The Humble Footstool

As an unprepossessing piece of furniture the footstool was regarded by many as an unnecessary encumbrance to the set up of a room. Individuals sat in their large padded chair by the fireplace with their feet in a horizontal position without giving much thought to the "Humble Footstool".

As an item of great merit, the footstool really serves us very well. We relax with our feet up at the end of a hard working day. Now, the humble footstool has emerged as a central piece of furniture in its own right and turned those lazy evenings of comfort into stylish relaxation. Now we proudly display our footstools as essential room accessories. They have developed their own distinctive character and have even become part of the family!

We still utilise the benefits of having a lower level footstool that can be easily tucked away to make more room when we have guests arriving and space is at a premium. Storage footstools allow us to gather up our belongings giving the room a quick makeover when those guests arrive on a whim. Cube footstools with storage even have the added benefit extra seating when chairs are at a premium and space is limited. Developments in footstool technology now give us a range of multifunctional footstools: - these have practical and functional benefits whilst contributing style and glamour to the aesthetic appearance of our rooms.

As designs have progressed over the years we can forget about the conventional rectangular shape of our footstools. Although still in the majority of footstools sold, there are a multitude of alternative shapes to suit today's discerning footstool buyer. We can rest our feet on a rounded square "Pouffe" that doubles up as an emergency children or pets seat! Thanks to their unrivalled comfort and soft foam padding, pouffes (or cube footstools) are actually popular in many shoe stores. Manufacturers supply them as practical seating with optional foot rests. These cube footstools are also be provided in a variety of vibrant shades and materials.

Many people select leather or faux leather (imitation) cubes in natural tones such as dark brown, rust, mocha, beige or and sometimes rouge. Also popular are luxury cube footstools with exotic floral designs in chenille, velvet, suedes or basket weave fabrics. In addition we find earth tones with metallic notes incorporated in several of the high end fabric suppliers offerings. Many footstool upholsterers offer faux leather on storage cube footstools so when we rest our feet the cube can be easily wiped clean by using a cloth soaked in mild detergent. These footstools score well on hygenene and such materials are often found in medical environments or where it is essential the room remains clean. The added benefit of cube storage is as a place to store books, games, DVD's or bedding thus providing storage and style in equal measure!

Footstool designers encourage us to engage with round cylindrical footstools known as drum stools. Drum stools provide comfortable seating and are often located in bars, restaurants and reception areas. They are designed to be about 18 inches high (an optimum seating height) although many people prefer a low drum stool at about 12 inches high as a perfect small foot rest. In contrast to the conventional rectangular or square cube, drum stools are ideal for a house that loves curves not defined angles.

People today enjoy the best of both worlds, a stylish large footstool and a place to rest our feet! These large footstools or tablestools are designed to allow you to rest your cup and saucer and the morning newspaper on with their large flat surface, whilst still being a comfortable foot rest. We often get yelled at for having our feet on the table so why not opt for a large tablestool! A recent new addition is the table stool ottoman where all bases are covered. There will no longer be an excuse for untidiness in any house that has invested in a footstool ottoman.

The author runs several furniture businesses and is a respected authority on the subject of footstools and modern furniture design.