The Footstool

The origins of "The Footstool" begin with its use as a practical foot propper or step up stool. It has evolved over the years to become an essential piece of household furniture in its own right. Footstools today are found in living rooms, bedrooms and offices providing comfort and practicality in equal measure.The literal function of the footstool as a furniture piece is to support the feet of its user. Its role providing comfort satisfies the most discerning shopper with the range of sizes, shapes, styles and the choice of available fabrics and leathers. Footstools can be ordered to fit into the smallest or largest of spaces and footstool height can be varied by choosing from a range of legs and feet. The footstool is a point of relaxation, allowing the recipient a period to rest his or her feet. Allowing people to take the weight off their feet has many medical benefits as patients suffering from varicose vein or thrombosis surgery will surely testify.

Footstools were discovered when the tombs of the Pharaohs of Egypt were unearthed by archaeologists in the late Nineteenth and earlier Twentieth Century. Miniature footstools were found encased within various sacred artefacts. Discovered remains show the ancient Egyptian chair as being quite high off the ground in stark contrast to other Egyptian furniture which had smaller dimensions. The highness of the chair required a footstool to be reached. It is thought that in order for the Pharaohs to reach their throne a specially crafted footstool was presented to the King as part of the investiture ceremony, conferring his new found status. When enthroned, the footstool was used to support the feet and was made out of teak, cedar or a similar hardwearing wood. The fact the evidence of these footstools remains is due entirely to the longevity of the wood used and the sterile conditions found within Egyptian tombs. Footstools have also been discovered at Greek and Roman archaeological sites.

Yet it was the nomadic Arab Moors who more than anyone needed a lightweight device to carry from place to place. Latterly the Ottomans of the Turkish Empire popularised what we would today understand as a storage footstool or "Ottoman". They combined practicality, storage and comfort with a softly upholstered seat piled with cushions. The first of these "Ottomans" was introduced into Europe in the late 18th century by English and French veterans of the Napoleonic Wars in and around Egypt and the Ottoman Empire.

Upholstery manufacturers today provide a great variety of footstools to compliment their sofa offerings. Most dedicated footstool retailers recognise that their products need to reflect contemporary tastes so that colours, textures, fabrics, shapes and styles fit seamlessly into modern everyday living environments. And in the way of countless generations before, people can take the weight off their feet and relax by putting their feet up on a footstool after another hard day of toil!


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.