Ottomans (493)

An ottoman is a piece of furniture, a padded, upholstered seat or bench having neither back nor arms, often used as a stool or footstool, or in some cases as an improvised coffee table.

An ottoman can also be known as a footstool, tuffet, hassock or pouf. Some ottomans are hollow, in which case they are often used as blanket boxes.

We carry a wide variety of ottomans to compliment your leather or fabric sofa or even a chair. These ottomans are also perfect for use at the foot of your bed in your bedroom. Several of our styles even include a flip top lid for storage of blankets, remote controls or anything you want to hide away for that clean room look.

When the time comes to kick back and relax, there’s no need to settle for a simple footstool. Why not cushion your weary feet with a nice big ottoman instead?

Ottomans of all shapes and sizes are making their appearance in decorating magazines, decorator show houses, and websites. While some newer ottomans take up a lot of space in a room, others are small enough to tuck under a coffee table. Either way, an ottoman can easily be transformed from your favorite footrest to extra seating for parties and other social gatherings.

Place a serving tray on a larger ottoman and you’ve got a creative alternative to the standard coffee table.

Ottomans can be formal or casual, and typically vary in price from $100 to $1,000 or more. The fancier ottomans may be neatly tailored with gathers and cording. But if you are on a budget or just enjoy do-it-yourself projects, an attractive ottoman can be made from common plywood, foam, and fabric.

To see just how many choices you have when it comes to ottomans, look at the many Ottoman Styles on this site.

Historical Information of the Ottoman

The word ottoman was introduced into English in the "footstool" sense in 1806 (probably from the identical French word, which also denotes a type of textile fabric), because the ottoman's typical use in a reclining position was associated in Europe with the Orient, in line with fashionable Turkish influence since the early 18th century (when the Balkans were still partially under Ottoman rule). It is not supposed to have been invented by the Ottoman Turks. The word Ottoman as associated with the furniture used as a footstool is widely believed to have come about in the late 18th century when Egypt, then a part of the Ottoman Empire, was invaded by the French. This invasion included physical punishment to include "pain walks" (loosely translated) - because of these walks Ottomans soon thereafter fashioned footstools to rest their tired extremities. These footstools later became widely popular in Europe and the term 'Ottoman' was coined to give tribute to the furniture's origin.