What Is an Ottoman, and How Do You Use One?

An ottoman is a low, upholstered piece of furniture with no back or arms. You can use it as a footrest, an extra seat, a soft coffee table or, on some models, a place to hide away blankets and clutter. Most are padded on top, covered in sofa-style fabric and made to sit alongside a lounge as a hard-working extra piece. In this guide, we'll explain what an ottoman is, what it's used for, how it differs from a footstool, how to style one in your living room and why it's still such a popular choice.

Key Takeaways

• An ottoman is a low, upholstered piece with no back or arms, so it can be a footrest, an extra seat, a soft coffee table or storage.

• Ottomans are usually bigger and more versatile than footstools, which are mainly made for resting your feet.

• Our ottomans are designed to add comfort, storage and style to your lounge without taking up much floor space.

• The name comes from the Ottoman Empire, and the style reached Europe in the late 18th century.

• Ottomans suit small homes especially well, because one piece can do the job of a footrest, a spare seat and a coffee table.

What Is an Ottoman?

An ottoman is a piece of upholstered furniture that sits low to the ground and has no backrest or armrests. It's usually padded on top and covered in the same kind of fabric as a sofa. That simple shape is what makes it so useful, as it's comfortable to rest your feet on, easy to sit on and steady enough to hold a tray of drinks or a book.

We design our ottomans to give your lounge extra comfort, storage and style without eating into your floor space. They have soft foam cushioning on top, a sturdy frame underneath and fabrics that sit neatly with the rest of your room.

These are the features most ottomans share.

• No backrest. Unlike a chair or armchair, an ottoman has a flat top.

• No armrests. All four sides are open, so you can sit or reach it from any direction.

• A padded top. It's cushioned with foam or fibre fill and covered in fabric or leather.

• A sturdy frame. There's usually a timber or engineered-wood frame under the padding.

• Matching fabric. It's designed to sit well alongside a sofa.

Ottomans come in different shapes, including square, rectangular and round. Some are made to match a specific sofa, like our Tamarama Modular Ottoman and Torquay Modular Ottoman, so you can put your feet up in a matching fabric.

What Are Ottomans Used For?

Ottomans have four main uses in a living room, which are extra seating, a footrest, a soft coffee table and, on some models, hidden storage. A good ottoman does two or three of these at once, which is why it's such a useful piece in smaller homes and apartments.

Extra Seating

An ottoman gives you a spare seat that tucks against a wall or beside the sofa when you don't need it. Because it has no back or arms, guests can pull it out, sit facing any direction and push it back afterwards without moving anything else. That's handy when you're entertaining in a small living room or have more people over than your sofa fits.

If you'll use your ottoman as a seat often, look for one with a top that's firm enough to sit on for a while. Very soft ottomans are better as footrests.

Footrest & Coffee Table

Placed in front of a sofa, an ottoman gives you somewhere to put your feet up, and with a tray on top it doubles as a soft coffee table. It's a popular choice in family homes, because there are no hard corners for little ones or pets to bump into.

A rigid tray gives drinks, books and the remote a steady, flat surface while keeping the soft look.

Hidden Storage

Some ottomans have a lift-up lid with storage inside for blankets, throws, magazines or kids' toys. That turns an ottoman from an extra seat into a handy way to keep your lounge tidy, which matters most in a small home where every piece needs to earn its place. Our Koala Sofa Bed Ottoman has hidden storage under the lid, and its top flips over to a hard surface you can use as a side table. 

Ottoman vs Footstool, What's the Difference

Ottomans and footstools look similar, but they're made for different jobs. An ottoman is usually larger and fully upholstered, and it can work as a seat, a footrest and sometimes storage. A footstool is smaller, often has visible legs and is mainly for resting your feet.

In short, a footstool is a smaller piece made for one job, while an ottoman is a larger piece that can take on several roles in your living room.

How to Use & Style an Ottoman in a Living Room

The easiest way to style an ottoman is to choose a shape and size that suits the job you want it to do, then pick a fabric and colour that work with your sofa.

These styling tips work in most rooms.

• Match the fabric family rather than the exact colour. A coordinating tone from the same fabric range looks intentional.

• Keep the top close to the height of your sofa cushions so it's comfortable to put your feet up.

• Leave enough room to walk past if the ottoman sits in a walkway.

• Add a rigid tray if you're using it as a coffee table, so drinks have a flat, steady surface.

Are Ottomans Still Popular Today?

Yes, ottomans are still a popular choice, especially in smaller homes. In a compact living room or open-plan apartment, one ottoman can do the job of a coffee table, an extra chair and a blanket basket, which frees up floor space.

These are some of the reasons they're still a favourite.

• They suit small spaces, because one piece can do three or four jobs.

• They work with modular sofas, as matching ottomans give you extra room to stretch out.

• They're great for guests, as they give you an extra seat that's easy to move.

• They're family-friendly, because soft edges are kinder than hard coffee table corners.

• They add personality, as an ottoman in a bold fabric can be an accent piece next to a neutral sofa.

Put Your Feet Up With Our Ottomans

Now you know what an ottoman can do, it's easier to choose the right one for your lounge. Our ottomans are designed to sit alongside our sofas and sofa beds, with soft foam cushioning on top and a sturdy frame underneath. Many are made with timber from FSC® certified forests and CertiPUR-US® certified foams, and some have hidden storage for blankets and throws.

• • Browse our full ottoman range to find one that suits your sofa, including ottomans with hidden storage.

  • Pair your ottoman with a sofa in a matching fabric from our sofas & couches range.

  • If you’re choosing between a chaise and an ottoman, compare the options in our chaise sofas range.

  • If you have an L-shaped sofa, add an ottoman at the open end of one from our corner sofas range so you can put your feet up.

  • Keep your setup looking fresh with our washable sofa covers.

Every Koala ottoman comes with our 120-day trial, so you can see how it works in your lounge before you decide.

Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQs )

What is the purpose of an ottoman?

An ottoman is a versatile piece of soft furniture that works as a footrest, an extra seat, a soft coffee table and, on some models, hidden storage. Because it has no back or arms, it's easy to switch between uses. You can pull it out for a guest to sit on, push it back to put your feet up or add a tray for drinks.

Why were they called ottomans?

Ottomans are named after the Ottoman Empire, where low, cushioned seats without backs or arms were a common part of the home. The style reached Europe in the late 18th century and kept the name. Modern ottomans come in many more shapes, sizes and fabrics, but the idea is the same.

Are ottomans still popular today?

Yes, ottomans are still popular, especially in smaller homes, because one piece can work as a footrest, an extra seat, a coffee table and sometimes storage. They also suit modular sofas, where a matching ottoman gives you more room to stretch out.