Ottomans in the family home

Ottomans are storage footstools which are commonly upholstered in lustrous designer fabrics or soft handle leathers making them an excellent option for the home. In days gone by ottomans were simple wooden box structures with many sharp edges. Nowadays safety concerns are paramount especially if you have young children who frequently bump into things. Other household furniture such as tables or chairs are accidents waiting to happen when children are at play. Nobody wants to see their child hurt because of some poorly designed household furniture.

Fortunately, ottoman development has designed out many of the health and safety considerations parents have when choosing furniture for the home. Todays fabric and leather ottomans are made out of rigid foam composites and soft fillings which means that there is far less chance of accidents occurring. The units are relatively child friendly and even complex opening and shutting mechanisms have many safety features built in to reduce the chances of needless and unnecessary accidents.

Modern designed ottomans are a great storage solution for the family home. They come in various shapes and sizes ranging from smaller cube storage ottomans, medium storage (perfect for magazines and books) and large storage ottomans which offer the perfect solution for hiding away sheeting, bedding and duvets. Circular storage ottomans are becoming increasingly popular as design features in living rooms. They are not only a central point of focus, but also multifunctional footstools, coffee tablestools and storage depositories.

The style of ottomans vary greatly according to taste and end use. A good idea for a play room ottoman is a (wipe clean) faux leather. Play room ottomans are often selected in bright vibrant colours however their primary use is to store children's toys and help to keep rooms tidy. A soft chenille fabric ottoman is the perfect upholstery solution for a bedroom and these ottomans are usually selected in soft, pastel shades.

One often forgotten use of an ottoman in the home is as a ready made source of additional seating. Most ottomans have a top seating pad constructed of rigid composite foam which provides comfort to even the most hardy posterior. Although most ottomans have this soft top surface it must be sufficiently strong to withstand the wear and tear of daily life. Manufacturers therefore have to expertly balance the elements of strength and softness when designing their storage products.

On one level ottomans are merely functional storage units however as we have demonstrated through good design and sympathetic use of fabric or leather most modern homes are the beneficiary of these stunning pieces of furniture and something far more than just large wooden boxes!


The author has been making ottomans and other soft furnishing items for over 20 years.