Ottomans: Adding Function and Design to Any Room of Your Home
Many of us know ottomans to be the handy little seat that can be pulled out during game night as an extra place for people to plop down with a plate of food or a cup of coffee. Ottomans are extremely functional and can be added to just about any corner of the house. These home furnishings come in various shapes and sizes, allowing them to fit into many different design schemes. Ottomans get their name from the Turkish Ottoman Empire during the 1700s when these low seats were imported by Europeans, fitted to stretch the length of two or three walls of a room.
These ottomans resembled large cushions rather than the 19th century evolution that sprouted legs and shrank to seat just one or two individuals. These smaller and more compact ottomans are what we see in homes today. Ottomans are not just useful for extra seating, but can be a fun design piece in many rooms of the house. They are great for use in family rooms, sitting rooms, bedrooms and smaller “extra” spaces like alcoves and corner areas. Here are some ideas to liven up a space and utilize ottomans in a slightly different way than all your neighbors. Mix and match, add pillows, or place by the end of a bed.
Residential Living Room by Elkins Park Interior Decorator Amy Cuker
The above photograph comes from Down 2 Earth Interior Design, located in Elkins Park, PA and founded by Amy Cuker. Rather than using one large ottoman to fill a space, utilizing four smaller ones allows for more interest and more seating, and ultimately, more versatility in your living room. It’s a win-win situation.
Eclectic Family Room by Breinigsville Interior Designers & Decorators Shoshana Gosselin
We’ll be honest, ottomans can sometimes be a less comfortable seating option for guests, so one way to remedy this is to push them against a wall and add pillows for a little more back support. Shoshana Gosselin of Love Your Room, an interior design company of the Lehigh Valley, demonstrates this design technique with lovely red bolsters that pick up the color of the curtains and details throughout the room. Consider this option for something a bit more elegant or for a more formal decor.
Transitional Bedroom by Villanova Interior Designer Lisa Furey
Designer Lisa Furey of Barefoot Interiors placed a cushioned bench at the end of this Villanova interior, and we love how it could be used as a place to sit and read or to put books when you retire for the night. The bench could easily be replaced with a long ottoman or a more delicate ottoman with legs–similar to the piece in the above picture.
Photo curtesy of Amy Barrickman, Barrickman Design Group
A great way to place an ottoman in a room is by going the traditional route. Here, Amy Barrickman of Barrickman Design Group in Ardmore, uses a luxurious leather ottoman to fill up the area where you would usually be tempted to put a coffee table. This design adds something special to the room, but still allows for the functionality of a coffee table. Put a tray or two on the ottoman so that guests have an additional place to put drinks or plates.
Here at Knots & Weaves, we have got you covered when it comes to ottomans. We have a variety of sizes, shapes and styles ranging from traditional Turkish designs to bright, colorful contemporary pieces. Below are images of a few we’ve had in the store!
