Create Comfort With an Ottoman Bench

Add a touch of softer seating to your home with an ottoman bench. This versatile piece of furniture is beautiful in a living room, bedroom or other area where you might sit or lounge. Use yours as a seat, as a foot rest or, in many cases, as storage for bonus textiles, like throw blankets or extra pillows. Place objects like trays or books on top of yours to use it like you would a coffee table or move it around wherever it's needed, depending on who's hanging out at your place. Shop sophisticated colours, fabrics and silhouettes to see which ottoman bench looks best in your home.

What Is An Ottoman Bench?

An ottoman bench is a creative piece of furniture that suits several purposes. In fact, its versatility is one of its major characteristics. You can use yours in many ways and change it up with each week or weekend.

• An ottoman bench is both an ottoman and a bench at once. An ottoman is a piece of furniture traditionally meant as a foot rest, although they often double as seats and storage under the lid.
• A bench-style ottoman is a bit longer than the traditional ottoman, which may be as wide as an armchair or single seat on a sectional or other sofa. This lets you seat a few people or use it where you might otherwise place a coffee table.
• Ottoman benches come in a variety of design looks. You can choose one that marries elements of a coffee table, bench or console to showcase large art books, trays with jar candles or mirrors and other personal mementos. For a classic style, look for a plush, upholstered ottoman with a greater width.

Matching Your Sofa and More

Many ottomans are designed specifically to match your sofa, especially if you've chosen to customize your own sectional. You can match your ottoman bench to the upholstery of other furniture as part of a seating collection or you can use yours to make a design statement.

• Look for an ottoman that shows off a touch of an avant-garde influence. Directional details, like rivets or cut-outs, can help the piece feel like both a seat and a table.
• Enjoy matching fabric, but choose complementary colours to help the ottoman bench stand out. The impact of this choice is even better when you select two ottoman benches to balance the room and showcase the colour contrast.
• Check out unexpected materials, like polished silvertone or mirror-like finishes, tufted or seamed seats and other details that help the piece feel special.

Arrange your furnishings to allow for maximum impact. Then, start using your bench in as many creative ways as you can imagine.