Furnishing a Home With Storage Ottoman Furniture
Furnishing a home with storage ottoman furniture offers a useful way of storing items such as bedding and tablecloths. This permits the storage of such items in the room in which they will be used. An ottoman is fundamentally a small rectangular padded box that can be used for seating or as a footstool, originating from Turkey during the period of the Ottoman Empire.
It has changed a lot from these times of course, and is today regarded as an optional extra in most modern homes. However, it has its uses, and in some cases is an essential item of furniture. Here are some of the uses of the storage ottoman in the modern home: a fusion of the ancient and the modern if you like.
The Ottoman as a Footstool
The way that this form of furniture can be used is exemplified in the MotionCraft 'Comfort Tilt' chairs, which come with a storage ottoman as a footstool rather than provide a footrest integral with the chairs. It offers much more comfort than an integral footrest ever can, and is a very popular form of recliner.
You can do the same yourself, by purchasing it as a footstool to use with your own static chair, or even with a recliner but without using the footrest. A beautifully padded and upholstered ottoman is far superior to the footrests offered with regular recliners. They are also useful for use with sectionals.
Storage Ottomans in the Bedroom
A storage ottoman can be used in the bedroom as a seat to help when dressing and also as a storage unit for items such as sheets and pillow cases - and even for spare pillows. They can sit 2-3 ft high, the height offering a considerable amount of storage space. When used in this way, they are virtually large upholstered boxes, with the lid padded to provide comfortable seating.
The Storage Ottoman in the Living Room
If you have a piano in your living room or lounge, you can use either a traditional piano stool, with a small compartment under the hinged seat for music sheets, or use a storage ottoman. The seating is just as comfortable, in fact even more so in some cases since it is more substantial than a stool, and can be more heavily upholstered and padded.
The storage capacity is considerably greater, and you can store not only sheet music, but also books and even tuning forks and other equipment if you tune your own piano. They can even be used to hold other musical instruments, such as a violin in its case, brass instruments and other small items.
Comfort and Storage in Your Home Office
Most people use this type of footstool with a sofa or chair, where they are not only functional but also help to enhance the overall look of the room. However, they can also be used in a home office as a foot rest while you recline in your office chair pondering the state of the universe.
It can also be used for storage, such as for storing archived files that are not yet digital. It can be used for items for disposal, and you can clean it out every week - anything you want. A large upholstered box with a lid has many potential uses!
Unexpected Overnight Bedding
An ottoman has many uses, and this versatile form of home furniture has also been developed into a potential bed. You can purchase this type of furniture in the form of a fold-out bed which is great in the home office for a powernap or for those unexpected overnight stays, such as the guest who drank too much to drive home. The top and the other hinged sections underneath can fold out to a functional single bed. Store the bedding inside.
Another use is in the kids' bedroom. Children love sleepovers, and you don't always have the room for two beds - or even for a bed and a sofa bed. Purchase the right size however, and it can not only be used for seating, but also as a spare bed come sleepover time!
Storage Ottomans are often overlooked when furnishing a home, which is a shame because they are so adaptable. It's heads or tails which is the better choice - a sofa bed or a storage ottoman that doubles as an emergency bed. The latter likely wings it because of its small size and ability to offer three functions (seat-storage-bed) in small rooms.
