Often overlooked or considered only as an afterthought, the mighty ottoman richly deserves more consideration. After all, ottomans work hard to not only support your feet after a long day but quite often become a seat, a coffee table, or even a place to store cushions, throws or knick-knacks. In fact, an ottoman is one of the most versatile furniture pieces around. And, when you think about it, an ottoman rivals a sofa with the variety of shapes, styles, fabrics, and purposes it can deliver depending on the style you choose.
So, how do you choose the best style of ottoman for your space? You start by knowing its purpose.
Determining your ottoman’s purpose
If you’ve only ever thought of an ottoman as a footrest, it may seem odd to be asked what the purpose of your ottoman would be. But ottomans are often used as an end-of-bed bench, side table or spare chair for guests.
So, you might like to consider the following factors to help narrow your search for a type of ottoman with the versatility to meet your needs:
- A place to rest your feet: If you’re after a pouf or ottoman to rest your feet, think about how it will coordinate with your existing furniture. If it’s for your living room, choose a material and style that complements your sofa and other furniture like a coffee table or side table. Another key consideration is size and colour - will it be used by one person at a time, or should you go for something large enough for two or more pairs of feet? And, if it’s likely to have shoes placed on it, you might like to choose a forgiving colour.
- A spot for your beverage and book: There’s a reason why it’s so tempting to rest your feet on a coffee table. It’s because they’re similar in height and location to an ottoman! So, it makes sense to have a coffee table ottoman or cocktail ottoman. If you choose a style with a firm flat top, you could pop a decorative tray on it to hold drinks, snacks, and even some magazines. Or use it as a flat surface to play a board game.
Selecting a shape
- Round - A round ottoman is a timeless shape and is great for breaking up sharp lines with a soft, plush look.
- Square - A square ottoman works particularly well with a modular or L-shaped sofa. Aligning symmetrically with straight pieces of furniture such as lounge edges or coffee tables, a square ottoman is a great way to extend the usability of your living room furniture.
- Rectangular - Rectangular ottomans offer versatility with their slimline shape. They are functional pieces that are perfect as a bed bench ottoman, and adaptable to both small and large living spaces as a coffee table or against a wall ready to be moved around as a seat or footstool.
Size does matter
If you consider the difference between a small cube ottoman that you can easily move around and a large modular ottoman designed to work as an extension of your lounge suite, it’s easy to see that ottoman size matters. The size of your room, the purpose of your ottoman, and the number of people likely to be using it should be your main considerations when it comes to choosing the right size.
Choosing a material
While the size, shape and purpose of your ottoman play a key role in choosing the right mix of form and function for your space, the final ingredient is fabric type. Amart’s upholstered ottoman range spans shaggy decorative seats to small footstools and elegant storage benches.
Here are a few facts about our ottoman fabrics for your consideration:
- Fabric Ottoman - Your lifestyle should determine the colour and type of fabric you choose for your ottoman. A bustling house with kids and pets will need a durable acrylic or microfibre fabric that’s easy to clean and stain-resistant. While a quieter home is a better candidate for maintaining delicate and lighter-coloured finishes.
- Velvet Ottoman - Velvet looks simply stunning. Its rich sheen, soft feel, and extensive colour range make it a popular choice for ottoman upholstery.
- Bouclé Ottoman - Bouclé refers to a yarn made from a series of looped fibres as well as the fabric that can be made from it. It has a lovely, nubby look and feel.
- Leather Ottoman - Leather is an elegant and timeless material that will bring earthy charm to your interiors. The Giorgio Leather OttomanGiorgio Leather Ottoman is a beautiful piece that can be customised to tie in with existing leather upholstery or can stand on its own as a stylish centrepiece.
Picking the perfect colour
Whether you choose an ottoman that blends in or stands out, you must ensure the colour complements the palette of your home decor.
- Neutrals - classic colours like white, cream, grey and brown will weather seasonal trends in furniture and paint colours.
- Brights - bring a sense of fun and personality to your space with an ottoman that’s a bright focal point.
- Dark - a bold statement and the most forgiving colour for stains and shoe marks, a dark colour may be an excellent choice for busier homes with pets or kids.
Solution for extra storage options
Have you been wanting somewhere to store the throw pillows from your bed? Perhaps you’d like a coffee table ottoman that’s also a handy spot to keep board games in your living room. Or maybe you’d love a little extra storage space that doubles as a luxurious seat in your walk-in wardrobe. A storage ottoman brings a new level of practicality to an already incredibly practical item. Whatever storage solution you are seeking, an ottoman might be just the ticket.
Finding the style to suit your space
Picture a Bronx Ottoman with navy velvet upholstery and gold legs to set off your glam luxe theme. Or a button-tufted Thornbury Round Ottoman as an accent piece in your French Provincial living room.
Here are some features of a few of the ottoman styles available in the Amart range:
- Tufted Ottoman - tufting refers to a decorative upholstery technique that anchors the fabric to a baseboard through a padded foam layer, effectively bunching the fabric into a button. A tufted look, like what you see in the Oatlands Blue Storage Bench can be upholstered with leather, faux leather, velvet, and other fabrics.
- Smooth Top Ottoman - a smooth top ottoman can be any size, from a small footstool to a larger piece that can be used interchangeably as a coffee table, seat or bed bench.
- Winged Ottoman - this style of ottoman could pass as a seat or a footrest. What’s more, the design lends itself to fit nicely with a variety of decor styles. For example, the grey Anatole Upholstered Bench would look as at home in a Scandinavian room as it would amongst mid-century or minimalist furniture.
- Ottoman Bench - this ottoman style can be whatever you’d like it to be, with bonus points for usability if it also has storage capacity. The Middlesborough Storage Bench could store cushions and throws at the end of your bed or be moved around your living room as extra seating for guests.
A little piece of furniture can go a long way to cementing your chosen interior design style within your space. The style of your new ottoman is key to coordinating visual harmony.
