestyle and environment.

A footstool business within the furniture sector needs to provide a niche product range. Hence made to measure footstools, pouffes and storage ottomans are designed to fit into any household space. They are appropriate for any room and are practical pieces in their own right. And the pieces are individually hand built for comfort and relaxation. Only through careful sourcing of the best leather, fabrics and component materials can craftsman built footstools meet the high expectations of customers.

An increasing number of footstool and ottoman manufacturers sell their products online. In this way they cut out the expensive overhead of retail rent and rate charges. Customers are buying a unique range of products directly from the manufacturer, thus avoiding the cost of a middleman. By visiting the site of an independent footstool retailer you are simply a click away from putting your feet up!

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.

Cubes for Seating

Upholstered pouffe or cube seating is the perfect solution to providing inexpensive and practical seating capacity at events, exhibitions and retail environments. You will rarely pass a shoe shop without seeing an arrangement of cubes within. Public houses, bars and restaurants rely on their adaptability for seating and cubes provide ready, comfortable seats in office reception areas. They are easy to store, each one coming in a tight fitting double walled card board box and if cared for will give you a life span of many years service. How then can such a simple piece of furniture offer so much to so many for so little?
Reputable footstools and ottoman suppliers regard the cube as a required piece within their furniture stores. Cubes fit into the smallest of spaces and can be arranged in any variety of combinations. A craftsman built cube offers a genuine measure of quality. The template is its hard wood frame, glued rather than screwed, stapled or nailed. A two to three inch deep rigid foam pad beneath a plywood structure provides the comport for seating and a protective foam and polyester wadding offers protection to the edges and sides. Four plastic glide feet are applied to the base so as to avoid scuffing and tears to the edges at floor level. The glides also provide stability and balance allied to simple manoeuvrability across surfaces.

The choice of outer covering should be dictated by where and for what purpose the cube is to be used. For instance cubes that provide seating in bars and restaurants require a hard wearing outer upholstered surface that is easy to clean. Light colours should be avoided as they are prone to staining. Dark fabrics should not be exposed to direct sunlight. That said the choice of beauticians and hairdressers is for "lighter" upholstered cubes in shades such as whites or golds. The brand image you are trying to portray is essential to your choice of cube. Wedding event organisers tend to select white leather cubes to enhance the atmosphere of the occasion. Many bar owners choose reds or black as their design colour and their cube seating selection is reflected accordingly. Leather or faux leather tends to be their upholstery choice as it is a practical solution for the club or bar environment.

If treated appropriately your cube will last you for many years. Fabrics treated with a Guardsman* stain resist finish (such as faux suede) may be wiped clean with a damp cloth to remove excessive stains and soiling. Upholstered leather cubes, particularly those in an aged Mustang leather look better with age and can last for up to ten years! If you are looking to buy seating for your business or home then a cube offers you a quality solution at a price to suit!



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

Leather for your footstool

Footstools upholstered in a fine Italian leather make a real statement about the discerning footstool buyer. When you purchase a British built leather footstool the true meaning of quality is revealed. But for all customers the style and leather selection is most important especially when a footstool becomes a true family heirloom and is to be passed onto future generations of your family.

The tanning of leather is a centuries old craft that can be traced back to pre Roman times. According to biblical references, Simon the Tanner was plying his trade in the first century AD. Renaissance Florence became a European centre for leather and the tradition of excellent leather manufacturing is maintained today in modern day Italy.

When used for upholstery the latest scientific techniques and rigorous quality control are employed to each hide prior to tanning. Without a significant beef industry there would be no skins and therefore no trade in leather. Hence Northern Italy, with a prosperous cattle sector is well placed to provide the raw material for the trade in leather.

At the abattoir skins are removed from the beasts and are left in a temperate place to cool. In some traditional Italian abattoirs the skins are placed on marble floors to cool down. This procedure is vitally important as the rapid cooling of marble reduces the threat of bacterial attack. Hides are then salted to preserve them prior to shipping to a tannery where further processing takes place.

On arrival at the tannery blemishes are removed from the hide and re inspected to ensure only the best hides are used. At this point colouration takes place whereby a number of hides are dyed in large vessels to a precise formulation. A protective coating is frequently applied to the leather after colouration to protect it from wear and tear and ensure a long life span. Finally the leather is softened and then ironed to remove creases prior to shipment.

Upholstery buyers are particularly selective when choosing leather. Given the value of the furniture to be upholstered, leather for benchstools, tablestools or ottomans is highly prized and needs to be of the highest quality. Leather for your footstool must comprise three main elements. Firstly is has to be durable as it will have to withstand the weight of many feet during its life time. Secondly it must be without major blemishes such as creases, scars or tears. Finally the leather for your footstool must convey the quality of a superior piece of upholstered furniture. Its appearance must be second to none or the premium a customer deserves when choosing leather for his or her footstool will not be met. Only then will the discerning customer realise he or she has made an excellent footstool choice!

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

Buying an Ottoman Today

Buying an ottoman today could not be easier although with the choices available finding the piece to match your exact requirements may be more difficult. You can find storage ottomans in a variety of shapes and sizes, built to varying levels of craftsmanship. With a purchase plan in mind you should not have a problem finding something that will suit your needs.

The first thing you should consider is what you want from your ottoman. Do you want it to be stylish, practical or both? If you want a stylish bedroom then you should consider buying an ottoman to ensure your bedroom is stylish and relaxing. Ottomans are suitable for almost any bedroom size and shape. They are most commonly located at the foot of the "master bed" where linen, pillows and duvets become easily accessible. Sleek storage ottomans are ideal for helping to keep your bedroom clear of clutter and they are ideal for storing bedding and laundrySome storage pieces add a touch of glitz to a living area and help set the tone of the room.


There are plenty of size options available, even for the smallest room. When it comes to selecting an ottoman you will probably want something sleek, either upholstered in fabric or leather. If selecting a piece to coordinate with your suite you have plenty of options available. A mixture of both leather and fabric is more likely to be the design choice of today.

You can buy storage ottomans both online and offline. You will need to think about how much you are willing to spend and what items you need the piece to coordinate with. If selecting the offline option make sure you choose a store that has a good selection of Sofas and Ottomans. There are many places to visit and in the UK DFS, Argos and IKEA, are as good as anywhere. Online the choice is even greater although a reputable online footstools and ottomans retailer with many years trading experience and a verifiable list of satisfied genuine customers is the place to start.

After you have chosen a place to buy your ottoman and settled on a budget you may consider the ranges available. As long as you make sure you have done your research then an ottoman should be a fun and exciting task.


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