I just love it when a piece of furniture is both stylish and functional. However, many furniture designers focus on the aesthetic aspect while sacrificing the practical side. That’s why many of us tend to over-clutter our homes with a lot of furniture, thinking that the more pieces we have., the more comfort we’ll have.

However, many also neglect the fact that there are pieces of furniture that have multiple purposes, save space and solve storage problems – yup, ottomans. Besides coming in many different styles that can compliment literally any interior design, contemporary ottomans can also have a number of uses if you’re creative enough and put them to good use. Let’s see how you can make the most out of this small piece of art in the form of furniture.

contemporary ottomans

Stylish Foot Stool

People using coffee tables as foot rests are simply the worst! Besides being an unhygienic thing to do, resting your feet on a hard table surface is also very uncomfortable. Instead, tuck an ottoman under the table and pull it out the next time you feel like putting your feet up. These furniture pieces have plenty of cushioning for comfort and are just the right height for your feet. Picking one in a colour and design similar to your sofa will make it blend in the décor and feel like a part of the seating arrangement.

Extra Seating Space

I bet you’ve experienced that awful moment when you have more guests than seating space to accommodate them. In these cases an ottoman can save the day by instantly transforming from a foot rest to a cozy chair to sit on. Having a rich fabric and thick cushioning, your guests can comfortably rest on it. And if you choose a larger and oval shaped one, you’ll get even more seating room since this particular form accommodates more people.

Unique Coffee Table

The ottoman walks the line between a stool and a table. Contemporary ottomans come in many chic designs and flat upholstering, that they’ve become just the perfect coffee table for anyone who wants to add a certain rebellious touch to their living room. If you are not brave enough to make such a drastic design move, you can still use the ottoman as a portable coffee table wherever you need one. For example, if you’re reading beside a window, you can use it to rest your coffee or tea on it.

Hidden Storage Chest

When I was a little girl, I had an ottoman as my personal treasure chest. My mother thought of it as a convenient way to hide all my toys and Barbie dolls. Having an ottoman with a top that can be lifted and used as additional storage will free up room in small apartments. But people with large living spaces can also benefit from them. Whenever you have some unannounced guests, it can be used to immediately stash things you want to keep out of sight. A pretty upholstered ottoman at the foot of your bed can be used as a chest to store your pyjamas and extra bedding. You can even use it to hide your smelly socks and no one will ever know.