Ottomania |
One wonder -- Is the footstool having an identity crisis? Recent sightings in showrooms, magazines, and websites show a trend towards grand ottoman style and sizes that eclipse some of yesterday's smaller offerings. Many ottomans still specialize in simple extra seating with a minimal footprint. Which leads to another question--why the name? After a hard day of conquest in the 1300s, Turkish armies of the Ottoman Empire probably liked nothing better than relaxing on their low, armless sofas. Centuries later, Victorian Englishmen seized this design for themselves. The ottoman had arrived, and it has evolved into a multitasking partner for living room upholstery. Ottomans rest feet, offer extra seating, and stand in as coffee tables. They can be taken with you easily, make for great perching places for drinks and snacks and can be upholstered to suit your style. All things being equal, you can upholster your ottoman in any fabric that suits your family's style. If you have kids and pets, leather makes a durable, easily cleaned covering. It also creates a bomber-jacket appeal that suits casual living spaces. Ottomans are functional in a variety of ways. Achieve optimal lounging outdoors with a long ottoman that handles stretched-out legs. Choose weather-wise materials, from the resin-wicker skirting to the water-resistant cushion cover. Specify casters to add a dimension of easy mobility. Better than a family day, a big, cushy ottoman brings together the whole family. Choose one that's almost as wide as your sofa, and group your seating pieces around it. A textural upholstery fabric with subtle pattern will hide spills and stand up to wear and tear. Add a bowl of popcorn, and the feet might stay forever. Some designs can also easily fit under a sofa table, ready to pull out when guests arrive. However, newer ottomans are often so large they can stand in for a loveseat or a couple of chairs, while tightly tufted tops support a tray and thus can function as a coffee table. Ottomans can be casual or formal, plain or fancy, dressed up with tailored details such as cording, pleating, and gathers. And although these useful pieces can range from $100 to $1000 and up, a simple casual ottoman can be made from common plywood, foam, and fabric. At chairs1000.com, we've taken these uses into consideration and provided a wide selection of ottomans for you to choose from. Please click below for viewing. See our ottomans. |
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