28 Jan The Ottoman Empire

 

In our book, the ottoman rules!  Whether you call it ahassock (old English), pouffe (French), tuffet (as in Miss Muffet) or ottoman (Turkish), the highly under-rated footstool can be one of the most versatile and transformational pieces of furniture in our home.

The word ottoman (as in footstool) was probably introduced into English in the early 1800’s.  In Europe at that time, the ottoman was typically used by swells for reclining, and was associated with the decadent Orient — specifically Turkey, which was still under Ottoman rule.

Today, the ottoman means much more than reclining and comfort, but can still be marvelously decadent!  As a piece of furniture, it can be used not only as the familiar and universal footstool but also as a side table, coffee table, additional seating, bench or even accent piece (or all of the above!).

Use it indoors and outdoors.  An ottoman can add a lot to a room, frequently at a modest cost relative to other pieces of furniture. Here are some of our favorite examples, showing you just how versatile and fun the ottoman, pouffe, tuffet and hassock can be!  (Eat your heart out, Miss Muffet!)

BonBon_DellaRobbiaFloat-Pouf-by-Paola-LentiPoint_Fatboy_Lime