There’s often confusion about what to correctly term different types of footstools, but none of it really matters as long as they provide your home with additional comfort and style. Whether you call them pouffes, ottomans or benches, they’re a great addition to any home and a welcome sight for anyone who loves putting their feet up after a full day’s work!

For those of you who are in the market for your own fab footstool, we’ve outlined some of the most important tips for choosing one that will match your own taste and home décor. And for even more information, simply get in touch with us at Footstools & More and we’ll happily offer you some tailored advice.

Functionality

The footstool can be one of the most versatile objects in your home. It can be a replacement seat if you run out of chairs, a surface for your books or even a coffee table!

If you’d like your footstool to have multiple functions, then keep these in mind from the start when browsing different options. For example, a small poof may not be so good at supporting pots of coffee compared to a large, flat ottoman footstool.

Generally speaking, larger more expensive ottomans can serve more functions than smaller bean bag style footstools. Whether it’s having large storage compartments or being able to double up as chairs, consider one of these if you want to truly maximise the usage of your footstool.

Match Footstools With Your Existing Interior

There is some consensus that footstools are an accessory to your overall living room style, meaning you should match your choice with what you already have in place. If you’re featuring heavy fabrics and velvety textures throughout your home, then maybe you should look for fabric footstools that complement this. Equally, more minimal design styles should look to feature more modest ottoman designs.

Having said this, there’s nothing wrong with choosing a footstool as your standout piece of furniture. Rather than simply blending in, they can make great centrepieces that boost the overall aesthetic quality of your home. There’s no hard and fast rule here necessarily, but just be mindful that your footstool doesn’t completely stick out like a sore thumb.

Durability

The best footstools are those that stand the test of time. You can still find amazing quality black leather footstools in second hand shops that have retained their quality and form for over 20 years. As long as you maintain it sufficiently, there’s no reason your footstool can’t last as long as your sofa set (and maybe even longer!).

We recommend choosing fabrics that are durable and hardwearing. This might be hard when you want to choose the most luxurious and plush material options out there, but there is a certainly a balance you can strike if you try to compromise between sheer aesthetic appeal and practical, high quality materials. One measure of this is the thread count of the fabric. A higher thread count will be thicker and longer-lasting than a lower count.

Size

Where will your footstool be positioned within your living space? And will you need it to be stored away on some occasions? These are important questions to ask yourself when planning your next ottoman purchase. If you choose a footstool that is too large, you may find it difficult to negotiate within your existing home space. Equally, footstools that are too small can feel greatly inadequate.

Don’t be afraid to actually bring out the tape measure and check exactly how much room you have to play with. You can take this information to a furniture store or check it with our online listings at Footstools & More to see if it will fit where it needs to!

Maintenance and Care

How easy will it be to clean and maintain your footstool? We recommend that you vacuum or brush your upholstered footstool weekly to get rid of any dirt of crumbs that accumulate. While this is easy with most materials, some will be harder to clean than others and will require more attention. For example, very fine velvet materials may require you to regularly brush away specks of dust to retain it’s true luxurious finish.

If you’d like advice on which footstool pieces match your preferences and home décor the best, get in touch with us at Footstools & More and we’ll happily offer you some experience-backed tips for choosing the right footstool. We also have a great collection of other home furniture items such as trays and cushions!