A footstool might be smaller than the sofa it sits alongside, but it can have a surprisingly large influence on how a living room looks and functions. The right design can make a seating area feel more complete, introduce another layer of colour or pattern and, most importantly, provide somewhere comfortable to put your feet at the end of the day.
Many footstools are also far more versatile than their name suggests. Depending on the shape and design, they can provide occasional seating, additional storage or even take the place of a traditional coffee table, making them particularly useful in living rooms where every piece of furniture needs to earn its place.
Choosing the right one is therefore about more than simply matching it to your sofa. Proportion, shape, upholstery and how you intend to use it all need to work together.
Start With the Size of Your Sofa
Proportion is one of the first things to think about when choosing a footstool.
A small footstool can work beautifully alongside an armchair or compact two-seater, but may feel lost in front of a generous three or four-seater sofa. Equally, an oversized ottoman can overwhelm a smaller sitting room and make it difficult to move comfortably around the furniture.
Think about the footstool in relation to the whole seating arrangement rather than the sofa alone. If it will be shared between several seats, a larger square, rectangular or round design can create a central point within the room. If it is primarily for one person, something smaller and easier to move may be all that is needed.
The height matters too, particularly when the main purpose is putting your feet up. A footstool that sits around the same height as the sofa seat, or slightly below it, will generally create a more natural resting position, although personal preference and the depth of the sofa cushions will also influence what feels most comfortable.
Think About Shape as Well as Size
Footstools come in far more shapes than the traditional small rectangular stool, and choosing a different silhouette can subtly change the balance of a room.
A substantial square or rectangular design can give a larger seating arrangement more structure, while a Round Ottoman introduces softer lines and works particularly well in rooms where there are already plenty of straight edges.
An Oval Buttoned Footstool can achieve a similar effect, bringing a gentle curve into the room while retaining the traditional character of buttoned upholstery.
For smaller spaces, a Cube Footstool or Classic Footstool provides somewhere to rest your feet without occupying too much floor space and can easily be repositioned when required.
It is worth marking out the dimensions on the floor before ordering, particularly with larger designs. This gives you a much better idea of how much space will remain for walking around the sofa and footstool once both are in position.
Should Your Footstool Match Your Sofa?
There is no rule that says a footstool needs to be upholstered in exactly the same fabric as the sofa.
Matching the two can create a calm, coordinated appearance, particularly in more traditional interiors or when the sofa itself is upholstered in a patterned fabric that already brings plenty of character to the room.
Choosing a contrasting fabric, however, creates an opportunity to introduce another colour, texture or pattern without making a major change to the rest of the interior.
A plain linen sofa could be paired with a floral or striped footstool, for example, while a patterned sofa might work beautifully alongside a textured plain that picks out one of the colours within the upholstery. Velvet, wool, checks and woven fabrics can all introduce another tactile layer to a room.
The Fortnum Footstool, for instance, has a simple upholstered form that lends itself particularly well to a decorative fabric, while the Bobbin Leg Footstool adds interest through both its upholstery and distinctive timber detailing.
The aim is not necessarily to make everything match, but to create a relationship between the different pieces in the room.
Consider How You Will Actually Use It
Before choosing a design, think about what you expect your footstool to do from day to day.
If it will primarily be used for putting your feet up, comfort and height are likely to be the priorities. If it needs to double as occasional seating, a larger upholstered surface may be more useful, while anyone hoping to use their footstool in place of a coffee table should think about the type of top.
A deeply buttoned design such as the Maurice Footstool or Chesterfield Footstool can become a strong decorative feature in its own right. When you want to place drinks or smaller objects on an upholstered surface, a sturdy tray can provide a practical flat base.
Alternatively, the Glass Top Footstool combines upholstery with a practical glass surface, making it particularly useful where you want the softer appearance of an upholstered piece with some of the functionality of a coffee table.
The Table Footstool is another option for larger living spaces where the footstool is intended to become a central part of the seating arrangement.
Make Storage Part of the Design
In smaller homes, a footstool can also provide valuable hidden storage without adding another piece of cabinetry to the room.
Lift-lid designs are particularly useful for storing throws, cushions, books or other items that you want nearby but not necessarily on display.
The Banquette Footstool incorporates a lift-up lid, while the Capri Lift Lid Footstool combines concealed storage with traditional deep-buttoned upholstery.
There is also the Storage Ottoman with Valance, which offers practical storage within a softer, skirted silhouette.
Choosing a multifunctional design can be particularly useful in family living rooms, bedrooms and smaller sitting rooms, where additional storage is always welcome.
Pay Attention to the Legs and Finishing Details
The relationship between a sofa and footstool is not only about fabric.
Wood finish, leg shape, castors and other smaller details can help connect the two pieces, even when the upholstery is deliberately different. They do not need to match perfectly, but repeating similar timber tones can help create continuity across the room.
Traditional turned legs and castors work naturally alongside classic sofa styles, while simpler timber legs can give a footstool a cleaner appearance.
The Turned Leg Footstool is a good example of how the timber itself can become part of the design, while the more decorative Victorian Footstool can introduce a traditional accent alongside a sofa or armchair.
These finishing details are especially useful when you want your sofa and footstool to complement one another without looking like a matching furniture set.
Use a Footstool to Introduce Pattern and Colour
Because a footstool occupies a relatively small area compared with a sofa, it is an ideal place to be a little more adventurous with upholstery.
If you love a bold floral, stripe or geometric fabric but do not want to use it across an entire sofa, a footstool allows you to introduce the pattern in a more manageable way. The colours can then be repeated elsewhere through cushions, curtains, lampshades or artwork to bring the scheme together.
This works particularly well in rooms where the larger pieces of furniture are relatively neutral. A patterned footstool can become the focal point in the centre of the seating arrangement without dominating the entire room.
The opposite approach can be just as successful. If your sofa is already heavily patterned, choosing a footstool in a complementary plain or textured weave can give the eye somewhere to rest.
Find a Footstool That Works With Your Home
At The Original Chair Company, our footstools and ottomans are handcrafted at our workshop in Perth, Scotland, with a wide range of shapes and styles available for different interiors and uses.
Explore our ready-to-buy footstools for pieces that are available to order online, customise one of our made-to-order designs with your choice of fabric, wood finish, castors and size where available, or get in touch with our team to discuss a fully bespoke footstool or ottoman created specifically for your room.