I love using ottomans (also their cousins: stools, poufs and benches) in interior design. They come in so many different shapes, styles and materials and can serve a variety of purposes in your home. You can place it somewhere to look pretty and bring in texture, color or variety in your space. It can be pulled out for extra seating, surface space or sometimes even storage when needed.
I’ve put together some examples of different types of ottomans to illustrate their versatility and style. The first and probably most common type is the upholstered ottoman. It is usually used in a living space as either a footrest or coffee table or does double duty as both as needed.
Cube ottomans are one of my favorites. They can be used on their own or bunched together as a makeshift coffee table. They are footstools, seating and surface space all-in-one. You can find them in a variety of materials which make them fun and textural elements in a room. The ones pictured here are covered in hair on hide.
Another popular usage of benches is at the foot of a bed. Again, there are a variety of styles that work well in this configuration, such as the upholstered bench with legs as shown in this photo. This application is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. It can be used for sitting on and can also be an additional design element for the room, providing color, texture, pattern, etc.
Below are some more examples of favorite ottomans and benches that can be used in your interior design. These can pack a lot of design punch, and sometimes at a very low cost.
