The purpose of an ottoman can be many, but most ottomans share the naturally texturized, upholstered top and a solid, usually wooden base. All rooms can benefit from the right type of ottoman since this piece of furniture offers comfort and a lot of practicality. However, the appropriate ottoman usage is best established when the right type of ottoman design is chosen. Whether you are shopping for an ottoman to accent the room, create more seating options, establish a reading corner, or to add a pop of colour, understand the main options on offer:
Basics First: what to expect from a standard ottoman?
Visit the physical store or a home furnishing website, and you are bound to come across words like “standard” or “basic” to describe an ottoman. They refer to the conventional ottoman design. The standard design is the more traditional ottoman with a heavily cushioned top with a sturdy, wooden base with small legs. The conventional ottoman is more likely to be rounded or have a pouf-like appearance. Expect fabrics like leather, cotton, denim, and some synthetic fabrics. Standard ottomans usually have a thick cushion and the solid frame meets the standards for basic functionality along with some style and class. However, the more loved designs include a lot more beyond this basic categorization.
Tufted Ottoman
The tufted look is the premium version of the upholstered ottoman where stylish buttons are used to pin the fabric. The tufted appearance is both, classic and contemporary and easily blends in any décor scheme. An upholstery technique, tufting adds more firmness to the surface—important if the ottoman’s intended usage means often sitting on it. Tufted ottomans are considered decorative too as there is an option to create certain patterns using the tufted layout. Modern homes can be a bit too edgy. The presence of tufted ottomans helps to soften the look. The buttoned-back look has functional advantages too. Due to the presence of many buttons, the tufting holds down the material ensuring the seat remains firm yet plump without any shifting. Tufted ottomans might be available: without storage, with storage, and with short or long legs.
Smooth Top Ottoman [and hard top variations]
If you plan to use your ottoman in a dynamic way, a smooth top ottoman is perhaps a better fit. Typical examples of the smooth top ottoman include the coffee table ottoman that is meant to double up as a small table. Here, the purpose of the ottoman is to offer a simple, solid tabletop-like surface apart from being a seating option. Smooth tops are simpler-looking ottomans where it is easy to rest a drink or coffee mug on them. Usually, empowered with strong legs, smooth top ottomans define ottoman furniture’s versatility. Variations have emerged within the niche of smooth tops as some furniture designers have created ottomans with a firm top, making these at par with accent stools and side tables. Such ottomans have a small hardtop integrated within the top surface, often referred to as the tray top ottoman. Smooth-top and hard-top ottomans are most likely to be further referred to as cocktail or coffee table ottomans as they perform the function of a handy, small table in your living room.
Winged Ottoman
A more unique proposition, the wing-shaped ottoman uses a wing-like lower base. These ‘wings’ tend to shape upwards on both sides, creating ample space for putting up your feet. These are decadent ottomans that are meant to pamper you. A bit whimsical, winged ottomans combine a slightly unusual design with a bit of curve to create something special. The cushioned surface creates a slight, wrap-around type feeling with the core hosting the feet. When combined with a wing chair or a lavish armchair, these ottomans complete the picture of a furniture set.
Ottoman Bench
A design that is high on utility, the ottoman bench uses slightly longer legs since the sitting dynamics of a bench has to be recreated. This is an upholstered ottoman. The multipurpose seat is padded, and the form is rectangular, making an ottoman bench very useful for creating more seating capacity in a hotel hallway or the living room of a house. Often, the ottoman bench comes with classic accents like the use of minimally curved legs that add a bit of mid-century flair to the design.
Storage Ottoman
The outright winner for practical usage as compared to a pouf ottoman or a decorative cube ottoman, the storage ottoman has a smart design at its core to increase the storage capacity that is often hidden. For people who struggle with kids constantly littering the living room, storage ottomans are a great way to quickly stack the toys and blankets. The access to storage might be in the form of a lift-the-top ottoman, slider ottoman, or ottoman with a flip-top cover. A great way to boost the storage capacity in the bedroom, storage ottomans can easily replace worn-out blanket boxes. In homes with limited closet space, a few storage ottomans can be very useful for temporarily warehousing the clutter and bed linens.
Sleeper Ottoman
These are bigger ottomans that are expected to function like convertible sofa sets. The ottoman encloses a fold-out bed that is useful when you are hosting guests. Sleeper ottomans are bigger than their footrest or decorative cousins, designed to function just like sofas that easily fold out to create a small bed in the guest room.
Ottoman Designs Gaining Popularity: Gliding & Convertible Designs
Lately, ottomans with a smooth gliding mechanism have been grabbing attention. These ottomans come with small wheels that can move in all directions. The gliding wheels obviously make the ottoman easier to move around the living room. Other advancements in ottoman designs include convertible designs or ottomans with extensions. Here, the ottoman is combined with a couch or sofa. A carefully chosen ottoman is seamlessly blended into the existing living room setup, matched with the sofa or couch, looking like an inherent part of the living room layout.
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